PlainZIP

Holdrege, NE · standard

ZIP Code 68949

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

6,567
12/sq mi
$63,273
Median income
$197,200
Median home value
31.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Holdrege pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

35th pct
household income, US ZIPs
43th pct
home value, US ZIPs
12
people per sq mi
64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 68949 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 68949 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 551.8 square miles in Holdrege, Phelps County, Nebraska. The area is home to 6,567 residents, producing a population density of 12 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 68949 against Nebraska and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 68949 sits at $63,273 (17% below the Nebraska average), while per-capita income is $48,606. The poverty rate stands at 14.2% and the unemployment rate at 1.5%. On housing, the median home value is $197,200 (5% above the state average) with median rent at $810 per month, and 63.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 68949 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 31.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.8, and the average commute is 14 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 additional ZIPs sharing Phelps County, so you can benchmark 68949 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 68949

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 68949.

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 68949, Holdrege, 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

6,567

Population

551.8

Area (sq mi)

12

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 68949?

41.8

Median Age

51.7%

Male

48.3%

Female

2.1%

Foreign-Born

White 89.0%
African American 1.1%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.8%
Hispanic or Latino 7.2%

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?

$63,273

Median Household Income

-17% vs state

$48,606

Per Capita Income

14.2%

Poverty Rate

1.5%

Unemployment Rate

14.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 68949 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$63,273 35th percentile higher than 35% 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 59.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.2%

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

What does housing look like?

3,132

Total Housing Units

2,962

Occupied Units

170

Vacant Units

2.19

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 63.7%
Renter 36.3%

$197,200

Median Home Value

+5% vs state

$810

Median Rent

1969

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

+2.3%

YoY Change (2024)

271

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+171%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 68949 have increased 2.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +171% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.0% 186
2021 +8.9% 202
2022 +15.5% 233
2023 +13.3% 264
2024 +2.3% 271

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 289 business establishments in ZIP 68949, employing approximately 3,884 people with a combined annual payroll of $224,250,000.

289

Businesses

3,884

Employees

$224.3M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 43 14.9%
Other services (except public administration) 38 13.2%
Health care and social assistance 30 10.4%
Finance and insurance 28 9.7%
Wholesale trade 24 8.3%
Accommodation and food services 23 8.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 22 7.6%
Construction 21 7.3%
Transportation and warehousing 11 3.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 3.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 10 3.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 2.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 6 2.1%
Manufacturing 6 2.1%
Information 5 1.7%
Educational services 3 1.0%

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 68949 vs 68923 →

ZIP 68949 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 68949 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 68949 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 68949 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
68923 Atlanta, NE 131 6.4 mi
68958 Loomis, NE 661 8.7 mi
68969 Ragan, NE 38 10.3 mi
68940 Funk, NE 496 11.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Phelps County

68927 standard
Bertrand, NE
Pop: 1,164
68958 standard
Loomis, NE
Pop: 661
68940 standard
Funk, NE
Pop: 496
68923 standard
Atlanta, NE
Pop: 131

Related Areas

Phelps County Holdrege, NE Nebraska

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 68949 in? ▼
ZIP code 68949 (Holdrege) is located in Phelps County, Nebraska. Phelps County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/phelps-ne.
What is the population of ZIP code 68949? ▼
ZIP code 68949 in Holdrege, NE has a population of 6,567 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 68949? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 68949 is $63,273, which is 17% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 68949? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 68949 is $197,200, which is 29% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 68949? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 68949 is White at 89.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 68949? ▼
ZIP code 68949 has 289 business establishments employing approximately 3,884 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 68949? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 68949 are: Retail trade (43), Other services (except public administration) (38), Health care and social assistance (30). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 68949? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 68949 increased by 2.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 171%. 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 68949? ▼
In ZIP code 68949, 59.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.2% 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 68949? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 68949 is 14.4 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 68949? ▼
In ZIP code 68949, approximately 63.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 68949? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 68949 is 14.2% 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 Holdrege, 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.