Wausa, NE · standard
ZIP Code 68786
Knox County, Nebraska - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,079
- 3/sq mi Low-density area
- $78,750
- Median income Near-median income area
- $103,400
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 27.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Wausa pairs an above-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 40%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 11th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 3
- people per sq mi
- 82%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 68786 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 68786 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Wausa, Knox County, Nebraska, home to just 1,079 residents across 317.4 square miles, a density of 3 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 68786 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $78,750 (3% above the average Nebraska ZIP), while per-capita income is $37,348. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 2.8% and unemployment is 2.2%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $103,400 (45% below the average Nebraska ZIP), and median rent is $765; owner occupancy is 81.9%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 27.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Knox County, so 68786 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 68786
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Wausa, NE
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 68786.
- Construction
Construction
8 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
5 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
4 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 3
Real estate and rental and leasing
3 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 3
Professional, scientific, and technical services
3 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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 68786, Wausa, 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
1,079
Population
317.4
Area (sq mi)
3
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 68786?
44.0
Median Age
42.5%
Male
57.5%
Female
0.9%
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?
$78,750
Median Household Income
+3% vs state ZIP avg
$37,348
Per Capita Income
2.8%
Poverty Rate
2.2%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 68786 ranks among Nebraska ZIPs
Wausa, NE household income vs. every Nebraska ZIP code
Median household income among 556 reporting Nebraska ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$78,750 Top 38% higher than 62% of 556 Nebraska ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Nebraska 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
542housing units
542
Total Housing Units
432
Occupied Units
110
Vacant Units
2.40
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$103,400
Median Home Value
-45% vs state ZIP avg
$765
Median Rent
1938
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 36 business establishments in ZIP 68786, employing approximately 199 people with a combined annual payroll of $9,628,000.
36
Businesses
199
Employees
$9.6M
Annual Payroll
6
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 8 | 22.2% |
| Retail trade | 5 | 13.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 11.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 8.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 8.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 8.3% |
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 68786 vs 68749 →
ZIP 68786 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 68786
Wausa (68786)
1,079 residents
- 68747 174
Mclean (68747)
174 residents
- 68749 65
Magnet (68749)
65 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 68786 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 68786 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 68747
Mclean (68747)
$88,438 median income
- 68786
Wausa (68786)
$78,750 median income
- 68749
Magnet (68749)
$59,063 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 68786 ranks #2 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 68786, both outside NE so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (1,079 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Knox County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 68786 in?
ZIP code 68786 (Wausa) is located in Knox County, Nebraska. Knox County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/knox-ne.
What is the population of ZIP code 68786?
ZIP code 68786 in Wausa, NE has a population of 1,079 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 68786?
The median household income in ZIP 68786 is $78,750, which is 3% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 68786?
The median home value in ZIP 68786 is $103,400, which is 63% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 68786?
The largest racial group in ZIP 68786 is White at 96.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 68786?
ZIP code 68786 has 36 business establishments employing approximately 199 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 68786?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 68786 are: Construction (8), Retail trade (5), Other services (except public administration) (4). There are 6 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 68786?
In ZIP code 68786, 51.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 68786?
In ZIP code 68786, approximately 81.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 68786?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 68786 is 2.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 68786's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 68786 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Wausa, NE ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.