Perkins County is a county in Nebraska, United States, on the Colorado border in the southwest part of the state. It had a population of 2,858 at the 2020 census and covers 883 square miles (2,290 km2) of land, centred near 40°50′N 101°40′W.
Grant is the county seat, and its postal code is 69140. The county has one city, three incorporated villages and two unincorporated communities. Perkins is the only Nebraska county east of Colorado that keeps Mountain Time (UTC−7, UTC−6 during daylight saving), one hour behind the rest of the Nebraska Panhandle’s eastern neighbors.
Towns & Villages in Perkins County
Perkins County has six named places on the map: one city, three villages and two unincorporated communities. The table below gives each place’s type and, where a 2020 census figure exists, its population.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant | City · seat | 1,145 | 69140 |
| Elsie | Village | 105 | 69132 |
| Madrid | Village | 236 | 69150 |
| Venango | Village | 168 | 69168 |
| Brandon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grainton | Unincorp. | — | — |
The old page’s list also included “Triple C Trailer Court” as a named place. That is a mobile-home court southeast of Grant, not an incorporated village or a census-recognized community, so it is omitted here as a duplicate of the surrounding rural area rather than a distinct town.
ZIP Codes
- 69140 — Grant (county seat)
- 69132 — Elsie
- 69150 — Madrid
- 69168 — Venango
Brandon and Grainton have no post office of their own; mail there is served through Grant or Madrid.
Geography
Perkins County sits on the arid, gently rolling High Plains of southwest Nebraska, where farmers rely on center-pivot irrigation to grow corn and wheat across the tableland. The county has almost no natural lakes; its water surface (1.1 square miles) is mostly farm ponds and small drainages feeding toward the South Platte basin to the south.
Perkins County borders Lincoln County to the east and Chase County to the south, with Keith County to the north, Deuel County to the northwest and Hayes County to the southeast, all in Nebraska. Its western boundary is the Colorado state line, facing Phillips and Sedgwick counties, Colorado.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 2,858 residents, a density of about 3.2 people per square mile. Grant, the county seat, is the largest place with roughly 1,145 residents; Madrid is the second-largest community at about 236. Median household income runs below the Nebraska median of $74,590, typical of the state’s sparsely populated western farm counties.
Economy & Local Life
Irrigated row-crop farming — mainly corn, wheat and soybeans — and cattle grazing drive the county economy, supported by grain elevators and farm-equipment dealers based in Grant. Grant also serves as the county’s retail and school hub, home to Perkins County High School. The county’s Mountain Time observance, unusual for Nebraska, reflects its closer economic ties to Colorado’s South Platte valley than to Lincoln or Omaha.
History
Perkins County was organized in 1887, carved from the western part of Lincoln County as Nebraska filled in its remaining unorganized territory. It is believed to be named for Charles E. Perkins, president of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, whose line helped open the region to settlement. Grant, the seat, is itself named for President Ulysses S. Grant.
Getting There
U.S. Route 138 and Nebraska Highway 61 cross through Grant, linking the county to Ogallala and Interstate 80 to the north.
- Ogallala, Nebraska — 20 miles north
- North Platte, Nebraska — 45 miles east
- Imperial, Nebraska — 25 miles south
- Wray, Colorado — 30 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is North Platte Regional Airport (LBF), about 45 miles east of Grant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Perkins County?
It is in southwest Nebraska, along the Colorado border, about 20 miles south of Ogallala.
What is the population of Perkins County?
2,858 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Perkins County?
883 square miles (2,290 km2) of land.
What is the Perkins County seat?
Grant is the county seat.
How many towns are in Perkins County?
One city (Grant) and three villages (Elsie, Madrid, Venango), plus the unincorporated communities of Brandon and Grainton.
What ZIP codes are in Perkins County?
69140 (Grant), 69132 (Elsie), 69150 (Madrid) and 69168 (Venango).
Why does Perkins County keep Mountain Time?
It borders Colorado and has long followed Mountain Time by local custom, making it the easternmost Nebraska county on that clock.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.