Hall County is a county in Nebraska, United States, on the Platte River in the central part of the state. It had a population of 62,895 at the 2020 census, making it Nebraska’s fourth-most populous county, and covers 552 square miles (1,430 km2) centred near 40°52′N 98°30′W.
Grand Island is the county seat, and its postal code is 68801. The county has two cities, four villages, a handful of unincorporated communities and fourteen townships. Hall County sits in the Central time zone; its FIPS code is 31079.
Towns & Villages in Hall County
Nine named places appear on the map of Hall County: two incorporated cities, four villages, and three unincorporated communities. Grand Island, the seat, anchors the Grand Island, NE Metropolitan Statistical Area; the smaller villages and hamlets sit along U.S. 30, U.S. 34 and the Platte and South Loup rivers. “CDP” below marks a census-designated place with no municipal government; “Unincorp.” marks a community with no incorporated status at all.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Island | City · seat | — | 53,131 | 68801, 68802, 68803 |
| Wood River | City | Wood River | — | 68883 |
| Alda | Village | Alda | — | 68810 |
| Cairo | Village | — | — | 68824 |
| Doniphan | Village | Doniphan | — | 68832 |
| Shelton | Village | — | — | — |
| Abbott | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Cameron | Unincorp. | Cameron | — | — |
| Hansen | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Shelton straddles the Hall–Buffalo county line; most of the village and its post office sit across the line in Buffalo County, which is why it carries no Hall County ZIP code here.
Townships
Hall County is divided into fourteen townships, most named for the settlement or family that anchors them. Populations by township are not separately published by the Census Bureau.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Wood River | — | Wood River |
| Alda | — | Alda |
| Doniphan | — | Doniphan |
| Cameron | — | Cameron |
| Center | — | — |
| Harrison | — | — |
| Jackson | — | — |
| Lake | — | — |
| Martin | — | — |
| Mayfield | — | — |
| Prairie Creek | — | — |
| South Loup | — | — |
| South Platte | — | — |
| Washington | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 68801 — Grand Island (also serves the surrounding county seat area)
- 68802 — Grand Island (PO Box-only ZIP)
- 68803 — Grand Island
- 68810 — Alda
- 68824 — Cairo
- 68832 — Doniphan
- 68883 — Wood River
Shelton, Abbott, Cameron and Hansen have no Hall County ZIP of their own; mail to Shelton is addressed through the neighboring Buffalo County post office at 68876.
Geography
Hall County lies in central Nebraska on the loess plains flanking the Platte River, which crosses the southern part of the county, while the South Loup River cuts the northwest corner. The terrain is mostly flat to gently rolling farmland, with sandpit lakes and wooded river bottoms along the Platte. The county covers 552 square miles, of which 546 square miles are land and about 6 square miles are water.
Hall County borders Howard County to the north, Merrick County to the northeast, Hamilton County to the east, Adams County to the south, Kearney County to the southwest, and Buffalo County to the west.
Demographics
Hall County had 62,895 residents at the 2020 census, up from earlier counts, and remains Nebraska’s fourth most populous county. Grand Island, with about 53,131 residents, is by far the largest community, followed at a distance by Wood River. Hall County’s median household income runs below the Nebraska median of $74,590, reflecting its mix of meatpacking, manufacturing and farm-support jobs. Population density is roughly 115 people per square mile, concentrated overwhelmingly in and around Grand Island.
Economy & Local Life
Grand Island is a regional hub for food processing, agribusiness and healthcare, anchored by large meatpacking and manufacturing plants and by CHI Health St. Francis, the area’s major hospital. Central Community College operates a campus in the city. Outside Grand Island, the county’s economy is dominated by row-crop and livestock farming across the Platte Valley bottomland. The Nebraska State Fair relocated to Grand Island in 2010 and now runs there every summer, drawing visitors from across the state.
History
Hall County was created on November 4, 1858, and named for Augustus Hall, an early territorial judge. Its early settlement followed the Union Pacific Railroad and the Platte River valley, which drew farmers and, later, meatpacking and manufacturing industry to Grand Island. The county has a notably high frequency of tornado activity for Nebraska, tied to its position on the Platte Valley storm corridor.
Getting There
Interstate 80, U.S. Route 30, U.S. Route 34 and U.S. Route 281 all cross Hall County, along with Nebraska Highway 2 and Nebraska Highway 11.
- Kearney — 40 miles west
- Hastings — 25 miles south
- Lincoln — 95 miles east
- Omaha — 140 miles east
Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island offers commercial air service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hall County, Nebraska?
It sits in central Nebraska on the Platte River, about 95 miles west of Lincoln.
What is the population of Hall County?
62,895 at the 2020 census, Nebraska’s fourth-highest county total.
How big is Hall County?
552 square miles (1,430 km2), of which about 6 square miles are water.
What is the county seat of Hall County?
Grand Island is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in Hall County?
Two cities (Grand Island, Wood River) and four villages (Alda, Cairo, Doniphan, Shelton), plus a few unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Hall County?
68801, 68802 and 68803 (Grand Island), 68810 (Alda), 68824 (Cairo), 68832 (Doniphan) and 68883 (Wood River).
Why does Hall County see so many tornadoes?
It lies on the Platte Valley storm corridor and records roughly four times Nebraska’s average tornado density.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.