Hayes County is a county in Nebraska, United States, on the semi-arid High Plains of the state’s southwest corner. It had a population of 856 at the 2020 census and covers 713 square miles (1,847 km2) centred near 40°32′N 101°03′W.
Hayes Center is the county seat, and its postal code is 69032 — the one ZIP code that serves the entire county. The county has one incorporated village, one unincorporated community, and no organized townships. It sits in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 31085.
Towns & Villages in Hayes County
Hayes County has three places most residents would name off the top of their head, plus one unincorporated crossroads. All lie along U.S. Route 6/34 or the Republican River valley. The county has never had civil townships, so the settlement table below skips that column.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayes Center | Village · seat | — | 69032 |
| Palisade | Unincorp. | — | 69040 |
| Hamlet | Unincorp. | — | 69032 |
| Marengo | Unincorp. | — | 69032 |
Palisade straddles the Hayes–Hitchcock county line; its post office and the bulk of the platted townsite sit just across the line in Hitchcock County, but the ZIP district reaches into Hayes County’s southeastern corner, which is why local mail carries a Palisade address. Hamlet and Marengo are rail-siding communities from the Burlington Route era that never incorporated and today are little more than a grain elevator and a handful of houses.
ZIP Codes
- 69032 — Hayes Center (also serves Hamlet and Marengo)
- 69040 — Palisade (post office town sits in neighboring Hitchcock County; serves southeastern Hayes County)
No other ZIP codes are centered in Hayes County; the sparse population means one post office handles nearly the whole county.
Geography
Hayes County lies on the loess-mantled tableland between the Republican and South Platte river drainages, with center-pivot irrigation circles covering much of the flatter upland and the Republican River cutting a shallow valley through the county’s southern tier. The county reports 713.1 square miles of land and 0.2 square miles of water.
It borders Lincoln County to the north, Perkins County to the northwest, Chase County to the west, Dundy County to the southwest, Hitchcock County to the south, and Frontier County to the east.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 856 residents, making Hayes one of Nebraska’s least populous counties. Hayes Center and Palisade together account for most of that population; the rest live on farms and ranches scattered across the county’s grid of section roads. Median household income data specific to Hayes County is not independently verified here, but Nebraska’s statewide 2023 ACS median is $74,590, and rural southwest Nebraska counties like Hayes typically run below the state figure. Population density is roughly 1.2 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Irrigated corn, wheat, and cattle ranching drive the county’s economy, with center-pivot systems drawing on the Ogallala Aquifer to farm ground that dryland cropping alone could not support. Hayes Center serves as the county’s trade center, home to the county courthouse, a K-12 school, and the grain elevators that anchor the local economy at harvest. Hunting and fishing along the Republican River and at Swanson Reservoir, just across the line in neighboring counties, draw seasonal visitors.
History
Hayes County was created on February 19, 1877, and formally organized in 1884. It was named for Rutherford B. Hayes, who was serving as President of the United States when the county was created. Like much of southwest Nebraska, the county’s early economy centered on homesteading and open-range cattle grazing before irrigated farming took hold in the 20th century.
Getting There
U.S. Route 6/34 crosses the county east–west through Hayes Center, connecting to Nebraska Highway 61 for north–south travel.
- McCook, Nebraska — 30 miles southeast
- North Platte, Nebraska — 45 miles north
- Imperial, Nebraska — 25 miles west
- Benkelman, Nebraska — 35 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport, about 30 miles southeast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hayes County?
It is in southwest Nebraska, on the High Plains between the Republican River and the South Platte drainage.
What is the population of Hayes County?
856 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Hayes County?
713 square miles of land, making it one of Nebraska’s larger counties by area but among its smallest by population.
What is the Hayes County seat?
Hayes Center is the county seat.
How many towns are in Hayes County?
One incorporated village, Hayes Center, plus the unincorporated communities of Palisade and Hamlet and the rail siding of Marengo.
What ZIP codes are in Hayes County?
69032 for Hayes Center and most of the county, and 69040 for Palisade in the southeast.
Does Hayes County have townships?
No. Unlike most Nebraska counties, Hayes County has never organized civil townships.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.