Wheeler County is a county in Nebraska, United States, in the Sandhills-fringed farm country of the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 774 at the 2020 census and covers 575 square miles (1,490 km2) centred near 41°55′N 98°31′W.
Bartlett is the county seat, and its postal code is 68622. The county has two incorporated villages, one unincorporated community, and several former settlement sites. Wheeler County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Wheeler County
Wheeler County has two incorporated villages, Bartlett and Ericson, plus the unincorporated community of Cumminsville. A handful of place names from early maps — Cedar City, Wheeler, Buffalo, Francis, Headquarters and Newboro — were post offices or rail sidings that never incorporated and no longer function as communities; they are omitted from the table below but noted here for search purposes.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bartlett | Village · seat | 427 | 68622 |
| Ericson | Village | 317 | 68637 |
| Cumminsville | Unincorp. | — | 68622 |
ZIP Codes
- 68622 — Bartlett (also serves Cumminsville and the surrounding ranch country)
- 68637 — Ericson
The two ZIP codes cover the entire county; there is no separate delivery ZIP for any of the historic, now-inactive settlement sites.
Geography
Wheeler County lies along the transition between the Loess Plains and the Nebraska Sandhills, drained by the North Fork Elkhorn River and the Cedar River, which meet tributary creeks across rolling, largely treeless grazing and hay land. Of its 576 square miles, 575 are land and less than half a square mile is water.
Wheeler County borders Holt County to the north, Antelope County to the northeast, Boone County to the east and southeast, Greeley County to the south, Valley County to the southwest, and Garfield County to the west.
Demographics
Wheeler County had 774 residents at the 2020 census, one of the smallest populations of any Nebraska county. Bartlett (427) and Ericson (317) are the county’s two population centers, together accounting for most residents; the rest live on farms and ranches outside the villages. Median household income in the county runs below the Nebraska median of $74,590, typical of the state’s sparsely populated agricultural counties. Population density is about 1.3 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching and hay and small-grain farming drive the county economy, with grazing land dominating the Sandhills-edge terrain in the county’s western and northern reaches. Bartlett, the county seat, hosts the county courthouse and a small cluster of local services; Ericson, on the Cedar River, serves the county’s southeastern farms and ranches. Both villages anchor annual community events tied to the agricultural calendar, including county fair activities.
History
Wheeler County was created on February 17, 1877, and organized on April 11, 1881, carved from Nebraska’s unorganized public-land territory as settlement pushed west along the Elkhorn and Cedar river valleys. It is named for Major Daniel H. Wheeler, a longtime secretary of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture. Several early post offices and rail-adjacent settlements — Cedar City, Wheeler, Buffalo, Francis, Headquarters and Newboro — were platted or opened in the county’s first decades but did not survive as towns once rail lines and county roads consolidated trade around Bartlett and Ericson.
Getting There
U.S. Route 281 crosses the county north-south through Bartlett, and Nebraska Highways 70 and 91 provide the main east-west connections.
- O’Neill, Holt County — about 30 miles north
- Albion, Boone County — about 30 miles east
- Ord, Valley County — about 25 miles southwest
- Burwell, Garfield County — about 20 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is North Platte Regional Airport, roughly 100 miles to the southwest; Grand Island’s Central Nebraska Regional Airport is a comparable distance to the southeast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Wheeler County, Nebraska?
It is in north-central Nebraska, on the edge of the Sandhills, along U.S. Route 281.
What is the population of Wheeler County?
774 people, per the 2020 census, making it one of Nebraska’s least populous counties.
How big is Wheeler County?
575 square miles of land and just under half a square mile of water, 576 square miles total.
What is the Wheeler County seat?
Bartlett is the county seat.
How many towns are in Wheeler County?
Two incorporated villages, Bartlett and Ericson, plus the unincorporated community of Cumminsville.
What ZIP codes are in Wheeler County?
68622 (Bartlett) and 68637 (Ericson).
Who is Wheeler County named for?
Major Daniel H. Wheeler, a longtime secretary of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.