PlainZIP

Lincoln, NE · standard

ZIP Code 68521

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

31,733
847/sq mi
$67,483
Median income
$252,800
Median home value
33.6%
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.

43th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 42%
home value, US ZIPs
847
people per sq mi
58%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 68521 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 68521 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska, with 31,733 residents across 37.5 square miles, a density of 847 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 68521 reports a modest median household income of $67,483 (12% below the Nebraska average), while per-capita income is $35,106. Local economic indicators show a 13.5% poverty rate alongside 3.2% unemployment. Median home value sits at $252,800 (35% above the state average), median rent at $1,231 a month, and owner-occupancy at 57.8%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33, and the average commute is 18 minutes. To put 68521 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Lancaster County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 68521

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lincoln, NE

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 68521.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 68521, Lincoln, NE · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

31,733

Population

37.5

Area (sq mi)

847

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 68521?

33.0

Median Age

49.5%

Male

50.5%

Female

13.7%

Foreign-Born

White 74.3%
African American 4.0%
Asian 7.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.5%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%

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?

$67,483

Median Household Income

-12% vs state

$35,106

Per Capita Income

13.5%

Poverty Rate

3.2%

Unemployment Rate

18.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 68521 ranks nationally

Lincoln, NE household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$67,483 43rd percentile higher than 43% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $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 58.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.6%

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

What does housing look like?

15,710

Total Housing Units

15,103

Occupied Units

607

Vacant Units

2.45

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 57.8%
Renter 42.2%

$252,800

Median Home Value

+35% vs state

$1,231

Median Rent

1996

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

+4.0%

YoY Change (2024)

232

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+132%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 68521 have increased 4.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +132% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.7% 164
2021 +11.1% 182
2022 +13.2% 206
2023 +8.2% 223
2024 +4.0% 232

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 666 business establishments in ZIP 68521, employing approximately 15,226 people with a combined annual payroll of $776,661,000.

666

Businesses

15,226

Employees

$776.7M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 98 14.7%
Construction 94 14.1%
Accommodation and food services 94 14.1%
Health care and social assistance 69 10.4%
Other services (except public administration) 69 10.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 40 6.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 38 5.7%
Wholesale trade 34 5.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 31 4.7%
Finance and insurance 27 4.0%
Transportation and warehousing 23 3.5%
Manufacturing 16 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 1.5%
Information 9 1.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 8 1.2%
Educational services 4 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 68521 vs 68531 →

ZIP 68521 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 68521 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 68521 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 68521 ranks #7 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
68531 Lincoln, NE 48 2.5 mi
68508 Lincoln, NE 14,475 3.3 mi
68504 Lincoln, NE 16,444 2.7 mi
68503 Lincoln, NE 15,264 3.4 mi
68502 Lincoln, NE 26,238 5.6 mi
68524 Lincoln, NE 5,983 5.0 mi
68507 Lincoln, NE 13,429 5.0 mi
68514 Lincoln, NE 127 5.1 mi
68336 Davey, NE 557 6.9 mi
68512 Lincoln, NE 11,659 8.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lancaster County

68516 standard
Lincoln, NE
Pop: 38,956
68506 standard
Lincoln, NE
Pop: 27,952
68502 standard
Lincoln, NE
Pop: 26,238
68510 standard
Lincoln, NE
Pop: 20,514
68504 standard
Lincoln, NE
Pop: 16,444
68503 standard
Lincoln, NE
Pop: 15,264

Related Areas

Lancaster County Lincoln, NE Nebraska

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 68521 in? ▼
ZIP code 68521 (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 68521? ▼
ZIP code 68521 in Lincoln, NE has a population of 31,733 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 68521? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 68521 is $67,483, which is 12% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 68521? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 68521 is $252,800, which is 9% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 68521? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 68521 is White at 74.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 68521? ▼
ZIP code 68521 has 666 business establishments employing approximately 15,226 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 68521? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 68521 are: Retail trade (98), Construction (94), Accommodation and food services (94). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 68521? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 68521 increased by 4.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 132%. 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 68521? ▼
In ZIP code 68521, 58.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.6% 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 68521? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 68521 is 18.3 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 68521? ▼
In ZIP code 68521, approximately 57.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 68521? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 68521 is 13.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.