68601 ZIP Code — Columbus, NE
Platte County, Nebraska
ZIP code 68601 is located in Columbus, Nebraska, within Platte County. It covers approximately 286.71 square miles and serves a population of 30,224 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 402.
About ZIP code 68601
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $194,200. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 73%.
Median household income is $67,871. 33% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 14 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 25% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
30,224
population
286.71
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
68601 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 68601
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 68601. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Columbus | Acceptable |
| Columbus | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
68653 Platte Center (8.7 mi)
68624 Bellwood (10 mi)
68647 Monroe (12.4 mi)
68662 Shelby (13.7 mi)
68631 Creston (14.2 mi)
68661 Schuyler (14.8 mi)
68643 Leigh (15.1 mi)
68642 Humphrey (16.6 mi)
68658 Rising City (16.9 mi)
68651 Osceola (17.2 mi)
68632 David City (17.5 mi)
68663 Silver Creek (18.3 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 30,224 |
| Population density | 105 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 31 |
| County FIPS | 141 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 286.71 sq mi |
| Water area | 11.79 sq mi |
| Latitude | 41.4512 |
| Longitude | -97.3682 |
| Timezone | Central (CT) |
| Area code | 402 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 42.8% | 41.6% | 39.5% |
| $50k – $100k | 35.8% | 36.7% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 17.0% | 17.7% | 22.0% |
| Over $200k | 4.3% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
Demographics & statistics
30,224
Population
105
People per sq mi
38.3
Median age
$67,871
Median household income
$35,849
Per capita income
$194,200
Median home value
$874
Median monthly rent
72.8%
Home ownership
9.1%
Poverty rate
2.1%
Unemployment
9,539
Housing units
24.6%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
993
Under 5
1,002
1,137
5–9
1,146
1,124
10–14
1,134
1,040
15–19
1,049
911
20–24
919
1,666
25–34
1,679
1,995
35–44
2,012
1,520
45–54
1,533
1,081
55–59
1,089
953
60–64
960
1,458
65–74
1,469
764
75–84
770
408
85+
412
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 7,764 | 25.7% |
| 18 and over | 22,460 | 74.3% |
| 65 and over | 5,281 | 17.5% |
| Median age | 38.3 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
71.3%
Hispanic or Latino
13%
Two or more races
9.8%
Other race
4.7%
Black or African American
0.6%
Asian
0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 24,745 | 71.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4,505 | 13% |
| Two or more races | 3,415 | 9.8% |
| Other race | 1,646 | 4.7% |
| Black or African American | 216 | 0.6% |
| Asian | 146 | 0.4% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 45 | 0.1% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 42.8% | 41.6% | 39.5% |
| $50k – $100k | 35.8% | 36.7% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 17.0% | 17.7% | 22.0% |
| Over $200k | 4.3% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
Under $10k
2.1%
$10k–$15k
4.1%
$15k–$25k
7.9%
$25k–$35k
6.8%
$35k–$50k
14.7%
$50k–$75k
18.8%
$75k–$100k
15.9%
$100k–$150k
17.1%
$150k–$200k
6.5%
$200k+
6.1%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 2.1% |
| $10k–$15k | 4.1% |
| $15k–$25k | 7.9% |
| $25k–$35k | 6.8% |
| $35k–$50k | 14.7% |
| $50k–$75k | 18.8% |
| $75k–$100k | 15.9% |
| $100k–$150k | 17.1% |
| $150k–$200k | 6.5% |
| $200k+ | 6.1% |
| Median income | $67,871 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
6.4%
$50k–$100k
8.2%
$100k–$150k
17.6%
$150k–$200k
20.0%
$200k–$300k
25.5%
$300k–$500k
18.4%
$500k–$1M
3.0%
$1M+
0.8%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $194,200 |
| Median rent / month | $874 |
| Owner occupied | 72.8% |
| Renter occupied | 27.2% |
| Vacant | 7.5% |
| Single-family detached | 74.9% |
| Large apartment buildings | 5.3% |
| Mobile homes | 6.7% |
| Median rooms | 6.2 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.63 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.8% |
| 2010–2019 | 7.9% |
| 2000–2009 | 7.4% |
| 1990–1999 | 9.9% |
| 1980–1989 | 12.0% |
| 1970–1979 | 18.8% |
| 1960–1969 | 15.0% |
| 1950–1959 | 11.1% |
| 1940–1949 | 5.4% |
| 1939 or earlier | 11.6% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 2.2% |
| 1 bedroom | 9.9% |
| 2 bedrooms | 21.8% |
| 3 bedrooms | 38.9% |
| 4 bedrooms | 17.6% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 9.6% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 6.3% |
| 1 vehicle | 25.2% |
| 2 vehicles | 41.2% |
| 3 or more | 27.3% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 31.3% |
| Electricity | 64.0% |
| Propane / LP gas | 3.1% |
| Fuel oil | 0.2% |
| Wood | 0.7% |
| No fuel used | 0.4% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 5,988 | 50.8% |
