Burt County is located in eastern Nebraska along the Missouri River, bordering Iowa and situated north of the Omaha metropolitan area. Established in 1855 and named for territorial judge William Burt, it developed as an agricultural region tied to river commerce and later rail and highway connections. The county is small in population, with roughly 6,000 residents, and remains predominantly rural, organized around small towns and extensive farmland. Its landscape includes broad river-bottom plains, rolling uplands, and wooded areas associated with the Missouri River corridor. Agriculture—particularly row-crop farming and livestock—forms the core of the local economy, complemented by small-scale manufacturing and services centered in its communities. The county seat is Tekamah, which serves as the primary administrative and service hub for the county.

Burt County Local Demographic Profile

Burt County is a rural county in eastern Nebraska along the Missouri River, bordering Iowa, with Tekamah as the county seat. It lies north of the Omaha metropolitan area and is part of the state’s east-river corridor of agricultural communities.

Population Size

Age & Gender

County-level age distribution and gender ratios are published by the U.S. Census Bureau through the American Community Survey (ACS); the most accessible county summary tables are provided via Census Bureau “data profiles” and QuickFacts.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

  • U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (Burt County) publishes county-level race and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity indicators (ACS-based), including:
    • White (alone)
    • Black or African American (alone)
    • American Indian and Alaska Native (alone)
    • Asian (alone)
    • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (alone)
    • Two or more races
    • Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

Household and Housing Data

Email Usage

Burt County, in rural eastern Nebraska along the Missouri River, has low population density and small towns separated by agricultural land; these factors can raise last‑mile broadband costs and make reliable home connectivity less uniform than in urban areas, shaping how consistently residents can access email. Direct county-level email usage statistics are not generally published, so broadband and device access serve as proxies for email adoption and frequency.

Digital access indicators are available from the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov) via American Community Survey tables on broadband subscriptions and computer ownership for Burt County. Age structure is another key proxy: older populations typically show lower rates of regular internet and email use than younger working-age adults, and Burt County’s age distribution can be reviewed through U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts. Gender distribution is usually close to balanced and is less predictive of email use than age and connectivity, but it is also reported in QuickFacts.

Connectivity limitations in rural Nebraska commonly include fewer provider options, longer service runs, and speed constraints; local context is reflected in Burt County government resources and regional broadband planning efforts documented by the Nebraska Broadband Office.

Mobile Phone Usage

Burt County is a rural county in eastern Nebraska along the Missouri River, with population concentrated in small communities (notably Tekamah) and large areas of agricultural land and low population density. This settlement pattern, combined with long distances between population centers and river/bluff terrain along the Missouri River valley, tends to increase the cost and complexity of building dense cellular infrastructure and can produce coverage variability between towns, highways, and sparsely populated areas.

Key distinction: network availability vs. household adoption

  • Network availability refers to whether mobile carriers report service coverage (voice/LTE/5G) in an area.
  • Household adoption refers to whether residents actually subscribe to mobile service, have smartphones, and use mobile broadband as their internet connection.

County-level adoption measures are often less directly reported than availability; where county-specific adoption is not published, the most defensible indicators come from federal surveys (often released at state/metro levels) and modeled broadband datasets.

Mobile penetration / access indicators (adoption)

Household phone access and “wireless-only” status

The most standard federal indicator for phone access (including cellular-only households) comes from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) “wireless substitution” series, which is typically reported for the U.S. and regions rather than counties. County-specific “wireless-only household” rates for Burt County are generally not published as a single official statistic.

For local context and population baselines used in many connectivity analyses, county population and housing counts are available from the U.S. Census Bureau. These describe the scale and dispersion of households that networks must serve but do not directly report mobile subscription status:

  • U.S. Census Bureau county profile information: Census.gov

Broadband subscription indicators (mobile and fixed)

The American Community Survey (ACS) includes measures of whether households have an internet subscription, but it does not consistently provide a clean, county-level breakout of “mobile broadband only” adoption that can be used as a definitive mobile penetration rate without careful table selection and margin-of-error handling. As a result, county-level “mobile broadband subscription rate” statements for Burt County should be treated as limited unless drawn directly from a published ACS table for the county and year.

