68836 ZIP Code — Elm Creek, NE
Buffalo County, Nebraska
ZIP code 68836 is located in Elm Creek, Nebraska, within Buffalo County. It covers approximately 146.75 square miles and serves a population of 1,822 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 308.
About ZIP code 68836
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $200,900. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 75%.
Median household income is $74,091. The poverty rate of 7% is below the national average.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 22 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 27% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
1,822
population
146.75
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
68836 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 68836
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 68836. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Elm Creek | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
68863 Overton (8.5 mi)
68845 Kearney (8.8 mi)
68812 Amherst (13.1 mi)
68849 Kearney (13.9 mi)
68940 Funk (14.1 mi)
68958 Loomis (14.4 mi)
68870 Riverdale (14.9 mi)
68858 Miller (16.5 mi)
68847 Kearney (18.3 mi)
68878 Sumner (18.4 mi)
68949 Holdrege (18.5 mi)
68924 Axtell (19.3 mi)
Demographics
updated 06/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 1,822 |
| Population density | 12 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 31 |
| County FIPS | 019 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 146.75 sq mi |
| Water area | 2.91 sq mi |
| Latitude | 40.7209 |
| Longitude | -99.3649 |
| Timezone | Central (CT) |
| Area code | 308 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 06/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 31.3% | 40.0% | 39.5% |
| $50k – $100k | 44.8% | 33.3% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 21.8% | 23.4% | 22.0% |
| Over $200k | 2.1% | 3.4% | 5.2% |
Demographics & statistics
1,822
Population
12
People per sq mi
31.1
Median age
$74,091
Median household income
$32,556
Per capita income
$200,900
Median home value
$802
Median monthly rent
74.6%
Home ownership
6.9%
Poverty rate
1.5%
Unemployment
588
Housing units
27.1%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
73
Under 5
87
84
5–9
100
51
10–14
62
50
15–19
60
57
20–24
69
140
25–34
168
97
35–44
116
82
45–54
99
42
55–59
51
57
60–64
69
56
65–74
68
30
75–84
36
8
85+
10
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 513 | 28.2% |
| 18 and over | 1,309 | 71.8% |
| 65 and over | 208 | 11.4% |
| Median age | 31.1 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
95.7%
Two or more races
1.1%
Hispanic or Latino
1%
Asian
1%
Other race
0.9%
Black or African American
0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,762 | 95.7% |
| Two or more races | 21 | 1.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19 | 1% |
| Asian | 19 | 1% |
| Other race | 16 | 0.9% |
| Black or African American | 3 | 0.2% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 1 | 0.1% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 31.3% | 40.0% | 39.5% |
| $50k – $100k | 44.8% | 33.3% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 21.8% | 23.4% | 22.0% |
| Over $200k | 2.1% | 3.4% | 5.2% |
Under $10k
3.5%
$10k–$15k
2.7%
$15k–$25k
2.5%
$25k–$35k
7.4%
$35k–$50k
16.4%
$50k–$75k
18.7%
$75k–$100k
21.7%
$100k–$150k
16.5%
$150k–$200k
5.5%
$200k+
5.2%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 3.5% |
| $10k–$15k | 2.7% |
| $15k–$25k | 2.5% |
| $25k–$35k | 7.4% |
| $35k–$50k | 16.4% |
| $50k–$75k | 18.7% |
| $75k–$100k | 21.7% |
| $100k–$150k | 16.5% |
| $150k–$200k | 5.5% |
| $200k+ | 5.2% |
| Median income | $74,091 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
5.5%
$50k–$100k
9.5%
$100k–$150k
20.2%
$150k–$200k
14.4%
$200k–$300k
30.8%
$300k–$500k
16.0%
$500k–$1M
2.6%
$1M+
1.0%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $200,900 |
| Median rent / month | $802 |
| Owner occupied | 74.6% |
| Renter occupied | 25.4% |
| Vacant | 10.8% |
| Single-family detached | 79.9% |
| Large apartment buildings | 0.0% |
| Mobile homes | 11.7% |
| Median rooms | 6.4 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.92 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.4% |
| 2010–2019 | 5.3% |
| 2000–2009 | 6.8% |
| 1990–1999 | 18.7% |
| 1980–1989 | 11.6% |
| 1970–1979 | 17.9% |
| 1960–1969 | 5.1% |
| 1950–1959 | 9.5% |
| 1940–1949 | 5.4% |
| 1939 or earlier | 19.3% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 0.3% |
| 1 bedroom | 5.8% |
| 2 bedrooms | 24.7% |
| 3 bedrooms | 43.4% |
| 4 bedrooms | 19.7% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 6.1% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 0.6% |
| 1 vehicle | 22.7% |
| 2 vehicles | 32.7% |
| 3 or more | 44.0% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 45.3% |
| Electricity | 40.3% |
