Pawnee County is a county in Nebraska, United States, on the Kansas state line in the southeastern corner of the state. It had a population of 2,544 at the 2020 census and covers 433 square miles (1,120 km2) centred near 40°08′N 96°14′W.
Pawnee City is the county seat and its postal code is 68420. The county has one incorporated city and five villages, plus a handful of small unincorporated communities. It lies in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Pawnee County
Pawnee County has one city and five villages, all clustered along US Route 50 and the county’s east-west section roads. Two additional place names from older gazetteers — Bookwalter and Mayberry — survive today only as unincorporated crossroads communities with no separate population count.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pawnee City | City · seat | 1,255 | 68420 |
| Table Rock | Village | — | 68447 |
| Du Bois | Village | — | 68345 |
| Steinauer | Village | — | 68441 |
| Lewiston | Village | — | 68380 |
| Burchard | Village | — | 68323 |
| Bookwalter | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mayberry | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 68420 — Pawnee City (the county’s main post office town)
- 68447 — Table Rock
- 68345 — Du Bois
- 68441 — Steinauer
- 68380 — Lewiston
- 68323 — Burchard
Bookwalter and Mayberry have no post office of their own; mail there is delivered under a neighboring town’s ZIP code.
Geography
Pawnee County sits on rolling farmland in Nebraska’s Glaciated Plains, drained by the Nemaha River and its tributary creeks. Most of the land is cropland and pasture, with wooded stream corridors along the Nemaha and Turkey Creek.
The county borders Johnson County to the north, Nemaha County to the northeast, Richardson County to the east, Gage County to the west, and Kansas counties across the state line to the south.
Demographics
Pawnee County had a population of 2,544 at the 2020 census, its lowest count in over a century, continuing a long decline from a peak near 10,000 in the 1890s. Pawnee City and Table Rock are the county’s two largest communities. Median household income in the county runs below the Nebraska median of $74,590, typical of the state’s small farm counties. Population density is roughly 5.9 people per square mile, among the lowest in southeast Nebraska.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives the county’s economy — corn, soybeans, and cattle on the surrounding farmland. Pawnee City serves as the retail and government hub, home to the county courthouse, a K-12 school district, and a small hospital and clinic. The county fair, held each summer in Pawnee City, remains the area’s largest community event.
History
Pawnee County was organized in 1854 and named for the Pawnee, the Native American nation whose traditional territory once extended across this part of the Great Plains. On May 30, 1879, an F4 tornado tore through the region, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 60 — one of the deadliest tornadoes in Nebraska history. The county has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1936.
Getting There
US Route 50 runs north-south through the county and US Route 73 crosses the southeast corner, linking Pawnee City to the wider highway network.
- Beatrice, Nebraska — 25 miles northwest
- Falls City, Nebraska — 30 miles southeast
- Auburn, Nebraska — 25 miles northeast
- Lincoln, Nebraska — 60 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Lincoln Airport, about an hour’s drive north.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Pawnee County, Nebraska?
It is in the southeastern corner of Nebraska, on the Kansas state line, southeast of Lincoln.
What is the population of Pawnee County?
2,544 as of the 2020 census.
How big is Pawnee County?
433 square miles (1,120 km2), of which 431 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Pawnee County?
Pawnee City is the county seat.
How many towns and villages are in Pawnee County?
One city, Pawnee City, and five villages: Burchard, Du Bois, Lewiston, Steinauer, and Table Rock.
What ZIP codes are in Pawnee County?
68420, 68323, 68345, 68380, 68441, and 68447.
What tribe is Pawnee County named after?
It is named for the Pawnee, a Native American nation historically associated with the central Great Plains.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.