PlainZIP

Kearney, NE · standard

ZIP Code 68845

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

19,523
68/sq mi
$76,978
Median income
$282,000
Median home value
41.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Kearney pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

Top 42%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 36%
home value, US ZIPs
68
people per sq mi
59%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 68845 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 68845 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 288.8 square miles in Kearney, Buffalo County, Nebraska. The area is home to 19,523 residents, producing a population density of 68 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 68845 against Nebraska and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 68845 sits at $76,978 (0% above the Nebraska average), while per-capita income is $42,181. The poverty rate stands at 9.2% and the unemployment rate at 2.3%. On housing, the median home value is $282,000 (51% above the state average) with median rent at $931 per month, and 59.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 68845 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 41.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.7, and the average commute is 15 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Buffalo County, so you can benchmark 68845 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 68845

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 68845.

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 68845, Kearney, 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

19,523

Population

288.8

Area (sq mi)

68

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 68845?

34.7

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

4.5%

Foreign-Born

White 87.3%
African American 1.4%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%

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?

$76,978

Median Household Income

+0% vs state

$42,181

Per Capita Income

9.2%

Poverty Rate

2.3%

Unemployment Rate

14.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 68845 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$76,978 Top 42% higher than 58% 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 58.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 41.2%

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

What does housing look like?

9,006

Total Housing Units

8,561

Occupied Units

445

Vacant Units

2.36

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 59.2%
Renter 40.8%

$282,000

Median Home Value

+51% vs state

$931

Median Rent

1985

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

+3.9%

YoY Change (2024)

244

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+144%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 68845 have increased 3.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +144% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.1% 180
2021 +6.9% 192
2022 +14.6% 220
2023 +6.7% 235
2024 +3.9% 244

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 485 business establishments in ZIP 68845, employing approximately 7,413 people with a combined annual payroll of $371,201,000.

485

Businesses

7,413

Employees

$371.2M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 91 18.8%
Construction 75 15.5%
Other services (except public administration) 44 9.1%
Accommodation and food services 42 8.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 39 8.0%
Retail trade 38 7.8%
Finance and insurance 35 7.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 28 5.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 23 4.7%
Transportation and warehousing 16 3.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 16 3.3%
Wholesale trade 15 3.1%
Manufacturing 7 1.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 5 1.0%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 4 0.8%
Information 4 0.8%

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 68845 vs 68849 →

ZIP 68845 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 68845 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 68845 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 68845 ranks #2 of 4 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
68849 Kearney, NE 384 3.6 mi
68861 Odessa, NE 118 5.3 mi
68870 Riverdale, NE 439 8.6 mi
68847 Kearney, NE 16,504 7.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Buffalo County

68847 standard
Kearney, NE
Pop: 16,504
68840 standard
Gibbon, NE
Pop: 2,945
68869 standard
Ravenna, NE
Pop: 2,202
68836 standard
Elm Creek, NE
Pop: 1,688
68876 standard
Shelton, NE
Pop: 1,545
68866 standard
Pleasanton, NE
Pop: 850

Related Areas

Buffalo County Kearney, NE Nebraska

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 68845 in? ▼
ZIP code 68845 (Kearney) is located in Buffalo County, Nebraska. Buffalo County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/buffalo-ne.
What is the population of ZIP code 68845? ▼
ZIP code 68845 in Kearney, NE has a population of 19,523 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 68845? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 68845 is $76,978, which is 1% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 68845? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 68845 is $282,000, which is 1% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 68845? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 68845 is White at 87.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 68845? ▼
ZIP code 68845 has 485 business establishments employing approximately 7,413 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 68845? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 68845 are: Health care and social assistance (91), Construction (75), Other services (except public administration) (44). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 68845? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 68845 increased by 3.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 144%. 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 68845? ▼
In ZIP code 68845, 58.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 41.2% 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 68845? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 68845 is 14.5 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 68845? ▼
In ZIP code 68845, approximately 59.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 40.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 68845? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 68845 is 9.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for Kearney, NE

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

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

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