Sarpy County is a county in Nebraska, United States, immediately south of Omaha along the west bank of the Missouri River. It had a population of 190,604 at the 2020 census and covers 238 square miles (616 km2) centred near 41°07′N 96°07′W.
Papillion is the county seat, and its postal code is 68046. Sarpy County has 5 incorporated cities, 7 census-designated places and 4 unincorporated communities. The county sits in the Central time zone and is part of the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area.
Towns & Villages in Sarpy County
Sarpy is Nebraska’s third-most populous county and its most urbanized outside Douglas County. The list below covers its 5 incorporated cities plus census-designated places (CDP) and unincorporated communities. Nebraska does not use civil townships, so no Township column is shown.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Papillion | City · seat | — | 68046 |
| Bellevue | City | — | 68005 |
| La Vista | City | — | 68128 |
| Gretna | City | — | 68028 |
| Springfield | City | — | 68059 |
| Offutt AFB | CDP | — | 68113 |
| Chalco | CDP | — | 68138 |
| Beacon View | CDP | — | — |
| La Platte | CDP | — | — |
| Linoma Beach | CDP | — | — |
| Melia | CDP | — | — |
| Richfield | CDP | — | — |
| Avery | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gilmore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Meadow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Portal | Unincorp. | — | — |
Offutt AFB is a census-designated place covering the housing area of the Air Force base of the same name, distinct from the base’s own operational grounds. Several other names on the old list — Capehart, Fort Crook, Gilmore Junction, Martinview MH Park, Green Acres MH Park, Sands Trailer Park, Paradise Park, Rumsey, Washington MH Terrace — are mobile-home parks, subdivisions or historical place names inside Bellevue or Offutt AFB rather than distinct Census Bureau places, and are omitted here for lack of independent verification.
ZIP Codes
- 68046 — Papillion (county seat, also serves surrounding rural Sarpy County)
- 68005 — Bellevue
- 68123 — Bellevue (south side)
- 68113 — Offutt AFB
- 68128 — La Vista
- 68028 — Gretna
- 68059 — Springfield
- 68138 — Omaha (covers the Chalco area of northwest Sarpy County)
Some Sarpy County addresses carry an Omaha ZIP code because the U.S. Postal Service assigns delivery routes across county lines in the built-up Omaha metro.
Geography
Sarpy County sits in eastern Nebraska where the Platte River meets the Missouri River, giving it a mix of river-bottom farmland in the south and west and dense suburban development in the north and east, closest to Omaha. The Platte forms much of the county’s southern boundary before it empties into the Missouri, which forms the eastern edge. The terrain is gently rolling loess-hill country typical of the Missouri River valley.
Sarpy County borders Douglas County to the north, Saunders County to the west, Cass County to the south, and across the Missouri River, Mills County and Pottawattamie County, Iowa, to the east and southeast.
Demographics
Sarpy County had 190,604 residents at the 2020 census, making it Nebraska’s third-most populous county behind Douglas and Lancaster. Bellevue is the largest city with roughly 65,000 residents, followed by Papillion at around 20,000. Median household income runs well above the Nebraska median of $74,590, reflecting the county’s concentration of military, aerospace and professional employment. Population density is about 800 people per square mile, among the highest of any Nebraska county outside Douglas.
Economy & Local Life
Offutt Air Force Base, home to U.S. Strategic Command, is Sarpy County’s largest employer and anchors the local economy alongside a growing base of aerospace, insurance and logistics firms drawn by the county’s proximity to Omaha. Bellevue and Papillion also carry a strong retail and healthcare presence, and the county’s western edge around Gretna has grown rapidly as an Omaha commuter suburb, home to the Nebraska Crossing outlet mall. Sarpy County hosts the annual Sarpy County Fair each summer in Springfield.
History
Sarpy County was organized on February 7, 1857, and named for Peter A. Sarpy, an early fur trader who operated a trading post at Bellevue, the county’s oldest town and one of the first permanent European-American settlements in Nebraska. Offutt Field, established south of Bellevue during World War I and expanded into an Air Force base, later became headquarters of the Strategic Air Command during the Cold War, shaping the county’s growth for the rest of the 20th century.
Getting There
Interstate 80 crosses the northern part of the county, with U.S. Route 75 and Nebraska Highway 370 serving as the main north-south and east-west corridors through Papillion, La Vista and Bellevue.
- Omaha — 3 miles north
- Lincoln — 55 miles southwest
- Council Bluffs, Iowa — 8 miles northeast
- Nebraska City — 35 miles south
Eppley Airfield in Omaha is the nearest commercial airport, about 10 miles from Papillion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sarpy County?
It is in eastern Nebraska, immediately south of Omaha along the Missouri River.
What is the population of Sarpy County?
190,604 at the 2020 census, Nebraska’s third-most populous county.
How big is Sarpy County?
238 square miles (616 km2) of land.
What is the county seat of Sarpy County?
Papillion is the county seat.
How many towns and cities are in Sarpy County?
Five incorporated cities — Papillion, Bellevue, La Vista, Gretna and Springfield — plus several census-designated places and unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Sarpy County?
Main ZIP codes include 68046 (Papillion), 68005/68123 (Bellevue), 68128 (La Vista), 68028 (Gretna) and 68059 (Springfield).
What is Sarpy County’s largest employer?
Offutt Air Force Base, headquarters of U.S. Strategic Command, is the county’s largest single employer.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.