PlainZIP

Kearney, NE · standard

ZIP Code 68847

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

16,504
68/sq mi
$73,818
Median income
$238,400
Median home value
33.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 47%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 45%
home value, US ZIPs
68
people per sq mi
70%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 68847 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 68847 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 243.1 square miles in Kearney, Buffalo County, Nebraska. The area is home to 16,504 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 68847 against Nebraska and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 68847 sits at $73,818 (4% below the Nebraska average), while per-capita income is $40,176. The poverty rate stands at 12.8% and the unemployment rate at 2.2%. On housing, the median home value is $238,400 (28% above the state average) with median rent at $976 per month, and 69.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 68847 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 33.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.1, 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 68847 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 68847

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 68847.

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 68847, 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

16,504

Population

243.1

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 68847?

37.1

Median Age

51.7%

Male

48.3%

Female

6.1%

Foreign-Born

White 84.6%
African American 0.7%
Asian 2.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.4%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.4%
Hispanic or Latino 12.0%

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?

$73,818

Median Household Income

-4% vs state

$40,176

Per Capita Income

12.8%

Poverty Rate

2.2%

Unemployment Rate

15.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 68847 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$73,818 Top 47% higher than 53% 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 63.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.1%

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

What does housing look like?

7,884

Total Housing Units

7,527

Occupied Units

357

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 69.6%
Renter 30.4%

$238,400

Median Home Value

+28% vs state

$976

Median Rent

1982

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

+8.2%

YoY Change (2024)

236

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+136%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 68847 have increased 8.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +136% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.0% 179
2021 +6.8% 191
2022 +16.6% 223
2023 -1.9% 218
2024 +8.2% 236

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 902 business establishments in ZIP 68847, employing approximately 12,251 people with a combined annual payroll of $546,230,000.

902

Businesses

12,251

Employees

$546.2M

Annual Payroll

18

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 169 18.7%
Health care and social assistance 112 12.4%
Accommodation and food services 97 10.8%
Other services (except public administration) 96 10.6%
Construction 92 10.2%
Finance and insurance 56 6.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 53 5.9%
Wholesale trade 44 4.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 39 4.3%
Manufacturing 32 3.5%
Transportation and warehousing 32 3.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 32 3.5%
Information 14 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 13 1.4%
Educational services 10 1.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 3 0.3%
Utilities 3 0.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.3%

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 68847 vs 68849 →

ZIP 68847 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 68847 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 68847 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 68847 ranks #4 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 5.7 mi
68840 Gibbon, NE 2,945 7.6 mi
68845 Kearney, NE 19,523 7.5 mi
68870 Riverdale, NE 439 9.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Buffalo County

68845 standard
Kearney, NE
Pop: 19,523
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 68847 in? ▼
ZIP code 68847 (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 68847? ▼
ZIP code 68847 in Kearney, NE has a population of 16,504 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 68847? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 68847 is $73,818, which is 3% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 68847? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 68847 is $238,400, which is 14% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 68847? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 68847 is White at 84.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 68847? ▼
ZIP code 68847 has 902 business establishments employing approximately 12,251 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 68847? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 68847 are: Retail trade (169), Health care and social assistance (112), Accommodation and food services (97). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 68847? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 68847 increased by 8.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 136%. 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 68847? ▼
In ZIP code 68847, 63.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.1% 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 68847? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 68847 is 15.2 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 68847? ▼
In ZIP code 68847, approximately 69.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 68847? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 68847 is 12.8% 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.