68845 ZIP Code — Kearney, NE
Buffalo County, Nebraska
ZIP code 68845 is located in Kearney, Nebraska, within Buffalo County. It covers approximately 123.68 square miles and serves a population of 21,234 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 308.
About ZIP code 68845
The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $258,000. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 60%.
The gap between median ($73,450) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 15 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 42% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
21,234
population
123.68
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
68845 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 68845
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 68845. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Kearney | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
68849 Kearney (5.8 mi)
68870 Riverdale (8.1 mi)
68836 Elm Creek (8.8 mi)
68847 Kearney (9.5 mi)
68812 Amherst (12.3 mi)
68940 Funk (13.9 mi)
68866 Pleasanton (15.6 mi)
68924 Axtell (15.9 mi)
68863 Overton (16.8 mi)
68840 Gibbon (17.1 mi)
68858 Miller (17.7 mi)
Demographics
updated 06/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 21,234 |
| Population density | 172 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 31 |
| County FIPS | 019 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 123.68 sq mi |
| Water area | 1.12 sq mi |
| Latitude | 40.7390 |
| Longitude | -99.1979 |
| 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 | 39.4% | 40.0% | 39.5% |
| $50k – $100k | 29.3% | 33.3% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 27.2% | 23.4% | 22.0% |
| Over $200k | 4.1% | 3.4% | 5.2% |
Demographics & statistics
21,234
Population
172
People per sq mi
32.1
Median age
$73,450
Median household income
$40,585
Per capita income
$258,000
Median home value
$887
Median monthly rent
59.9%
Home ownership
12.1%
Poverty rate
2.5%
Unemployment
5,600
Housing units
41.7%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
579
Under 5
589
578
5–9
589
677
10–14
689
898
15–19
913
1,573
20–24
1,600
1,285
25–34
1,308
1,172
35–44
1,193
1,011
45–54
1,028
497
55–59
505
620
60–64
630
1,019
65–74
1,037
343
75–84
348
274
85+
279
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 4,711 | 22.2% |
| 18 and over | 16,523 | 77.8% |
| 65 and over | 3,300 | 15.5% |
| Median age | 32.1 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
87%
Hispanic or Latino
4.1%
Two or more races
3.6%
Other race
2.9%
Black or African American
1%
Asian
1%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.4%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 19,264 | 87% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 912 | 4.1% |
| Two or more races | 798 | 3.6% |
| Other race | 635 | 2.9% |
| Black or African American | 229 | 1% |
| Asian | 222 | 1% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 86 | 0.4% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 39.4% | 40.0% | 39.5% |
| $50k – $100k | 29.3% | 33.3% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 27.2% | 23.4% | 22.0% |
| Over $200k | 4.1% | 3.4% | 5.2% |
Under $10k
5.1%
$10k–$15k
3.1%
$15k–$25k
8.1%
$25k–$35k
6.1%
$35k–$50k
10.7%
$50k–$75k
17.5%
$75k–$100k
12.0%
$100k–$150k
18.3%
$150k–$200k
10.5%
$200k+
8.7%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 5.1% |
| $10k–$15k | 3.1% |
| $15k–$25k | 8.1% |
| $25k–$35k | 6.1% |
| $35k–$50k | 10.7% |
| $50k–$75k | 17.5% |
| $75k–$100k | 12.0% |
| $100k–$150k | 18.3% |
| $150k–$200k | 10.5% |
| $200k+ | 8.7% |
| Median income | $73,450 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
2.8%
$50k–$100k
4.0%
$100k–$150k
7.2%
$150k–$200k
16.9%
$200k–$300k
33.2%
$300k–$500k
27.5%
$500k–$1M
7.4%
$1M+
1.0%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $258,000 |
| Median rent / month | $887 |
| Owner occupied | 59.9% |
| Renter occupied | 40.1% |
| Vacant | 6.7% |
| Single-family detached | 63.1% |
| Large apartment buildings | 8.6% |
| Mobile homes | 4.2% |
| Median rooms | 6.0 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.74 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.0% |
| 2010–2019 | 11.1% |
| 2000–2009 | 12.0% |
| 1990–1999 | 17.3% |
| 1980–1989 | 11.4% |
| 1970–1979 | 19.1% |
| 1960–1969 | 7.1% |
| 1950–1959 | 6.8% |
| 1940–1949 | 3.0% |
| 1939 or earlier | 12.2% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 1.6% |
| 1 bedroom | 10.8% |
| 2 bedrooms | 23.5% |
| 3 bedrooms | 29.4% |
| 4 bedrooms | 20.5% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 14.2% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 2.9% |
| 1 vehicle | 30.0% |
| 2 vehicles | 38.4% |
| 3 or more | 28.7% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 50.7% |
| Electricity | 46.2% |
| Propane / LP gas | 1.7% |
| Wood | 0.7% |
| Solar | 0.1% |
| No fuel used | 0.3% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 3,839 | 46.0% |
