Holt County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,127.^[1] Its county seat is O'Neill.^[2]

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Holt County
County
Holt County Courthouse in O'Neill
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°28′N 98°47′W
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1862 (created) 1876 (organized)
Named for	Joseph Holt
Seat	O'Neill
Largest city	O'Neill
Area
• Total	2,417 sq mi (6,260 km2)
• Land	2,412 sq mi (6,250 km2)
• Water	5.1 sq mi (13 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,127
• Density	4.2/sq mi (1.6/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.co.holt.ne.us

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Holt County is in the Outback area of Nebraska.^[3]

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

Holt County was created by an act of the Nebraska Territory Legislature in 1862, and was organized in 1876.^[4][5][6] 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.

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. The county has an area of 2,417 sq mi (6,260 km²), of which 5.1 sq mi (13 km²) (0.2%) are covered by water.^[7] It is Nebraska's fifth-largest county by area.

As of the 2000 United States Census,^[13] 11,551 people, 4,608 households, and 3,170 families were residing in the county. The population density was 5 people/sq mi (1.9 people/km²). The 5,281 housing units averaged 2 per square mile (0.77/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.86% White, 0.03% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.35% from two or more races. About 0.71% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. By ancestry, 46.0% were German, 12.5% Irish, 8.6% American, 7.5% English, and 5.4% Czech.

Of the 4,608 households, 31.6% had children under 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were not families. About 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.46, and the average family size was 3.06.

The county's age distribution was 27.30% under 18, 5.70% from 18 to 24, 24.50% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 19.80% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,738, and for a family was $37,463. Males had a median income of $24,681 versus $17,593 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,256. About 9.8% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Holt County voters have historically tended to vote Republican. In only two elections since 1916 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.

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