Phelps County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 8,968. Its county seat is Holdrege. The county was formed in 1873, and was named for William Phelps, a steamboat captain and early settler. In the Nebraska license plate system, Phelps County is represented by the prefix 37. It is considered part of the Kearney μSA's development and expansion plans.