| Cohabiting couple | 663 | 7.9% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 1,585 | 19.0% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 2,256 | 27.0% |
| Households with children under 18 | 2,190 | 26.2% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 2,273 | 27.2% |
| Average household size | 2.51 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 41.6% | 34.1% |
| Married | 46.6% | 45.0% |
| Separated | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Widowed | 2.3% | 9.6% |
| Divorced | 9.2% | 11.2% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.6%
Some HS, no diploma
4.6%
HS graduate
18.8%
Some college, no degree
26.6%
Associate's degree
6.8%
Bachelor's degree
26.0%
Graduate / professional
15.7%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 93.8% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 41.7% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 187 | 2.9% |
| Kindergarten | 221 | 3.4% |
| Elementary school | 2,089 | 31.9% |
| High school | 1,275 | 19.5% |
| College / grad school | 2,767 | 42.3% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
26.5%
Retail trade
14.1%
Manufacturing
11.5%
Arts, food & hospitality
9.9%
Professional & management
7.3%
Construction
6.6%
Other services
5.4%
Public administration
4.5%
Transportation & utilities
3.9%
Finance & real estate
3.7%
Agriculture & mining
2.9%
Wholesale trade
2.3%
Information
1.4%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 38.8% |
| Service | 15.7% |
| Sales & office | 21.4% |
| Natural resources & construction | 8.5% |
| Production & transportation | 15.5% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 80.8% |
| Government | 16.4% |
| Self-employed | 2.8% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 84.3% |
| Carpool | 10.0% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.6% |
| Work from home | 3.3% |
| Other means | 0.9% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 15.4 |
Poverty
All people
12.1%
Under 18 years
9.8%
18 and over
12.8%
Married-couple families
0.7%
Female-led households
22.7%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 27.1% |
| Retirement income | 18.0% |
| Supplemental Security | 3.8% |
| Cash public assistance | 1.4% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 6.0% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 31.4% |
| High blood pressure | 25.0% |
| High cholesterol | 27.1% |
| Diabetes | 7.6% |
| Heart disease | 4.6% |
| Stroke | 2.2% |
| Asthma | 9.0% |
| Arthritis | 19.4% |
| Kidney disease | 2.2% |
| Pulmonary disease | 4.8% |
| Cancer | 5.1% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 15.0% |
| Binge drinking | 23.5% |
| No physical activity | 19.2% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 27.0% |
| Depression | 18.3% |
| Fair or poor health | 10.3% |
| Poor mental health | 13.0% |
| Poor physical health | 7.7% |
| No health insurance | 13.4% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 69.5% |
| Visited dentist | 66.3% |
| Cholesterol screening | 81.5% |
| Teeth loss | 11.5% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 1,008 | 6.1% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 11.6% |
| Under 18 | 6.6% |
| 18–64 years | 9.2% |
| 65 and over | 29.0% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 78.8% |
| Public insurance | 26.3% |
| No insurance | 7.2% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 7.7% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 20,066 | 94.5% |
| Spanish | 456 | 2.3% |
| Other Indo-European | 370 | 1.8% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 20 | 0.1% |
| Other languages | 66 | 0.3% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 20,365 | 95.9% |
| Born in same state | 20,259 | 95.4% |
| Born in different state | 15,625 | 73.6% |
| Foreign born | 106 | 0.5% |
| Naturalized citizen | 869 | 4.1% |
| Not a US citizen | 506 | 58.2% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | 2,269 | 10.7% |
| French | 1,890 | 8.9% |
| Dutch | 436 | 2.1% |
| Arab | 422 | 2% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English | 421 | 2% |
| Polish | 297 | 1.4% |
| German | 26 | 0.1% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 39.3% |
| Internet access | 96.2% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 68845
What city is ZIP code 68845 in?
ZIP code 68845 is primarily assigned to Kearney, Nebraska.
What county is ZIP code 68845 in?
ZIP code 68845 falls within Buffalo County, Nebraska.
What is the population of ZIP code 68845?
ZIP code 68845 has an estimated population of 21,234 residents, with a density of 172 people per square mile.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 68845?
The median home value in ZIP code 68845 is $258,000.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 68845?
The median household income in ZIP code 68845 is $73,450, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 68845 in?
ZIP code 68845 observes the CST timezone.