Welcome! We encourage you to explore our community and find out why your business should "Stake Your Claim" in Beatrice & Gage County.
Gage County was one of the 19 counties originally established by the Nebraska Territorial Legislature Act in 1854, at which time there were no settlers living in the area. In 1857, the steamboat Hannibal, carrying 300 passengers up the Missouri River from St. Louis, Missouri to Nebraska City, Nebraska, ran aground near Kansas City, Missouri. While it was stranded, 35 of the passengers agreed to form the "Nebraska Association", under which name they would unite in seeking a townsite and establishing a settlement in the territory. Our namesake comes from one of those passengers, who had a daughter named Beatrice, pronounced Be-AT-ris.
Beatrice is the county seat of Gage County and is located in southeast Nebraska at the intersection of State Highway 4, U.S. Highway 77, and U.S. Highway 136. Beatrice is:
40 minutes south of Lincoln, Nebraska
80 minutes southwest of Omaha, Nebraska
150 minutes north of Kansas City
Gage County employers consist of manufacturing, trade, transportation, utilities, government, healthcare services, and education. Diversity in employment is the key to our success now and in the future.
From shovel-ready sites in our Industrial Park to historic buildings in our historic downtown district and everything in between, business opportunities abound. We're home to many international companies and local entrepreneurships that have become internationally-known companies. Our community boasts a number of industries - lawn mower manufacturing, metal fabrication, snack food processing, driveling manufacturing, biodiesel production, nitrogen production, and many more. Throughout the community, you'll find businesses that cater to just about anything you need ranging from retail, antiques, service providers, restaurants, and bars. We may be a "small town," but we deliver with big city amenities!
2017 U.S. Census Population
Gage County: 21,601 Beatrice: 12,274
Female: 51.9%
Male: 58.1%
Population by Age:
65+: 23%
45-64: 27%
35-44: 10%
20-34: 18%
19 & Under: 23%
Median Age
Female: 47
Male: 42
Education Levels
Graduate (Masters): 431
Bachelors Degree: 1457
High School: 2639
Workforce
Total: 6,309
Employed: 97%
Unemployed: 3%
Median Household Income
Annual Growth Rate: 3.43%
Housing
Median Rent: $653
Median Home List Price: $118,500
Median Home Sold Price: $80,000
Median Home Value: $127,094
Leading Employers
Beatrice Community Hospital & Health Center:580
Exmark Manufacturing Co., Inc.: 450
Beatrice State Developmental Center: 390
Beatrice Public Schools: 340
Mosaic: 320
Neapco: 260
Walmart: 195
City of Beatrice: 130
Good Samaritan Society: 125
Southeast Community College: 115
Workforce Data
Gage County is home to 1,057 total businesses with 10,830 workers 16+! Read more about our workforce demographics here.
Our Role in Economic Development
The Beatrice Area Chamber of Commerce is here to serve our business community, whether through connecting prospective companies looking to relocate with the right partners or providing resources to our current businesses and members. We provide great networking and marketing opportunities, educational resources and training connections, business credibility, and more! View our membership benefits information here, and contact us with any questions you may have.
For more economic development information, please check out our partners' websites:
