PlainZIP

Minden, NE · standard

ZIP Code 68959

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

4,015
5/sq mi
$70,167
Median income
$221,400
Median home value
33.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

47th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 50%
home value, US ZIPs
5
people per sq mi
76%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 68959 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 68959 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 787.3 square miles in Minden, Kearney County, Nebraska. The area is home to 4,015 residents, producing a population density of 5 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 68959 against Nebraska and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 68959 sits at $70,167 (8% below the Nebraska average), while per-capita income is $37,641. The poverty rate stands at 5.2% and the unemployment rate at 2.0%. On housing, the median home value is $221,400 (18% above the state average) with median rent at $832 per month, and 75.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 68959 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 33.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.7, and the average commute is 20 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 additional ZIPs sharing Kearney County, so you can benchmark 68959 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 68959

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 68959.

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 68959, Minden, 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

4,015

Population

787.3

Area (sq mi)

5

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 68959?

38.7

Median Age

48.7%

Male

51.3%

Female

1.2%

Foreign-Born

White 95.6%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.9%

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?

$70,167

Median Household Income

-8% vs state

$37,641

Per Capita Income

5.2%

Poverty Rate

2.0%

Unemployment Rate

20.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 68959 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$70,167 47th percentile higher than 47% 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 55.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.8%

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

What does housing look like?

1,857

Total Housing Units

1,730

Occupied Units

127

Vacant Units

2.30

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.8%
Renter 24.2%

$221,400

Median Home Value

+18% vs state

$832

Median Rent

1960

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

+21.1%

YoY Change (2024)

252

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+152%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 68959 have increased 21.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +152% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.4% 172
2021 +10.0% 189
2022 +21.0% 228
2023 -8.7% 208
2024 +21.1% 252

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 126 business establishments in ZIP 68959, employing approximately 1,266 people with a combined annual payroll of $57,325,000.

126

Businesses

1,266

Employees

$57.3M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 20 15.9%
Construction 17 13.5%
Other services (except public administration) 14 11.1%
Wholesale trade 11 8.7%
Health care and social assistance 11 8.7%
Finance and insurance 9 7.1%
Manufacturing 8 6.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 8 6.3%
Transportation and warehousing 6 4.8%
Accommodation and food services 6 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 4.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 2.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 2.4%

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 68959 vs 68945 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
68945 Heartwell, NE 213 9.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Kearney County

68924 standard
Axtell, NE
Pop: 1,180
68982 standard
Wilcox, NE
Pop: 649
68945 standard
Heartwell, NE
Pop: 213

Related Areas

Kearney County Minden, NE Nebraska

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 68959 in? ▼
ZIP code 68959 (Minden) is located in Kearney County, Nebraska. Kearney County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/kearney-ne.
What is the population of ZIP code 68959? ▼
ZIP code 68959 in Minden, NE has a population of 4,015 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 68959? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 68959 is $70,167, which is 8% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 68959? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 68959 is $221,400, which is 20% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 68959? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 68959 is White at 95.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 68959? ▼
ZIP code 68959 has 126 business establishments employing approximately 1,266 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 68959? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 68959 are: Retail trade (20), Construction (17), Other services (except public administration) (14). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 68959? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 68959 increased by 21.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 152%. 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 68959? ▼
In ZIP code 68959, 55.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.8% 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 68959? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 68959 is 20.4 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 68959? ▼
In ZIP code 68959, approximately 75.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 68959? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 68959 is 5.2% 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 Minden, 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.