Saunders County, Nebraska

Saunders County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 22,278. Its county seat is Wahoo.

Saunders County is included in the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Saunders County is represented by the prefix 6 (the county had the sixth-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Saunders County was established by an 1856 act of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature, and was organized in 1866; its boundaries were redefined in 1858. It was originally named Calhoun County after John Calhoun, surveyor general of Kansas and Nebraska. Other sources contend that it was named for John C. Calhoun of South Carolina. In 1862, during the American Civil War, it was renamed after Nebraska territorial governor Alvin Saunders.

The first town in Saunders County was Ashland, then known as Saline Ford. Settlers continuing west from Nebraska City would often follow the Platte River across the state. To do so, they would have to cross the Salt Creek. A limestone-bottomed section of the creek near Ashland offered the safest opportunity. Permanent settlers occupied the area in the 1850s and the town of Ashland was officially formed in 1866.

Ashland served as the county seat of government beginning with the first elections in 1867. A courthouse was constructed in 1870. As Saunders County grew, residents realized they wanted a more centrally located seat of government. A vote was held in 1873 and Wahoo was selected to replace Ashland. The new courthouse was built in 1874. That building served the county until 1904 when a new building was constructed. The 1904 courthouse is still in use as of 2025.

Saunders County is bordered on the north and east by the Platte River. Several local drainages move runoff water from the county eastward into the Platte. The county terrain is composed of low rolling hills, which slope eastward and northeastward to the river valley. The county has an area of 760 square miles (2,000 km²), of which 750 square miles (1,900 km²) is land and 9.6 square miles (25 km²) (1.3%) is water.

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 22,278. The median age was 41.2 years. 25.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.7 males age 18 and over.