Platte County is a county in Nebraska, United States, on the Platte River in the east-central part of the state. It had a population of 34,296 at the 2020 census and covers 685 square miles (1,773 km2) centred near 41°35′N 97°31′W.
Columbus is the county seat, and its postal code is 68601. The county has 3 cities, 7 villages and several unincorporated communities and subdivisions, grouped into 18 civil townships. Platte County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Platte County
Platte County has one city large enough to anchor its own micropolitan area, six small villages, a second city that mostly lies in neighboring Madison County, and a scatter of unincorporated communities and rural subdivisions near Columbus. Unincorp. below marks places with no municipal government of their own.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | City · seat | Columbus | 24,028 | 68601 |
| Humphrey | City | Humphrey | — | 68642 |
| Newman Grove | City | — | — | — |
| Platte Center | Village | — | — | 68653 |
| Monroe | Village | Monroe | — | 68647 |
| Duncan | Village | — | — | 68634 |
| Lindsay | Village | — | — | 68644 |
| Creston | Village | Creston | — | 68631 |
| Cornlea | Village | — | — | — |
| Tarnov | Village | — | — | — |
| Oconee | Unincorp. | Oconee | — | — |
| Saint Bernard | Unincorp. | St. Bernard | — | — |
| Rosenborg | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Sheldonville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Gardiner | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Lakeview | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Wagners Lake | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| College View Park | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Country Mobile Villa | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Countryview Estates | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Newman Grove sits mostly across the county line in Madison County, with only a small edge inside Platte County — its city government and ZIP code (68758) are administered from the Madison County side. Lakeview, Wagners Lake, College View Park, Country Mobile Villa and Countryview Estates are unincorporated subdivisions and mobile-home communities on the outskirts of Columbus, not separately governed places.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus | — | Columbus |
| Humphrey | — | Humphrey |
| Shell Creek | — | rural, east of Columbus |
| Butler | — | rural |
| Loup | — | rural, along the Loup River |
| Grand Prairie | — | rural |
| Woodville | — | rural |
| Creston | — | Creston |
| Monroe | — | Monroe |
| Oconee | — | Oconee |
| Sherman | — | rural |
| Granville | — | rural |
| Walker | — | rural |
| Bismark | — | rural |
| Burrows | — | rural |
| Joliet | — | rural |
| Lost Creek | — | rural |
| St. Bernard | — | Saint Bernard |
ZIP Codes
- 68601 — Columbus (also serves College View Park, Country Mobile Villa, Countryview Estates, Lakeview and Wagners Lake)
- 68602 — Columbus (PO Box only)
- 68642 — Humphrey
- 68653 — Platte Center
- 68647 — Monroe
- 68644 — Lindsay
- 68634 — Duncan (PO Box only)
- 68631 — Creston
Cornlea, Tarnov, Oconee, Rosenborg, Sheldonville and Gardiner have no ZIP code of their own and are served by the nearest Columbus-area post office.
Geography
Platte County lies in the Platte River valley of east-central Nebraska. Low rolling hills, largely farmed, cover most of the county; the Platte River runs along its southern edge and the Loup River crosses the county before joining it near Columbus. The county totals 685 square miles, of which 674 square miles are land and 11 square miles (1.5%) are water.
Platte County borders Madison County and Stanton County to the north, Colfax County to the east, Butler County to the southeast, Polk County and Merrick County to the south, Nance County to the southwest, and Boone County to the west. Live sibling profiles: Madison County, Stanton County, Colfax County, Butler County, Polk County, Merrick County, Nance County and Boone County.
Demographics
Platte County had 34,296 residents at the 2020 census, giving a density of roughly 51 people per square mile. Columbus, the seat, is by far the largest community at 24,028; Humphrey is the second-largest incorporated place. Median household income in Platte County runs below the Nebraska median of $74,590, reflecting the county’s mix of manufacturing wages and farm income outside Columbus.
Economy & Local Life
Columbus anchors the county’s economy as a manufacturing hub: Becton Dickinson runs two medical-products plants there, Behlen Manufacturing makes steel buildings and farm equipment, Cargill runs a ground-beef plant, and Archer Daniels Midland operates a corn-milling facility. Nebraska Public Power District is headquartered in Columbus, and Columbus Community Hospital and Columbus Public Schools are among the county’s largest non-manufacturing employers. Outside Columbus the county’s economy is agricultural, centered on corn and soybeans with cattle feeding along the river bottoms. The Platte County Fair is held each year at Agricultural Park in Columbus, alongside the Columbus Days Parade in August and the Columbus Marching Festival each September.
History
Platte County was created on January 26, 1856, and takes its name from the Platte River, which forms its southern boundary. The county board of commissioners held its first meeting the following year. Columbus was founded in 1856 by a group of settlers from Ohio and Michigan and later grew into a rail and manufacturing center after the Union Pacific Railroad reached it in 1866.
Getting There
US Highway 30 and US Highway 81 cross in Columbus, and Nebraska Highway 22 and Highway 91 also run through the county.
- Norfolk — 30 miles north
- Grand Island — 45 miles southwest
- Fremont — 45 miles east
- Lincoln — 80 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island; Columbus also has a small municipal airport for general aviation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Platte County, Nebraska?
Platte County is in east-central Nebraska, along the Platte and Loup rivers, about 80 miles northwest of Lincoln.
What is the population of Platte County?
Platte County had a population of 34,296 at the 2020 census.
How big is Platte County?
The county covers 685 square miles (1,773 km2), of which 674 square miles are land.
What is the Platte County seat?
Columbus is the county seat.
How many towns are in Platte County?
Platte County has 3 cities and 7 villages, plus several unincorporated communities near Columbus.
What ZIP codes are in Platte County?
Platte County’s main ZIP codes are 68601 and 68602 (Columbus), 68642 (Humphrey), 68653 (Platte Center), 68647 (Monroe), 68644 (Lindsay), 68634 (Duncan) and 68631 (Creston).
What is Platte County’s biggest employer?
Columbus is a manufacturing center, with Becton Dickinson, Behlen Manufacturing, Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland among the county’s largest employers.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.