County · code 31155
Saunders CountyNebraska
Saunders County is a county in Nebraska with its seat in Wahoo, formed in 1856 and fully organized in 1867.
- Founded1856
- County seatWahoo
- Named forAlvin Saunders
- Land area749 sq mi + 11 sq mi water
- Population22,278 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped18,062 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Saunders on the map of Nebraska
Nebraska has 93 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1856 from Greene County, Seward County and Lancaster County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Saunders County was created by Nebraska Territory in 1856 from parts of what are now Seward and Lancaster counties, originally named Calhoun. The county was renamed Saunders in 1862 and became fully organized in 1867. It was named after Alvin Saunders.
- 1856Saunders County created Calhoun (now Saunders) created by Nebraska Territory from Greene (now Seward) and Lancaster; Calhoun not fully organized. · Neb. Terr. Laws 1855-1856, 2d reg. sess., sec. 19/pp. 202
- 1858Gained territory Calhoun (now Saunders) gained from Dodge. · Neb. Terr. Laws 1858, 5th reg. sess., p. 397
- 1862Renamed Calhoun renamed Saunders.formerly Calhoun· Neb. Terr. Laws 1861-1862, 8th reg. sess., p. 115
- 1865Changed Saunders attached to Cass "for judicial, election and revenue purposes;" act repealed 18 February 1867. · Neb. Terr. Laws 1865, 10th reg. sess., p. 134
- 1867Changed Saunders detached from Cass; act of 8 February 1865 repealed. · Neb. Terr. Laws 1867,12th reg. sess., p. 50
Show all 9 changes
- 1856Saunders County created Calhoun (now Saunders) created by Nebraska Territory from Greene (now Seward) and Lancaster; Calhoun not fully organized. · Neb. Terr. Laws 1855-1856, 2d reg. sess., sec. 19/pp. 202
- 1858Gained territory Calhoun (now Saunders) gained from Dodge. · Neb. Terr. Laws 1858, 5th reg. sess., p. 397
- 1859Lost territory Calhoun (now Saunders) lost small area to Dodge where the Platte River boundary was moved from the center of the main channel to the south bank. · Neb. Terr. Laws 1859, 6th reg. sess., p. 139
- 1862Renamed Calhoun renamed Saunders.formerly Calhoun· Neb. Terr. Laws 1861-1862, 8th reg. sess., p. 115
- 1865Changed Saunders attached to Cass "for judicial, election and revenue purposes;" act repealed 18 February 1867. · Neb. Terr. Laws 1865, 10th reg. sess., p. 134
- 1866Gained territory Saunders gained small area from Cass. Act passed 12 February 1866; took effect 1 July 1866. · Neb. Terr. Rev. Stat. 1866, 11th sess., pp. 707-708
- 1867Changed Saunders detached from Cass; act of 8 February 1865 repealed. · Neb. Terr. Laws 1867,12th reg. sess., p. 50
- 1867Changed Saunders fully organized. · History of Neb., 1381
- 1921Boundary clarified Saunders boundaries were redefined (no change).no change· Neb. Laws 1921, 40th sess., ch. 231, sec. 9/p. 827
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Saunders
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
-
Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 18,062 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 10,417 in all from Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC), 911 Department.
checked 13 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Saunders by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Permits
County government
- County government
The official website of Saunders County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Saunders County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Saunders County
- When was Saunders County founded?
- Saunders County was founded in 1856, formed from Greene County, Seward County and Lancaster County, and named after Alvin Saunders.
- What is the county seat of Saunders County?
- The county seat of Saunders County is Wahoo.
- Is there an online parcel map for Saunders County?
- Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 18,062 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Saunders County's boundary or name changed?
- Saunders County was created in 1856 from Greene County, Seward County and Lancaster County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 7 later changes, chiefly involving Cass County, Dodge County and Calhoun County. It was formerly called Calhoun.
- Who issues building permits in Saunders County?
- The county's page on building permits: Firearm Purchase Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Saunders County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby