Holt County, Nebraska

Holt County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,127, and was estimated to be 10,067 in 2025.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Holt County was represented by the prefix "36" (as it had the 36th-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

Holt County was created by an act of the Nebraska Territory Legislature on January 9, 1862, and was organized on December 27, 1876. It is named for Joseph Holt of Kentucky, who was postmaster general and secretary of war under President James Buchanan. It shares its name with Holt County, Missouri, though it is named for a different Holt.

Holt County is in the Outback area of Nebraska.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.23%) is water. It is the 5th-largest county in Nebraska by total area.

The terrain of Holt County consists of low, rolling hills, with the flattened areas used for agriculture. The Niobrara River flows eastward along the north line of the county, and the Elkhorn River flows southeastward through the upper central portion of the county.

Major highways

20px U.S. Highway 20
25px U.S. Highway 275
25px U.S. Highway 281
20px Nebraska Highway 11
20px Nebraska Highway 95

Adjacent counties

Antelope County – east
Boyd County – north
Knox County – east
Wheeler County – south
Garfield County – south
Loup County – southwest
Rock County – west
Keya Paha County – northwest

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 10,127. The median age was 43.1 years. 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.7 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.4% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.4% from some other race, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.1% of the population.

There were 4,257 households in the county, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 21.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.