Valley County is a county in Nebraska, United States, centred on the valley land between the North and Middle Loup Rivers, in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 4,059 at the 2020 census and covers 570 square miles (1,476 km2), of which 568 square miles are land, centred near 41°34′N 98°59′W.
Ord is the county seat and the only incorporated city in the county; its postal code is 68862. The county has one city, three villages, and two unincorporated communities, spread across fifteen townships. Valley County sits in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 31165.
Towns & Villages in Valley County
Valley County has six named places on the map: one city, three incorporated villages, and two unincorporated communities. The table below gives each place’s type, township, 2020 census population where the place was separately counted, and ZIP code.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ord | City · seat | Ord | — | 68862 |
| Arcadia | Village | Arcadia | — | 68815 |
| North Loup | Village | North Loup | — | 68859 |
| Elyria | Village | Elyria | — | 68862 |
| Olean | Unincorp. | Springdale | — | 68862 |
| Sumter | Unincorp. | Yale | — | 68862 |
The old site listing also carried “Kittles Trailer Court,” “Manchester Trailer Court,” “Saunders,” and “Spelts.” These are historic rural place names from older gazetteers, not present-day settlements with a verifiable population or ZIP, so they have been dropped from the table; see notes.md.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Ord | — | Ord |
| Arcadia | — | Arcadia |
| North Loup | — | North Loup |
| Elyria | — | Elyria |
| Springdale | — | Olean |
| Yale | — | Sumter |
| Enterprise | — | rural |
| Liberty | — | rural |
| Nishnabotna | — | rural |
| Ord (rural) | — | rural |
Valley County is organized into fifteen civil townships in total; per-township 2020 population breakdowns are not separately published, so the table above lists the townships with an identifiable settlement and leaves the remainder as rural.
ZIP Codes
- 68862 — Ord (also serves Elyria, Olean and Sumter)
- 68815 — Arcadia
- 68859 — North Loup
Elyria, Olean, and Sumter have no post office of their own and are served by Ord’s ZIP code.
Geography
Valley County lies in Nebraska’s Loess Canyons and Sandhills transition zone, where the North Loup and Middle Loup Rivers cut broad, fertile valleys through rolling upland pasture — the source of the county’s name. The North Loup River crosses the county from northwest to southeast, and the Middle Loup forms part of the southern boundary, giving the county its mix of irrigated valley cropland and grazing land above the river breaks.
Valley County borders Loup County to the northwest, Garfield County to the north, Wheeler County to the east, Greeley County to the southeast, Howard County to the south, Sherman County to the southwest, and Custer County to the west.
Demographics
Valley County had 4,059 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 7.1 people per square mile. Ord is by far the largest community, holding roughly half the county’s population; Arcadia is the second-largest incorporated place. The county’s median household income runs below the Nebraska median of $74,590, typical of the state’s small rural agricultural counties.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture anchors the county economy — irrigated corn and soybeans in the river valleys, cattle grazing on the surrounding Sandhills-edge pasture. Ord serves as the county’s commercial and medical hub, home to Valley County Health System and the Ord Public Schools. The North Loup River and its tributaries support recreational fishing and canoeing in summer, and the county fairgrounds in Ord host the Valley County Fair each August.
History
Valley County was created by the Nebraska legislature in 1871 and organized in 1872, taking its name directly from the valley terrain between the North and Middle Loup Rivers that dominates its landscape. Ord, named for Civil War general Edward Ord, became the county seat as settlement concentrated along the North Loup. On June 12, 2010, failure of a private dam upstream caused significant flash flooding along the North Loup through the county, prompting emergency evacuations in Ord and Elyria.
Getting There
Nebraska Highways 11, 22, 58, and 70 cross the county, linking Ord to the surrounding towns.
- Burwell — 20 miles northeast
- Broken Bow — 35 miles southwest
- Grand Island — 75 miles southeast
- St. Paul — 45 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Valley County, Nebraska?
It lies in north-central Nebraska, on the North and Middle Loup Rivers, about 75 miles northwest of Grand Island.
What is the population of Valley County?
4,059 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Valley County?
570 square miles (1,476 km2), of which 568 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Valley County?
Ord is the county seat.
How many towns are in Valley County?
One city (Ord) and three villages (Arcadia, Elyria, North Loup), plus the unincorporated communities of Olean and Sumter.
What ZIP codes are in Valley County?
68862 (Ord), 68815 (Arcadia), and 68859 (North Loup).
What river runs through Valley County?
The North Loup River crosses the county, joined near its southern edge by the Middle Loup River.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.