McCook is located in Red Willow County (of which it is the county seat) 14 miles north of the Kansas state line in southwest Nebraska between Culbertson and Indianola along Hwy 83 near The Swanson Reservoir, Hugh Butler Lake and Republican River.
A railroad decision to establish a division point between Denver and the Missouri River resulted in the location of McCook, Nebraska.
McCook is situated near many of the state's sport fishing lakes.
Since it's beginning as a frontier outpost, railroad division point, and cowboy trading center, McCook has always played a key role in servicing the needs of Southwest Nebraska.
Agriculture still plays an important role in the local economy. However, with the nearby discovery of the largest oil field in the state in the late 1950's, the economy has become more diversified.