Cuming County, Nebraska

Cuming County
County
Cuming County Courthouse in West Point
Flag
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°55′N 96°47′W / 41.92°N 96.79°W / 41.92; -96.79
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1855 (authorized) 1857 (organized)
Named for	Thomas B. Cuming
Seat	West Point
Largest city	West Point
Area
• Total	575 sq mi (1,490 km2)
• Land	571 sq mi (1,480 km2)
• Water	4.0 sq mi (10 km2)  0.7%
Population  (2020)
• Total	9,013
• Density	16/sq mi (6/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.cumingcounty.ne.gov

Cuming County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 9,013.^[1] Its county seat is West Point.^[2] In the Nebraska license plate system, Cuming County is represented by the prefix 24 since it had the 24th largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922.

Cuming County was formed in 1855 and organized in 1857.^[3][4] It was named for Thomas B. Cuming, the first secretary (and twice Acting Governor) of the newly created Nebraska Territory (1854–1858).^[5]

The courthouse dates from the 1950s.^[6]

On August 26, 2019, the DHHS announced that West Point's water was unsafe to drink after a year of complaints from citizens of the town. The maximum safe level of manganese for infants had been exceeded by over 700 micrograms per mL.^[7]

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 575 square miles (1,490 km²), of which 571 square miles (1,480 km²) is land and 4.0 square miles (10 km²) (0.7%) is water.^[8]

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	67		—
1870	2,964		4,323.9%
1880	5,569		87.9%
1890	12,265		120.2%
1900	14,584		18.9%
1910	13,782		−5.5%
1920	13,769		−0.1%
1930	14,327		4.1%
1940	13,562		−5.3%
1950	12,994		−4.2%
1960	12,435		−4.3%
1970	12,034		−3.2%
1980	11,664		−3.1%
1990	10,117		−13.3%
2000	10,203		0.9%
2010	9,139		−10.4%
2020	9,013		−1.4%
US Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010[13]

As of the 2000 United States Census,^[14] there were 10,203 people, 3,945 households, and 2,757 families in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile (6.9 people/km²). There were 4,283 housing units at an average density of 8 units per square mile (3.1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.88% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.63% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 5.48% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 67.4% were of German and 5.6% American ancestry.

There were 3,945 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% were married couples living together, 5.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.08.

The county population contained 27.20% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 20.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 102.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,186, and the median income for a family was $38,369. Males had a median income of $26,577 versus $19,246 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,443. About 7.00% of families and 9.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.80% of those under age 18 and 7.80% of those age 65 or over.

• West Point (county seat)
• Wisner

• Bancroft
• Beemer

• Aloys

School districts include:^[15]

Cuming County voters are reliably Republican. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).

United States presidential election results for Cuming County, Nebraska^[16]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	3,507	78.65%	870	19.51%	82	1.84%
2016	3,122	76.63%	719	17.65%	233	5.72%
2012	2,876	72.33%	1,031	25.93%	69	1.74%
2008	2,732	66.85%	1,274	31.17%	81	1.98%
2004	3,330	76.57%	966	22.21%	53	1.22%
2000	3,232	76.68%	857	20.33%	126	2.99%
1996	2,520	61.60%	1,033	25.25%	538	13.15%
1992	2,713	57.10%	836	17.60%	1,202	25.30%
1988	3,208	71.75%	1,239	27.71%	24	0.54%
1984	3,931	82.93%	779	16.43%	30	0.63%
1980	4,006	78.07%	803	15.65%	322	6.28%
1976	3,303	69.19%	1,374	28.78%	97	2.03%
1972	3,810	78.90%	1,019	21.10%	0	0.00%
1968	3,254	72.55%	935	20.85%	296	6.60%
1964	3,064	57.50%	2,265	42.50%	0	0.00%
1960	3,894	67.45%	1,879	32.55%	0	0.00%
1956	4,223	76.43%	1,302	23.57%	0	0.00%
1952	4,557	80.63%	1,095	19.37%	0	0.00%
1948	2,930	63.88%	1,657	36.12%	0	0.00%
1944	4,008	74.10%	1,401	25.90%	0	0.00%
1940	4,383	73.32%	1,595	26.68%	0	0.00%
1936	2,275	38.96%	3,114	53.32%	451	7.72%
1932	1,191	21.12%	4,391	77.87%	57	1.01%
1928	2,418	47.95%	2,597	51.50%	28	0.56%
1924	1,642	36.71%	981	21.93%	1,850	41.36%
1920	3,177	78.64%	764	18.91%	99	2.45%
1916	1,551	51.04%	1,424	46.86%	64	2.11%
1912	759	27.53%	1,484	53.83%	514	18.64%
1908	1,284	42.24%	1,722	56.64%	34	1.12%
1904	1,490	52.69%	1,244	43.99%	94	3.32%
1900	1,385	43.84%	1,736	54.95%	38	1.20%
1896	1,312	42.34%	1,760	56.79%	27	0.87%
1892	844	33.98%	578	23.27%	1,062	42.75%
1888	1,038	41.99%	1,316	53.24%	118	4.77%
1884	871	48.28%	921	51.05%	12	0.67%
1880	598	50.17%	537	45.05%	57	4.78%

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Cuming County, Nebraska

41°55′N 96°47′W / 41.92°N 96.79°W / 41.92; -96.79