Colfax County was established by the Nebraska legislature in 1869, as part of the division of Platte County into three parts. The new county was named for Schuyler Colfax, then the Vice-President of the United States. The site of Shell Creek Station on the Union Pacific Railroad was chosen as the county seat, and renamed Schuyler also after Colfax. Schuyler was incorporated in 1870, and the county's first courthouse was constructed in 1872.
Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of, of which is land and is water.
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 10,441 people, 3,682 households, and 2,592 families in the county. The population density was 25 people per square mile. There were 4,088 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 81.73% White, 0.07% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 15.94% from other races, and 1.73% from two or more races. 26.17% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.8% were of German and 24.2% Czech ancestry. There were 3,682 households out of which 35.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couplesliving together, 7.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.31. The county population contained 28.90% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 18.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 106.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $35,849, and the median income for a family was $40,936. Males had a median income of $25,656 versus $20,485 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,148. About 7.20% of families and 10.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.80% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.
