Hooker County, Nebraska

Hooker County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 711, and was estimated to be 686 in 2025.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Hooker County was represented by the prefix "93" (as it had the smallest number of registered vehicles out of the state's 93 counties of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

Hooker County was created on March 29, 1889 with construction of a line for Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad into the territory. It was named for Civil War General Joseph Hooker.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.07%) is water. It is the 33rd-largest county in Nebraska by total area.

The terrain of Hooker County consists of low rolling hills running east–west. The Middle Loup River flows eastward through the upper part of the county.

Most of Nebraska's 93 counties (the eastern 2/3) observe Central Time; the western counties observe Mountain Time. Hooker County is the easternmost of the Nebraska counties to observe Mountain Time.

Major highways

20px Nebraska Highway 2
20px Nebraska Highway 97

Adjacent counties

Cherry County – north
Thomas County – east (Central Time Zone boundary)
McPherson County – south
Arthur County – southwest
Grant County – west

Lakes

Carr Lake
Jefford Lake

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 711. The median age was 46.3 years. 19.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 31.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.5% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.1% from some other race, and 4.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.5% of the population.

There were 323 households in the county, of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 22.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Hooker was the nation's most Republican county, and it was in the top ten most Republican in 1960, 1976, and 1984.