68856 ZIP Code — Merna, NE

Custer County, Nebraska

ZIP code 68856 is located in Merna, Nebraska, within Custer County. It covers approximately 124.09 square miles and serves a population of 704 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 308.

About ZIP code 68856

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 $175,000. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 75%.

The gap between median ($77,500) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. 33% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with agriculture and mining as the leading industry. The average commute of 15 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 25% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

704

population

124.09

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

68856 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 68856

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 68856. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Merna	Acceptable
Merna	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

68825 Callaway (16.8 mi) 68822 Broken Bow (16.8 mi) 69120 Arnold (16.9 mi) 68813 Anselmo (19.1 mi)

Demographics updated 08/2026

Population
Total population	704
Population density	6 / sq mi
State FIPS	31
County FIPS	041

Geography
Land area	124.09 sq mi
Water area	0.01 sq mi
Latitude	41.3938
Longitude	-99.8859
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	308

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 08/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	36.5%	46.7%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	40.4%	32.9%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	13.7%	16.4%	22.0%
Over $200k	9.4%	4.0%	5.2%

Demographics & statistics

704

Population

People per sq mi

32.9

Median age

$77,500

Median household income

$39,091

Per capita income

$175,000

Median home value

$923

Median monthly rent

74.8%

Home ownership

8.4%

Poverty rate

1.7%

Unemployment

233

Housing units

25.4%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	220	31.3%
18 and over	484	68.8%
65 and over	120	17.0%
Median age	32.9 years

Race & ethnicity

White 87.8%

Hispanic or Latino 4.9%

Other race 4.3%

Two or more races 3%

Group	Count	%
White	650	87.8%
Hispanic or Latino	36	4.9%
Other race	32	4.3%
Two or more races	22	3%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	36.5%	46.7%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	40.4%	32.9%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	13.7%	16.4%	22.0%
Over $200k	9.4%	4.0%	5.2%

Under $10k 1.1%

$10k–$15k 0.4%

$15k–$25k 4.6%

$25k–$35k 6.1%

$35k–$50k 16.8%

$50k–$75k 20.6%

$75k–$100k 20.2%

$100k–$150k 16.8%

$150k–$200k 3.1%

$200k+ 10.3%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	1.1%
$10k–$15k	0.4%
$15k–$25k	4.6%
$25k–$35k	6.1%
$35k–$50k	16.8%
$50k–$75k	20.6%
$75k–$100k	20.2%
$100k–$150k	16.8%
$150k–$200k	3.1%
$200k+	10.3%
Median income	$77,500

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 19.4%

$50k–$100k 16.8%

$100k–$150k 7.7%

$150k–$200k 15.3%

$200k–$300k 23.5%

$300k–$500k 10.2%

$500k–$1M 4.6%

$1M+ 2.6%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$175,000
Median rent / month	$923
Owner occupied	74.8%
Renter occupied	25.2%
Vacant	12.4%
Single-family detached	91.3%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	6.0%
Median rooms	6.9
Avg household size (owned)	2.31

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	2.7%
2000–2009	8.4%
1990–1999	4.7%
1980–1989	6.0%
1970–1979	11.4%
1960–1969	12.4%
1950–1959	12.0%
1940–1949	4.3%
1939 or earlier	38.1%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.3%
1 bedroom	2.7%
2 bedrooms	25.8%
3 bedrooms	39.8%
4 bedrooms	18.4%
5+ bedrooms	12.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.8%
1 vehicle	15.3%
2 vehicles	37.8%
3 or more	46.2%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	1.9%
Electricity	40.8%
Propane / LP gas	47.3%
Fuel oil	1.1%
Wood	4.6%
No fuel used	1.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	184	70.2%
Cohabiting couple	3	1.1%
Male householder, no spouse	54	20.6%
Female householder, no spouse	21	8.0%
Households with children under 18	97	37.0%
Households with seniors (65+)	81	30.9%
Average household size	2.69

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	17.7%	5.9%
Married	70.2%	80.2%
Separated	1.8%	1.4%
Widowed	5.7%	5.0%
Divorced	4.6%	7.7%

Education

Less than 9th grade 1.7%

Some HS, no diploma 2.2%

HS graduate 34.3%

Some college, no degree 16.8%

Associate's degree 19.6%

Bachelor's degree 21.3%

Graduate / professional 4.1%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	96.1%
Bachelor's or higher	25.4%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	19	12.2%
Kindergarten	17	10.9%
Elementary school	82	52.6%
High school	29	18.6%
College / grad school	9	5.8%

Employment

Industry of employment

Agriculture & mining 26.1%

Education & healthcare 13.9%

Manufacturing 11.4%

Transportation & utilities 10.2%

Other services 8.8%

Construction 6.8%

Retail trade 5.7%

Finance & real estate 5.1%

Professional & management 3.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 3.1%

Public administration 3.1%

Wholesale trade 1.7%

Information 0.9%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	36.4%
Service	16.5%
Sales & office	12.8%
Natural resources & construction	18.8%
Production & transportation	15.6%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	69.9%
Government	8.0%
Self-employed	22.2%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	72.4%
Carpool	11.9%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	4.5%
Work from home	8.0%
Other means	3.1%
Avg commute (minutes)	14.7

Poverty

All people 8.4%

Under 18 years 11.5%

18 and over 7.0%

Married-couple families 5.4%

Female-led households 25.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	32.8%
Retirement income	12.2%
Supplemental Security	3.1%
Cash public assistance	1.5%
Food stamps / SNAP	1.9%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	35.2%
High blood pressure	34.7%
High cholesterol	33.7%
Diabetes	10.6%
Heart disease	7.2%
Stroke	3.3%
Asthma	8.3%
Arthritis	26.6%
Kidney disease	3.0%
Pulmonary disease	6.6%
Cancer	7.6%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	16.4%
Binge drinking	20.8%
No physical activity	23.5%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	29.5%
Depression	16.9%
Fair or poor health	12.6%
Poor mental health	11.4%
Poor physical health	9.9%
No health insurance	13.0%
Visited doctor (checkup)	70.8%
Visited dentist	63.9%
Cholesterol screening	88.3%
Teeth loss	12.5%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	30	6.2%

Disability	%
Any disability	5.7%
Under 18	1.8%
18–64 years	5.5%
65 and over	13.3%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	81.7%
Public insurance	29.0%
No insurance	4.0%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	608	86.4%
Spanish	2	0.3%
Other Indo-European	2	0.3%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	702	99.7%
Born in same state	695	98.7%
Born in different state	566	80.4%
Foreign born	7	1.0%
Naturalized citizen	2	0.3%
Not a US citizen	2	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	112	15.9%
Italian	73	10.4%
Arab	24	3.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	14	2%
Dutch	12	1.7%
German	3	0.4%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	37.2%
Internet access	98.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 68856

What city is ZIP code 68856 in?

ZIP code 68856 is primarily assigned to Merna, Nebraska.

What county is ZIP code 68856 in?

ZIP code 68856 falls within Adams County, Nebraska.

Is ZIP code 68856 family-oriented?

31% of residents in ZIP code 68856 are under 18, reflecting a younger, family-oriented community.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 68856?

The median home value in ZIP code 68856 is $175,000.

What is the population of ZIP code 68856?

ZIP code 68856 has an estimated population of 704 residents, with a density of 6 people per square mile.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 68856?

The median household income in ZIP code 68856 is $77,500, above the national median of ~$75,000.

What timezone is ZIP code 68856 in?

ZIP code 68856 observes the CST timezone.