Kimball County is a county in Nebraska, United States, in the southwestern corner of the Panhandle. It had a population of 3,434 at the 2020 census and covers 952 square miles (2,466 km2) centred near 41°12′N 103°42′W.
Kimball is the county seat, and its postal code is 69145. The county has one incorporated city, two villages and three unincorporated communities. Kimball County observes Mountain Time and carries FIPS code 31097.
Towns & Villages in Kimball County
Six named places appear on maps of Kimball County: one city, two villages and three unincorporated communities. The table below carries Type labels of City · seat, Village, and Unincorp. Nebraska does not use civil townships for local government, so no Township column is shown.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimball | City · seat | — | 69145 |
| Bushnell | Village | — | 69128 |
| Dix | Village | — | 69133 |
| Jacinto | Unincorp. | — | 69145 |
| Oliver | Unincorp. | — | 69145 |
| Owasco | Unincorp. | — | 69133 |
Jacinto and Oliver are rail-siding hamlets along the Union Pacific line west of Kimball and share the county seat’s ZIP code; Owasco sits near the Dix grain elevator and shares Dix’s ZIP.
ZIP Codes
- 69145 — Kimball (also serves Jacinto and Oliver)
- 69128 — Bushnell
- 69133 — Dix (also serves Owasco)
Geography
Kimball County sits on the High Plains of the Nebraska Panhandle, where rolling shortgrass prairie slopes gently east toward the North Platte River drainage. Panorama Point, at 5,424 feet the highest natural point in Nebraska, rises near the county’s southwest corner close to the Colorado and Wyoming lines. The county has almost no natural surface water and relies on the Ogallala Aquifer for irrigation and municipal supply.
Kimball County borders Banner County to the north and Cheyenne County to the east. Logan County, Colorado lies to the southeast, Weld County, Colorado to the southwest, and Laramie County, Wyoming to the west — Kimball County is one of the few Nebraska counties bordering two other states.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 3,434 residents. Kimball, the county seat, is by far the largest place; Dix is the second largest. Kimball County’s population has declined slowly since the 1980s as farm consolidation reduced the need for local labor. Median household income in Kimball County runs below the Nebraska median of $74,590, reflecting the county’s dependence on agricultural and rail-service wages. Population density is roughly 3.6 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Dryland and irrigated wheat, corn and sunflower farming, along with cattle ranching, anchor the county economy. The Union Pacific Railroad’s transcontinental main line runs through Kimball and Bushnell, and rail-related jobs remain a significant local employer. Kimball also sits near decommissioned Cold War-era Minuteman missile silo sites, a legacy of the county’s role in the former 90th Missile Wing footprint based at F.E. Warren Air Force Base across the Wyoming line. The Kimball County Fair, held each summer, is the county’s best-attended annual event.
History
Kimball County was organized on November 6, 1888, carved from Cheyenne County as railroad-driven settlement pushed west along the Union Pacific line. It is named for Thomas Lord Kimball, a Union Pacific Railroad executive who never lived in the county. Kimball, the town that became the county seat, grew up as a division point on the railroad and later as a shipping point for grain from the surrounding High Plains farmland.
Getting There
Interstate 80 crosses the county east–west, with a Kimball interchange; U.S. Route 30 parallels I-80 through the county seat. Nearest larger centers:
- Sidney, Nebraska — 35 miles east
- Cheyenne, Wyoming — 45 miles west
- Scottsbluff, Nebraska — 55 miles north
- Sterling, Colorado — 65 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Cheyenne Regional Airport in Wyoming; Kimball Municipal Airport offers general-aviation service only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kimball County, Nebraska?
It lies in the southwestern corner of the Nebraska Panhandle, bordering both Colorado and Wyoming.
What is the population of Kimball County?
3,434 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Kimball County?
952 square miles (2,466 km2), almost entirely land.
What is the county seat of Kimball County?
Kimball is the county seat.
How many towns are in Kimball County?
One city (Kimball) and two villages (Bushnell and Dix), plus three unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Kimball County?
69145 (Kimball), 69128 (Bushnell) and 69133 (Dix).
Why is Kimball County home to Nebraska’s highest point?
Panorama Point, at 5,424 feet, sits on the High Plains near the county’s southwest corner, where Nebraska’s elevation is at its greatest before the land drops away east toward the North Platte valley.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.