Nebraska’s broadband planning resources often compile adoption and availability context at county or community levels; however, the specific metrics and publication formats vary over time:

Limitation: Publicly accessible, official county-level “mobile penetration” statistics (subscriptions per capita or smartphone ownership) are generally not released in the same way that coverage maps are. Most precise penetration figures are held in carrier, market-research, or subscription datasets that are not fully public.

Mobile internet usage patterns and network technology (availability)

4G LTE availability

In rural counties such as Burt, LTE is typically the dominant wide-area mobile broadband technology because it provides broad coverage with fewer cell sites than higher-frequency 5G layers. LTE availability is usually strongest near towns and along major road corridors, with weaker performance (and greater dead-zone risk) in sparsely populated areas and challenging terrain.

The primary federal source for reported mobile broadband coverage is the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC) map, which distinguishes availability by provider and technology:

5G availability (and what it typically means in rural areas)

FCC-reported 5G availability can include different 5G “layers”:

  • Low-band 5G: broader geographic reach, often closer to LTE-like coverage patterns and speeds.
  • Mid-band 5G: higher capacity and speeds, generally more limited coverage footprints in rural areas.
  • High-band/mmWave 5G: very high speeds but very small coverage areas; typically concentrated in dense urban settings rather than rural counties.

Burt County’s rural land use and low density generally align with wider low-band deployments and more limited mid-band density. The definitive way to distinguish which providers report 5G coverage in the county is via the FCC map’s provider and technology filters:

Performance and congestion (usage experience)

Public coverage availability does not equal consistent performance. In rural areas, mobile broadband performance is influenced by:

  • distance to towers and backhaul capacity,
  • terrain and foliage,
  • limited sector capacity in small towns during peak hours,
  • indoor signal attenuation in homes and farm buildings.

The FCC map is an availability dataset and does not directly publish real-world speed distributions for every location in a county.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

County-specific public breakdowns of device type ownership (smartphone vs. basic phone vs. hotspots/tablets) are not commonly published for Burt County. However, typical rural household patterns in the U.S. that affect connectivity planning include:

  • Smartphones as the primary mobile internet device, particularly for individuals who do not subscribe to fixed home broadband.
  • Home internet via cellular routers/hotspots in areas where fixed broadband options are limited or where mobile plans are used as a substitute.
  • Older or budget devices persisting longer in lower-density areas, which can affect practical access to newer 5G bands and features (device capability can lag network availability).

Limitation: Without a county-level survey or published dataset focused on Burt County device ownership, definitive percentages by device class cannot be stated.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Population density and settlement pattern

  • Burt County’s low density means fewer towers can be economically justified per square mile, which affects signal strength consistency and indoor coverage outside town centers.
  • Small towns and village centers tend to have better multi-carrier coverage than dispersed farmsteads.

Baseline demographic and housing geography used in many infrastructure analyses is available from the Census Bureau:

Terrain and land cover

  • The Missouri River corridor and associated bluffs/wooded areas can create line-of-sight challenges.
  • Agricultural landscapes are generally favorable for broad coverage, but long distances still require careful tower placement to avoid coverage gaps.

Transportation corridors and service prioritization

  • Coverage is often strongest along state highways and near incorporated places where demand concentrates and where providers prioritize continuity of service.

Summary: what can be stated definitively (and what cannot)

  • Definitive and verifiable at county scale: reported 4G/5G availability by provider and technology using the FCC National Broadband Map; county rurality, population distribution, and housing baselines using Census.gov.
  • Not definitive in public county-level form: a single official “mobile penetration rate,” smartphone ownership share, or “mobile-only internet adoption rate” specifically for Burt County, unless taken from a published county-level table with documented methodology and margins of error.