| Propane / LP gas | 12.5% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 347 | 51.2% |
| Cohabiting couple | 62 | 9.1% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 86 | 12.7% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 183 | 27.0% |
| Households with children under 18 | 253 | 37.3% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 149 | 22.0% |
| Average household size | 2.69 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 29.3% | 23.8% |
| Married | 59.1% | 52.4% |
| Separated | 1.4% | 1.7% |
| Widowed | 0.5% | 7.1% |
| Divorced | 9.7% | 14.9% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.1%
Some HS, no diploma
2.3%
HS graduate
30.1%
Some college, no degree
26.8%
Associate's degree
12.6%
Bachelor's degree
23.3%
Graduate / professional
3.8%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 96.6% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 27.1% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 60 | 11.5% |
| Kindergarten | 23 | 4.4% |
| Elementary school | 238 | 45.4% |
| High school | 99 | 18.9% |
| College / grad school | 104 | 19.8% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
19.2%
Manufacturing
13.9%
Transportation & utilities
11.3%
Agriculture & mining
10.8%
Retail trade
10.3%
Construction
7.9%
Professional & management
6.3%
Arts, food & hospitality
5.3%
Wholesale trade
4.1%
Other services
3.6%
Public administration
3.6%
Finance & real estate
3.4%
Information
0.4%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 33.7% |
| Service | 11.7% |
| Sales & office | 20.5% |
| Natural resources & construction | 16.1% |
| Production & transportation | 18.1% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 79.6% |
| Government | 9.8% |
| Self-employed | 10.6% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 84.9% |
| Carpool | 7.5% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 3.5% |
| Work from home | 3.6% |
| Other means | 0.4% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 21.5 |
Poverty
All people
6.9%
Under 18 years
4.5%
18 and over
7.8%
Married-couple families
0.6%
Female-led households
9.9%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 20.8% |
| Retirement income | 12.7% |
| Supplemental Security | 6.8% |
| Cash public assistance | 1.6% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 12.7% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 33.0% |
| High blood pressure | 29.2% |
| High cholesterol | 31.0% |
| Diabetes | 8.8% |
| Heart disease | 5.5% |
| Stroke | 2.5% |
| Asthma | 8.3% |
| Arthritis | 23.4% |
| Kidney disease | 2.4% |
| Pulmonary disease | 5.2% |
| Cancer | 6.6% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 15.3% |
| Binge drinking | 22.6% |
| No physical activity | 19.0% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 26.9% |
| Depression | 17.0% |
| Fair or poor health | 9.9% |
| Poor mental health | 11.1% |
| Poor physical health | 7.9% |
| No health insurance | 12.2% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 70.5% |
| Visited dentist | 70.3% |
| Cholesterol screening | 87.9% |
| Teeth loss | 10.2% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 71 | 5.4% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 8.6% |
| Under 18 | 1.0% |
| 18–64 years | 8.4% |
| 65 and over | 27.9% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 81.0% |
| Public insurance | 24.4% |
| No insurance | 7.3% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 3.7% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 1,662 | 91.2% |
| Spanish | 11 | 0.7% |
| Other Indo-European | 11 | 0.7% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other languages | 0 | 0.0% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 1,816 | 99.7% |
| Born in same state | 1,809 | 99.3% |
| Born in different state | 1,513 | 83.0% |
| Foreign born | 7 | 0.4% |
| Naturalized citizen | 6 | 0.3% |
| Not a US citizen | 6 | 100.0% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | 293 | 16.1% |
| French | 246 | 13.5% |
| Arab | 106 | 5.8% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Polish | 90 | 4.9% |
| English | 47 | 2.6% |
| Dutch | 16 | 0.9% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 37.2% |
| Internet access | 92.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 68836
What city is ZIP code 68836 in?
ZIP code 68836 is primarily assigned to Elm Creek, Nebraska.
What county is ZIP code 68836 in?
ZIP code 68836 falls within Buffalo County, Nebraska.
What is the population of ZIP code 68836?
ZIP code 68836 has an estimated population of 1,822 residents, with a density of 12 people per square mile.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 68836?
The median home value in ZIP code 68836 is $200,900.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 68836?
The median household income in ZIP code 68836 is $74,091, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 68836 in?
ZIP code 68836 observes the CST timezone.