Lincoln, NE · standard
ZIP Code 68502
Lancaster County, Nebraska — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 26,238
- 1,714/sq mi
- $68,523
- Median income
- $227,300
- Median home value
- 39.4%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Lincoln pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- 44th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 49%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,714
- people per sq mi
- 56%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 68502 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 68502 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 15.3 square miles in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska. The area is home to 26,238 residents, producing a population density of 1,714 people per square mile, and falls within the Chicago time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 68502 against Nebraska and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 68502 sits at $68,523 (11% below the Nebraska average), while per-capita income is $38,066. The poverty rate stands at 13.3% and the unemployment rate at 4.6%. On housing, the median home value is $227,300 (22% above the state average) with median rent at $850 per month, and 55.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 68502 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 39.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.4, and the average commute is 18 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Lancaster County, so you can benchmark 68502 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 68502
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 68502.
- Construction
Construction
106 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
73 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
70 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
64 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
60 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 68502, Lincoln, NE · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
26,238
Population
15.3
Area (sq mi)
1,714
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 68502?
36.4
Median Age
51.9%
Male
48.1%
Female
8.4%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$68,523
Median Household Income
-11% vs state
$38,066
Per Capita Income
13.3%
Poverty Rate
4.6%
Unemployment Rate
17.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 68502 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$68,523 44th percentile higher than 44% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
11,843
Total Housing Units
11,208
Occupied Units
635
Vacant Units
2.17
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$227,300
Median Home Value
+22% vs state
$850
Median Rent
1946
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+3.6%
YoY Change (2024)
240
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+140%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 68502 have increased 3.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +140% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.3% | 170 |
| 2021 | +11.9% | 190 |
| 2022 | +13.6% | 216 |
| 2023 | +7.3% | 231 |
| 2024 | +3.6% | 240 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 592 business establishments in ZIP 68502, employing approximately 7,003 people with a combined annual payroll of $377,281,000.
592
Businesses
7,003
Employees
$377.3M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 106 | 17.9% |
| Retail trade | 73 | 12.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 70 | 11.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 64 | 10.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 60 | 10.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 40 | 6.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 37 | 6.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 34 | 5.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 30 | 5.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 15 | 2.5% |
| Manufacturing | 14 | 2.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 13 | 2.2% |
| Educational services | 13 | 2.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 11 | 1.9% |
| Information | 8 | 1.4% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 68502 vs 68508 →
ZIP 68502 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 68516
Lincoln (68516)
38,956 residents
- 68521
Lincoln (68521)
31,733 residents
- 68506
Lincoln (68506)
27,952 residents
- 68502
Lincoln (68502)
26,238 residents
- 68510
Lincoln (68510)
20,514 residents
- 68504
Lincoln (68504)
16,444 residents
- 68503 15,264
Lincoln (68503)
15,264 residents
- 68508 14,475
Lincoln (68508)
14,475 residents
- 68522 12,728
Lincoln (68522)
12,728 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 68502 ranks #4 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 68502 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 68523
Lincoln (68523)
$141,786 median income
- 68512
Lincoln (68512)
$104,448 median income
- 68516
Lincoln (68516)
$100,821 median income
- 68522
Lincoln (68522)
$77,597 median income
- 68506
Lincoln (68506)
$72,637 median income
- 68502
Lincoln (68502)
$68,523 median income
- 68521
Lincoln (68521)
$67,483 median income
- 68510
Lincoln (68510)
$65,951 median income
- 68504 $56,213
Lincoln (68504)
$56,213 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 68502 ranks #6 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 68508 | Lincoln, NE | 14,475 | 2.3 mi |
| 68512 | Lincoln, NE | 11,659 | 3.3 mi |
| 68506 | Lincoln, NE | 27,952 | 3.1 mi |
| 68503 | Lincoln, NE | 15,264 | 3.0 mi |
| 68522 | Lincoln, NE | 12,728 | 3.3 mi |
| 68510 | Lincoln, NE | 20,514 | 3.6 mi |
| 68521 | Lincoln, NE | 31,733 | 5.6 mi |
| 68516 | Lincoln, NE | 38,956 | 4.6 mi |
| 68504 | Lincoln, NE | 16,444 | 5.2 mi |
| 68523 | Lincoln, NE | 1,390 | 4.6 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Lancaster County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 68502 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 68502? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 68502? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 68502? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 68502? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 68502? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 68502? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 68502? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 68502? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 68502? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 68502? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 68502? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Lincoln, NE
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.