Social Media Trends

Burt County is a rural county in eastern Nebraska along the Missouri River, with Tekamah as the county seat and smaller communities such as Lyons and Oakland nearby. Agriculture and commuting to larger regional job centers shape daily routines, and lower population density typically correlates with heavier reliance on mobile connectivity and community-oriented Facebook usage in rural areas compared with large metros.

User statistics (penetration and active use)

  • County-specific social media penetration: No routinely published, statistically robust dataset reports social media penetration specifically for Burt County; most reliable measures are available at the national level and sometimes state level rather than by county.
  • U.S. adult baseline for comparison: About 69% of U.S. adults report using at least one social media site, according to the Pew Research Center social media fact sheet. This serves as the most commonly cited benchmark in the absence of county-level survey data.
  • Nebraska context (broad): Nebraska’s mix of small towns and rural areas generally aligns with patterns documented by Pew showing lower social media use among older adults and lower-income groups, with higher use among younger adults and smartphone users.

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

Based on nationally representative Pew findings (Pew Research Center), age is the strongest predictor of social platform adoption:

  • 18–29: Highest usage across most major platforms; typically the most platform-diverse (multiple apps).
  • 30–49: High usage; strong presence on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram; growing use of TikTok relative to older groups.
  • 50–64: Moderate usage; heavier concentration on Facebook and YouTube than on newer short-form video apps.
  • 65+: Lowest overall usage; when present, usage concentrates on Facebook and YouTube.

Gender breakdown

National patterns show modest but consistent gender differences by platform (Pew Research Center platform-by-platform demographics):

  • Women tend to have higher usage on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
  • Men tend to have higher usage on YouTube and platforms oriented toward forums/news aggregation (e.g., Reddit), though Reddit remains less prevalent overall. County-level gender splits for platform usage are not reported in standard public datasets; Burt County is expected to follow these broad patterns more than exhibit a distinct county-specific profile.

Most-used platforms (with percentages where available)

National adult usage estimates from Pew provide the most defensible percentage benchmarks (Pew Research Center):

  • YouTube: ~83% of U.S. adults
  • Facebook: ~68%
  • Instagram: ~47%
  • Pinterest: ~35%
  • TikTok: ~33%
  • LinkedIn: ~30%
  • X (formerly Twitter): ~22%
  • Snapchat: ~27%
  • WhatsApp: ~29%
  • Reddit: ~22%

For rural counties such as Burt, qualitative patterns commonly reported in rural communications research and local government practice include Facebook as the primary community information hub (schools, local news, events, buy/sell groups), with YouTube functioning as a high-reach entertainment and “how-to” platform across age groups.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

  • Community information and local commerce: Rural areas typically show strong engagement with Facebook Pages and Groups for community announcements, school activities, local business updates, and peer-to-peer exchanges (classifieds/buy-sell-trade).
  • Video-first consumption: YouTube tends to deliver broad reach across ages; short-form video (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) concentrates most heavily among younger adults, consistent with national age gradients reported by Pew.
  • News and information pathways: Social platforms often function as a secondary distribution channel for local news and public information; Pew’s broader findings on social media and news use provide context on this role (Pew Research Center: Social Media and News).
  • Messaging and coordination: Private messaging (Messenger, WhatsApp, Snapchat for younger users) is commonly used for coordination around family, school, and community activities, while public posting skews toward announcements and event sharing.
  • Engagement shape: Rural social engagement often features fewer creators with larger relative local visibility (school districts, county offices, local businesses), and higher interaction rates in geographically bounded groups compared with broad public-facing accounts.

Family & Associates Records

Burt County family-related public records are primarily maintained through Nebraska state systems, with some access handled locally. Vital records (birth and death certificates) are registered with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Vital Records, and are issued as certified copies through the state rather than county offices. Adoption records are generally closed and maintained under state court and DHHS procedures, with access limited by law. Marriage records are filed through the county clerk’s office, and certified copies are typically available through the local registrar/county clerk.

Public databases relevant to family and associate research include county-level property and court-related indexes and statewide vital-record ordering portals. Burt County provides access points for county offices and services via the official county website: Burt County, Nebraska (official website). Nebraska DHHS provides official vital records information and ordering: Nebraska DHHS Vital Records.

