Buffalo County, NE elected officials: county commissioners or supervisors, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Buffalo County: 13 seats on 7 elected bodies. 6 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Board of Commissioners or Supervisors

Buffalo County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
County Commissioner, District 1Ivan Klein source
County Commissioner, District 2Ron Loeffelholz source
County Commissioner, District 3Timothy Higgins source
County Commissioner, District 4Dan Lynch source
County Commissioner, District 5Sherry Morrow source
County Commissioner, District 6Bill D. Maendele source
County Commissioner, District 7Myron Kouba source

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AssessorRoy Meusch sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County AttorneyShawn Eatherton sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County ClerkHeather Christensen sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Clerk of the District CourtCheryl Stabenow sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffNeil Miller sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County TreasurerBrenda R. Rohrich sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Buffalo County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 32 local governments in Buffalo County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships90
School districts (school boards)80
Special districts (elected boards)140

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Buffalo County

50,579people
35.1median ageU.S.: 38.9
$75,911 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
9.9%below the U.S.: 12.5%
34.4%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$246,400median home valueU.S.: $332,700
2.6%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
4.8%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
7%U.S.: 8.4%
40.8%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
21.5%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 10.6% · White 83.8% · Black 0.8% · Asian 1.6% · Other or more than one race 3.2% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Buffalo County

2.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.3%. Nebraska: 2.5%.
628people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
28,431people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
29,059in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Buffalo County 0.0%1.1%2.1%3.2%4.2% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.2%62828,43129,059
August 20262.5%71928,15328,872
July 20262.5%73528,30029,035
June 20262.8%82528,44629,271
May 20262.3%68728,64729,334
April 20262.0%59328,85329,446
March 20262.2%65928,82929,488
February 20262.8%80928,58329,392
January 20262.5%72728,18028,907
December 20252.4%71728,76229,479
November 20252.7%80228,76329,565
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.3%68028,51029,190
August 20252.4%70728,15728,864
July 20252.5%72828,43229,160
June 20252.8%82528,73729,562
May 20252.4%71928,93629,655
April 20252.2%66329,02229,685
March 20252.1%61028,78929,399
February 20252.6%75928,61129,370
January 20252.5%72428,26928,993
December 20242.1%60728,72329,330
November 20242.3%66328,70529,368
October 20242.2%65928,76729,426
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)2.5%72128,63529,356
20242.2%63728,32228,959
20231.9%53228,00928,541
20221.9%52327,55228,075
20212.1%59027,09227,682
20204.0%1,11326,39727,510
20192.7%74327,09427,837
20182.4%67427,00527,679
20172.4%66226,49327,155
20162.6%69526,50227,197

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Nebraska's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 2.9% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Buffalo County

165.8 per 100,0002025. Nebraska: 218.4.
897.4 per 100,0002025. Nebraska: 1,378.6.
0murders2025, 87 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202587165.8471897.4
2024128243.96261,193.0
2023132253.77251,393.5
2022143276.96721,301.0
2021115221.35251,010.5
201977151.37201,414.4
2018102194.09251,759.2
201793177.68021,531.6
201686166.18531,647.3
By police agency (4)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Kearney Police Department20258042334,959
Buffalo County Sheriff's Office2024236215,539
Ravenna Police Department2025051,368
Shelton Police Department2025001,046

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Nebraska · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.79 per 1,000 residents2025, 3 agencies serving 51,440 people.
92sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
75civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (3), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Buffalo County Sheriff's Office335815,113
Kearney Police Department581734,959
Ravenna Police Department101,368
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025921.79753
2024951.85673
2022941.86723
2021901.77693
2020871.75373
2019871.75323
2018831.66312
2017841.68342
2016821.66322

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Buffalo County County Assessor?
Roy Meusch is the County Assessor of Buffalo County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Buffalo County County Attorney?
Shawn Eatherton is the County Attorney of Buffalo County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Buffalo County County Clerk?
Heather Christensen is the County Clerk of Buffalo County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Buffalo County Clerk of the District Court?
Cheryl Stabenow is the Clerk of the District Court of Buffalo County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Buffalo County Sheriff?
Neil Miller is the Sheriff of Buffalo County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Buffalo County County Treasurer?
Brenda R. Rohrich is the County Treasurer of Buffalo County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Buffalo County commissioners?
Ivan Klein (District 1); Ron Loeffelholz (District 2); Timothy Higgins (District 3); Dan Lynch (District 4); Sherry Morrow (District 5); Bill D. Maendele (District 6); Myron Kouba (District 7).
What is the population of Buffalo County?
About 50,579 people, with a median age of 35.1; the median household income is $75,911 and 9.9% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Buffalo County?
2.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 628 people unemployed in a labor force of 29,059, against 2.3% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Buffalo County?
32 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 9 municipal, 8 school district and 14 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 7, 2026, from each county's annual audit filed with the Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts (its list of county officials at June 30, 2025) or, where the audit has none, the county's own website (read November 2026), with the Secretary of State's, Department of Revenue's and Judicial Branch's contact directories for a clerk, assessor or clerk of the district court a county page doesn't name; officials appointed or replaced since then may differ; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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