Cedar County is a county in Nebraska, United States, in the far northeastern part of the state. It had a population of 8,380 at the 2020 census and covers 746 square miles (1,930 km2) centred near 42°36′N 97°15′W.
Hartington is the county seat, and its postal code is 68739. The county holds three cities, seven villages, two census-designated places and four unincorporated communities, and it observes Central time.
Towns & Villages in Cedar County
Sixteen named places appear across Cedar County’s official roll: three incorporated cities, seven villages, two census-designated places (CDPs) and four unincorporated communities. Nebraska has no active civil-township government layer for Cedar County, so the table below groups places by type only. Reliable place-level 2020 population figures are not published separately from the county total, so those cells are marked with a dash rather than guessed.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartington | City · seat | — | 68739 |
| Laurel | City | — | 68745 |
| Randolph | City | — | 68771 |
| Belden | Village | — | 68717 |
| Coleridge | Village | — | 68727 |
| Fordyce | Village | — | 68736 |
| Magnet | Village | — | 68749 |
| Obert | Village | — | — |
| Saint Helena | Village | — | 68774 |
| Wynot | Village | — | 68792 |
| Aten | CDP | — | — |
| Bow Valley | CDP | — | — |
| Constance | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Menominee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saint James | Unincorp. | — | — |
| South Yankton | Unincorp. | — | — |
Magnet’s 68749 ZIP is a post-office-box-only code; Obert has no standalone ZIP and is generally served by the Hartington or Wynot post offices.
ZIP Codes
- 68739 — Hartington
- 68745 — Laurel
- 68771 — Randolph
- 68727 — Coleridge
- 68736 — Fordyce
- 68792 — Wynot
- 68774 — Saint Helena
- 68717 — Belden
- 68749 — Magnet (PO box delivery only)
Places without their own ZIP, including Obert, Aten, Bow Valley, Constance, Menominee, Saint James and South Yankton, use the code of the nearest post-office town listed above.
Geography
Cedar County sits on the bluffs above the Missouri River, which forms its entire northern boundary and separates Nebraska from South Dakota. Gavins Point Dam impounds Lewis and Clark Lake on the Missouri in the northwestern part of the county. Of the county’s 746 square miles, 740 are land and 5.5 are water, about 0.7 percent. The land is rolling farm country typical of the Nebraska loess hills, cut by tributary creeks draining toward the Missouri.
Cedar County borders Clay County and Yankton County, South Dakota, across the Missouri River to the north; Dixon County to the east; Wayne County and Pierce County to the south; and Knox County to the west.
Demographics
Cedar County’s population was 8,380 at the 2020 census, for a density of about 11 people per square mile of land. Hartington and Laurel are the county’s two largest incorporated communities. Nebraska’s 2023 American Community Survey median household income was $74,590; Cedar County’s own median has not been independently verified for this profile, but county-level Census Bureau data typically places rural Cedar County somewhat below the statewide figure, consistent with its farm-dependent economy.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives Cedar County’s economy, with corn, soybeans and cattle production dominating the surrounding countryside, a pattern shared with the rest of northeastern Nebraska. Hartington, the county seat, anchors the county’s retail and government services. Lewis and Clark Lake and Gavins Point Dam draw boating, fishing and camping traffic from across the region each summer.
History
Cedar County was organized in 1857 and named for the groves of cedar trees found along its streams and river bluffs. Its early settlement followed the Missouri River corridor, with communities such as Saint Helena and Bow Valley among the county’s oldest, tied to river trade before the railroad reached the interior towns.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 20 and 81 and Nebraska Highways 12, 15, 57, 59, 84 and 121 all pass through Cedar County, giving every incorporated town a state or federal highway connection.
- Yankton, South Dakota — 12 miles north of Hartington
- Wayne, Nebraska — 25 miles south of Laurel
- Norfolk, Nebraska — 40 miles south of Randolph
- Sioux City, Iowa — 45 miles east of Hartington
The nearest commercial airport is Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cedar County, Nebraska?
It sits in far northeastern Nebraska, along the Missouri River, which forms its border with South Dakota.
What is the population of Cedar County?
Cedar County had a population of 8,380 at the 2020 census.
How big is Cedar County?
The county covers 746 square miles (1,930 km2), of which 740 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Cedar County?
Hartington is the county seat.
How many towns and villages are in Cedar County?
The county has three cities, seven villages, two census-designated places and four unincorporated communities, 16 named places in all.
What ZIP codes are in Cedar County?
Nine ZIP codes serve the county, from 68717 (Belden) to 68792 (Wynot); see the ZIP Codes section above for the full list.
What lake is in Cedar County?
Lewis and Clark Lake, impounded by Gavins Point Dam on the Missouri River, lies in the northwestern part of the county.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.