Access is commonly available in person through county offices during business hours for locally held records (such as marriage records and some court filings), and online through state and county web resources for forms, office contacts, and ordering instructions.

Privacy restrictions apply to birth records and many death records for defined periods, and adoption files are restricted except through authorized processes. Court records involving juveniles or sealed matters are not publicly accessible.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

Marriage records (licenses and certificates/returns)

  • Marriage license application and license: Issued at the county level and used to authorize a marriage within Nebraska.
  • Marriage certificate/return: The completed return (often signed by the officiant and witnesses as required) is filed back with the county to document that the marriage occurred.

Divorce records (decrees and case files)

  • Divorce decree: The final judgment dissolving the marriage, issued by the district court.
  • Divorce case file: May include pleadings (complaint/petition, summons), motions, orders, settlement agreements, parenting plans, child support worksheets, and related exhibits.

Annulment records

  • Decree of annulment: A court order declaring a marriage void or voidable under Nebraska law, maintained similarly to other domestic relations court cases.
  • Annulment case file: Supporting pleadings and orders associated with the annulment proceeding.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

Marriage (Burt County Clerk)

  • Filing/maintenance: Marriage licenses and completed returns are maintained by the Burt County Clerk (the county’s marriage license office).
  • Access: Certified copies are typically obtained through the county clerk’s office (in person or by mail, depending on county procedures). Some index information may be available through courthouse or county resources.

Divorce and annulment (Burt County District Court Clerk)

  • Filing/maintenance: Divorce and annulment actions are filed in the District Court for Burt County, and the official case record is maintained by the Clerk of the District Court.
  • Access: Copies of decrees and nonconfidential case documents are generally available from the district court clerk. Court registers/dockets may be viewable at the courthouse and may also be accessible through Nebraska’s statewide court case systems for basic case information, subject to access rules and redactions.

State-level vital records (Nebraska DHHS)

  • Marriage records: Nebraska maintains statewide marriage data through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Vital Records. State-issued certified copies are typically limited by statute to eligible requesters and are often used when a county copy is unavailable or a state-certified copy is specifically required.
  • Divorce records: Nebraska DHHS generally maintains divorce certificates (a vital record summary), while the full divorce decree remains a court record held by the district court.

Reference: Nebraska DHHS Vital Records: https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/vital-records.aspx

Typical information included in these records

Marriage license and return

Common data elements include:

  • Full names of both parties (including maiden name where applicable)
  • Dates of birth or ages; places of birth (often)
  • Current residences and/or addresses at the time of application
  • Date the license was issued; location of issuance
  • Date and place of marriage
  • Name and title/authority of the officiant; officiant signature
  • Witness information (where recorded by the form used)
  • Prior marital status (often) and number of previous marriages/divorces (varies by form and era)

Divorce decree

Common data elements include:

  • Names of the parties and case caption
  • Case number and court (District Court)
  • Date of decree and judge’s signature
  • Findings and orders addressing:
    • Dissolution of the marriage
    • Legal custody/parenting time and decision-making (when children are involved)
    • Child support, medical support, and related obligations
    • Spousal support (alimony), where ordered
    • Division of property and debts
    • Name change orders, where granted

Annulment decree

Common data elements include:

  • Names of the parties, case caption, and case number
  • Court, date, and judge’s signature
  • Determination that the marriage is void/voidable and the legal effect of annulment
  • Orders concerning children (custody/support) and property issues where applicable

Privacy and legal restrictions

Marriage records

  • Public access: Many county marriage records are treated as public records, but access to certified copies and certain data elements can be governed by state law and local administrative practices.
  • Identity verification: Government-issued identification and fees are commonly required for certified copies.

Divorce and annulment records

  • General access: Court case files and decrees are generally accessible as public records unless restricted by law or court order.
  • Restricted/confidential elements: Certain information is commonly protected or redacted, including:
    • Social Security numbers and financial account numbers
    • Identifiers and sensitive details about minors in some filings
    • Sealed documents or cases subject to protective orders
  • Sealing/limitations: Courts can restrict access to particular documents or portions of a file (for example, by sealing exhibits or limiting disclosure of sensitive information), consistent with Nebraska court rules and applicable statutes.

