Lincoln, NE · standard

ZIP Code 68516

Lancaster County, Nebraska — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

38,956
790/sq mi
$100,821
Median income
$354,000
Median home value
54.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lincoln pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 19%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 26%
home value, US ZIPs
790
people per sq mi
68%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 68516 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 68516 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 49.3 square miles in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska. The area is home to 38,956 residents, producing a population density of 790 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 68516 against Nebraska and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 68516 sits at $100,821 (32% above the Nebraska average), while per-capita income is $49,541. The poverty rate stands at 6.7% and the unemployment rate at 2.3%. On housing, the median home value is $354,000 (89% above the state average) with median rent at $1,261 per month, and 68.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 68516 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 54.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.5, and the average commute is 19 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Lancaster County, so you can benchmark 68516 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 68516

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 68516.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 68516, 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

38,956

Population

49.3

Area (sq mi)

790

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 68516?

37.5

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

6.7%

Foreign-Born

White 86.4%
African American 1.4%
Asian 2.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%

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?

$100,821

Median Household Income

+32% vs state

$49,541

Per Capita Income

6.7%

Poverty Rate

2.3%

Unemployment Rate

18.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 68516 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$100,821 Top 19% higher than 81% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 69.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 54.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

20,066

Total Housing Units

19,528

Occupied Units

538

Vacant Units

2.49

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 68.3%
Renter 31.7%

$354,000

Median Home Value

+89% vs state

$1,261

Median Rent

1996

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+3.2%

YoY Change (2024)

226

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+126%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 68516 have increased 3.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +126% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.7% 158
2021 +9.5% 173
2022 +15.8% 201
2023 +9.2% 219
2024 +3.2% 226

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 1,464 business establishments in ZIP 68516, employing approximately 17,957 people with a combined annual payroll of $793,163,000.

1,464

Businesses

17,957

Employees

$793.2M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 235 16.1%
Retail trade 171 11.7%
Construction 160 10.9%
Other services (except public administration) 150 10.3%
Finance and insurance 148 10.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 141 9.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 120 8.2%
Accommodation and food services 108 7.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 77 5.3%
Educational services 32 2.2%
Wholesale trade 28 1.9%
Transportation and warehousing 28 1.9%
Information 18 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 18 1.2%
Manufacturing 17 1.2%
Management of companies and enterprises 8 0.6%

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 68516 vs 68506 →

ZIP 68516 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 68516 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 68516 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 68516 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
68506 Lincoln, NE 27,952 3.4 mi
68526 Lincoln, NE 4,800 3.1 mi
68512 Lincoln, NE 11,659 3.4 mi
68510 Lincoln, NE 20,514 5.0 mi
68430 Roca, NE 1,402 4.7 mi
68502 Lincoln, NE 26,238 4.6 mi
68505 Lincoln, NE 15,137 6.3 mi
68523 Lincoln, NE 1,390 6.1 mi
68503 Lincoln, NE 15,264 6.4 mi
68504 Lincoln, NE 16,444 8.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lancaster County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 68516 in?
ZIP code 68516 (Lincoln) is located in Lancaster County, Nebraska. Lancaster County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lancaster-ne.
What is the population of ZIP code 68516?
ZIP code 68516 in Lincoln, NE has a population of 38,956 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 68516?
The median household income in ZIP 68516 is $100,821, which is 32% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 68516?
The median home value in ZIP 68516 is $354,000, which is 27% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 68516?
The largest racial group in ZIP 68516 is White at 86.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 68516?
ZIP code 68516 has 1,464 business establishments employing approximately 17,957 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 68516?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 68516 are: Health care and social assistance (235), Retail trade (171), Construction (160). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 68516?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 68516 increased by 3.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 126%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 68516?
In ZIP code 68516, 69.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 54.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 68516?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 68516 is 18.7 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 68516?
In ZIP code 68516, approximately 68.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 68516?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 68516 is 6.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Lincoln, NE

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.