| Cohabiting couple | 666 | 5.6% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 2,194 | 18.6% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 2,942 | 25.0% |
| Households with children under 18 | 3,659 | 31.0% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 3,588 | 30.4% |
| Average household size | 2.53 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 31.9% | 26.2% |
| Married | 53.6% | 50.8% |
| Separated | 3.9% | 1.1% |
| Widowed | 3.1% | 12.7% |
| Divorced | 7.4% | 9.2% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
5.9%
Some HS, no diploma
5.5%
HS graduate
29.9%
Some college, no degree
21.3%
Associate's degree
12.9%
Bachelor's degree
17.2%
Graduate / professional
7.3%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 88.6% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 24.6% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 614 | 8.2% |
| Kindergarten | 295 | 4.0% |
| Elementary school | 3,778 | 50.7% |
| High school | 1,711 | 23.0% |
| College / grad school | 1,054 | 14.1% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Manufacturing
28.0%
Education & healthcare
17.4%
Retail trade
10.7%
Construction
8.1%
Transportation & utilities
6.2%
Other services
6.0%
Agriculture & mining
5.1%
Arts, food & hospitality
5.0%
Finance & real estate
4.6%
Professional & management
3.9%
Public administration
2.9%
Wholesale trade
1.5%
Information
0.5%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 33.8% |
| Service | 13.1% |
| Sales & office | 16.6% |
| Natural resources & construction | 10.8% |
| Production & transportation | 25.7% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 83.0% |
| Government | 9.6% |
| Self-employed | 7.2% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.3% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 80.8% |
| Carpool | 9.2% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 3.4% |
| Work from home | 4.3% |
| Other means | 2.3% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 13.7 |
Poverty
All people
9.1%
Under 18 years
12.0%
18 and over
8.1%
Married-couple families
3.5%
Female-led households
17.1%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 32.8% |
| Retirement income | 19.5% |
| Supplemental Security | 4.5% |
| Cash public assistance | 1.6% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 7.7% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 36.1% |
| High blood pressure | 32.3% |
| High cholesterol | 30.7% |
| Diabetes | 10.1% |
| Heart disease | 6.3% |
| Stroke | 2.9% |
| Asthma | 8.2% |
| Arthritis | 23.5% |
| Kidney disease | 2.8% |
| Pulmonary disease | 6.0% |
| Cancer | 7.0% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 16.4% |
| Binge drinking | 23.5% |
| No physical activity | 24.3% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 29.0% |
| Depression | 16.9% |
| Fair or poor health | 12.1% |
| Poor mental health | 11.9% |
| Poor physical health | 9.1% |
| No health insurance | 16.7% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 72.5% |
| Visited dentist | 61.8% |
| Cholesterol screening | 87.6% |
| Teeth loss | 11.7% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 1,242 | 5.5% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 11.8% |
| Under 18 | 3.8% |
| 18–64 years | 11.2% |
| 65 and over | 25.9% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 70.8% |
| Public insurance | 32.9% |
| No insurance | 10.3% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 7.3% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 28,229 | 93.4% |
| Spanish | 2,553 | 9.0% |
| Other Indo-European | 2,549 | 9.0% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 4 | 0.0% |
| Other languages | 0 | 0.0% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 26,311 | 87.1% |
| Born in same state | 25,959 | 85.9% |
| Born in different state | 20,630 | 68.3% |
| Foreign born | 352 | 1.2% |
| Naturalized citizen | 3,913 | 12.9% |
| Not a US citizen | 1,529 | 39.1% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | 2,481 | 8.2% |
| French | 1,797 | 5.9% |
| Arab | 1,059 | 3.5% |
| Polish | 675 | 2.2% |
| Dutch | 365 | 1.2% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English | 329 | 1.1% |
| German | 97 | 0.3% |
| Norwegian | 44 | 0.1% |
| Irish | 14 | 0% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 39.0% |
| Internet access | 93.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 68601
What city is ZIP code 68601 in?
ZIP code 68601 is primarily assigned to Columbus, Nebraska.
What county is ZIP code 68601 in?
ZIP code 68601 falls within Platte County, Nebraska.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 68601?
The median home value in ZIP code 68601 is $194,200.
What is the population of ZIP code 68601?
ZIP code 68601 has an estimated population of 30,224 residents, with a density of 105 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 68601?
The median household income in ZIP code 68601 is $67,871, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 68601 in?
ZIP code 68601 observes the CST timezone.