Fees and certified copies

  • Fees: Copy and certification fees are set by statute and local schedule; payment is required for certified copies and often for noncertified copies beyond minimal viewing access.
  • Certified vs. informational copies: A certified copy bears an official seal/attestation and is used for legal purposes; noncertified copies are typically for informational use and may not be accepted for identity or benefit determinations.

Education, Employment and Housing

Burt County is a rural county in east‑central Nebraska along the Missouri River, with its county seat in Tekamah and other population centers including Oakland, Lyons, and Decatur. The county’s settlement pattern is a mix of small towns and agricultural land, with a comparatively older age profile and lower population density than the Omaha metro area; many residents rely on regional service hubs for specialized healthcare, higher education, and some employment.

Education Indicators

Public schools and districts

Burt County’s K–12 public education is primarily provided through local public school districts serving Tekamah and Oakland, with additional public schools serving nearby communities within the county. Public school counts and school names vary by district organization and consolidation; the most consistently referenced local systems include:

  • Tekamah‑Herman Community Schools (Tekamah/Herman area)
  • Oakland‑Craig Public Schools (Oakland/Craig area)
  • Lyons‑Decatur Northeast Schools (serving Lyons/Decatur area)

School‑level directories and official names are best verified through district pages and the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) systems. Reference: the Nebraska Department of Education and the Nebraska Demographics (state/community profiles) portal.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

  • Nebraska reports accountability, staffing, and graduation outcomes through NDE reporting systems; district‑specific student–teacher ratios and graduation rates for Burt County districts are available in NDE district reports rather than in a single countywide figure.
  • Countywide graduation rates are not typically published as a standalone statistic because Nebraska reports graduation outcomes by district/high school.

Primary source for the most recent district graduation rate and staffing metrics: NDE’s Nebraska Student and Staff Record System (NSSRS) reporting and district profile outputs.

Adult educational attainment (countywide)

Countywide adult attainment is typically summarized in the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 5‑year estimates:

  • High school diploma or equivalent (age 25+): reported in ACS for Burt County (table series DP02/S1501).
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+): reported in ACS for Burt County (table series DP02/S1501).

Most recent standard county estimates: U.S. Census Bureau data.census.gov (ACS 5‑year; search “Burt County, Nebraska Educational Attainment”).

Notable programs (STEM, career/technical, AP)

  • Nebraska districts commonly participate in Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways aligned with state standards (agriculture, business, skilled trades, health sciences) and offer dual credit through Nebraska community colleges and state colleges where partnerships exist.
  • Advanced Placement (AP) availability varies by high school size and staffing; small rural districts more often emphasize dual‑credit coursework and CTE as alternatives or complements to AP.
  • Program verification is most reliably sourced from district course catalogs and NDE CTE program reporting. Reference: NDE Career Education (CTE).

School safety measures and counseling resources

  • Nebraska public schools generally maintain safety protocols such as controlled entry procedures, visitor management, emergency drills, and coordination with local law enforcement and emergency management; details are district‑specific and documented in board policies and student handbooks.
  • Counseling resources typically include school counselors (academic/career guidance), and many districts use regional Educational Service Units (ESUs) for behavioral health supports, special education services, and crisis response. ESU‑based supports are common in rural Nebraska. Reference: Nebraska Educational Service Units (ESUs).

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

  • Burt County unemployment is reported by the Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). The most recent annual and monthly county unemployment rates are published in these systems.
  • Primary references for the current rate: NDOL Labor Market Information and BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

Major industries and employment sectors

Burt County’s employment base reflects a rural Great Plains county economy:

  • Agriculture and related services (crop and livestock production and support activities)
  • Public sector and education (schools, county/city services)
  • Healthcare and social assistance (clinics, long‑term care, regional providers)
  • Retail trade and local services (grocery, auto, repair, hospitality)
  • Manufacturing and construction are present but typically smaller than in metro counties; employment levels vary with local employers and project cycles.

