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 Moderate-density area
- $76,978
- Median income Near-median income area
- $282,000
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 41.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 68845 (Kearney, NE) rose +3.9% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 235.0 in 2023 to 244.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 68845 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Kearney, Buffalo County, Nebraska, home to 19,523 residents across 288.8 square miles, a density of 68 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 68845 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $76,978 (0% above the average Nebraska ZIP), while per-capita income is $42,181. The poverty rate is 9.2%, with unemployment at 2.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $282,000 (51% above the average Nebraska ZIP) and median rent is $931; 59.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 41.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.7, and the average commute is 15 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Buffalo County, so 68845 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 68845
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Kearney, NE
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 68845.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
91 establishments
- Construction
Construction
75 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
44 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
42 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
39 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 68845, Kearney, 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
19,523
Population
288.8
Area (sq mi)
68
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 68845?
34.7
Median Age
49.3%
Male
50.7%
Female
4.5%
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?
$76,978
Median Household Income
+0% vs state ZIP avg
$42,181
Per Capita Income
9.2%
Poverty Rate
2.3%
Unemployment Rate
14.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 68845 ranks among Nebraska ZIPs
Kearney, 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)
$76,978 Top 42% higher than 58% 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
9,006housing units
9,006
Total Housing Units
8,561
Occupied Units
445
Vacant Units
2.36
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$282,000
Median Home Value
+51% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 68845
Kearney (68845)
19,523 residents
- 68847
Kearney (68847)
16,504 residents
- 68870 439
Riverdale (68870)
439 residents
- 68849 384
Kearney (68849)
384 residents
- 68861 118
Odessa (68861)
118 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 68845 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 68845 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 68870
Riverdale (68870)
$87,159 median income
- 68845
Kearney (68845)
$76,978 median income
- 68847
Kearney (68847)
$73,818 median income
- 68861
Odessa (68861)
$39,792 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 68845, 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 (19,523 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Buffalo County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 68845's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 68845 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Kearney, NE ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.