Sector distribution by county is available via the Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns and ACS industry tables:

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Common occupational groups in rural Nebraska counties like Burt typically include:

  • Management, business, and financial operations (small business, administration)
  • Education, training, and library (public schools)
  • Healthcare practitioners/support (clinics, nursing/assisted living)
  • Office/administrative support
  • Sales and related
  • Production, transportation, and material moving
  • Construction and extraction
  • Farming, fishing, and forestry (higher share than metro areas)

County occupational breakdown is reported in ACS (tables in the S2401/S2407 series) via data.census.gov.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

  • Burt County commuting patterns are shaped by rural distances and limited in‑county job concentration, with some commuting to larger employment centers in neighboring counties and toward the Sioux City–Council Bluffs–Omaha region depending on residence location.
  • Mean travel time to work and mode share (drive alone, carpool, etc.) are available in ACS commuting tables (S0801/DP03). Source: ACS commuting data.
  • Rural counties commonly show high drive‑alone shares and limited public transit availability.

Local employment versus out‑of‑county work

  • In rural counties, a notable share of employed residents work outside the county due to limited local job density, while in‑county employment is concentrated in schools, local government, healthcare, agriculture, and retail/services.
  • A direct measure is provided by the Census Bureau’s OnTheMap/LEHD Origin–Destination Employment Statistics (LODES), which reports where residents work versus where workers live. Reference: Census OnTheMap (LEHD).

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

  • Burt County’s tenure split (owner‑occupied vs renter‑occupied) is reported in ACS DP04 and S2501 tables. Source: ACS housing tenure (Burt County).
  • Rural Nebraska counties typically have higher homeownership rates than metro cores, with rentals concentrated in the county seat and larger towns.

Median property values and recent trends

  • Median value of owner‑occupied housing units is published in ACS (DP04/S2506). Source: ACS home value tables.
  • Recent trend context: Nebraska home values rose notably during 2020–2022, then moderated with higher interest rates; smaller markets often show slower transaction volumes and price discovery. County‑specific trend lines beyond ACS medians are commonly tracked through state realtor associations and listing/assessment datasets, but ACS remains the standard public benchmark for county comparisons.

Typical rent prices

  • Gross rent and median contract rent are available via ACS (DP04/S2503). Source: ACS rent tables.
  • Rural counties generally have lower median rents than Omaha/Lincoln, with limited multi‑family inventory affecting availability more than price.

Types of housing

  • Predominantly single‑family detached homes in towns and on rural acreages
  • Farmhouses and rural lots associated with agricultural operations
  • Limited apartment/duplex stock concentrated in Tekamah and other town centers
  • Manufactured housing present in some areas, consistent with rural regional patterns

Housing stock composition (single‑unit vs multi‑unit vs mobile home) is reported in ACS DP04. Source: ACS housing structure type.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities)

  • Town neighborhoods (Tekamah, Oakland, Lyons, Decatur) generally provide closer access to schools, parks, libraries, and local retail/services.
  • Rural housing offers larger lots and agricultural adjacency but longer travel times to schools, clinics, and grocery retail; school bus coverage is a key connective service in sparsely populated areas.
  • Countywide walkability and transit metrics are not typically published at high resolution for small towns; proximity is usually assessed through town plat patterns and local land use.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

  • Nebraska property taxes are comparatively high relative to many states, with rates varying by local levy (school district, county, municipal) and taxable value.
  • County‑level effective property tax rates and typical tax bills are commonly summarized by the Nebraska Department of Revenue and independent compilations; the most authoritative levy and valuation information is available through the Nebraska Department of Revenue and county assessor/treasurer records.

Because school district boundaries and local levies strongly affect tax bills within the same county, a single “typical homeowner cost” for Burt County requires a specified jurisdiction and assessed value; the most accurate public reference is the levy rate and valuation data maintained by local officials and the state’s property assessment resources.

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Other Counties in Nebraska