68961 ZIP Code — Nelson, NE

Nuckolls County, Nebraska

ZIP code 68961 is located in Nelson, Nebraska, within Nuckolls County. It covers approximately 131.98 square miles and serves a population of 543 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 402.

About ZIP code 68961

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 $68,300. Owner-occupancy is high at 81%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $53,750. 44% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 19 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 24% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 68961 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

543

population

131.98

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

68961 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 68961

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 68961. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Nelson	Acceptable
Nelson	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

68957 Lawrence (9.4 mi) 68935 Edgar (10.2 mi) 68978 Superior (10.8 mi) 68974 Ruskin (10.8 mi) 68938 Fairfield (12.4 mi) 68943 Hardy (13.5 mi) 68934 Deweese (14 mi) 68335 Davenport (15.4 mi) 68340 Deshler (17.3 mi) 68930 Blue Hill (18.8 mi) 68941 Glenvil (19.8 mi) 68325 Byron (20 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	543
Population density	4 / sq mi
State FIPS	31
County FIPS	129

Geography
Land area	131.98 sq mi
Water area	0.24 sq mi
Latitude	40.2201
Longitude	-98.0479
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	40.1%	45.7%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	44.3%	39.5%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	11.4%	10.8%	22.0%
Over $200k	4.2%	4.0%	5.2%

Demographics & statistics

543

Population

People per sq mi

57.6

Median age

$53,750

Median household income

$42,048

Per capita income

$68,300

Median home value

Median monthly rent

81.3%

Home ownership

8.9%

Poverty rate

1.7%

Unemployment

331

Housing units

23.5%

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	61	11.2%
18 and over	482	88.8%
65 and over	160	29.5%
Median age	57.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 93.7%

Two or more races 4.3%

Hispanic or Latino 1.6%

Black or African American 0.4%

Group	Count	%
White	517	93.7%
Two or more races	24	4.3%
Hispanic or Latino	9	1.6%
Black or African American	2	0.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	40.1%	45.7%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	44.3%	39.5%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	11.4%	10.8%	22.0%
Over $200k	4.2%	4.0%	5.2%

Under $10k 5.8%

$10k–$15k 1.1%

$15k–$25k 6.5%

$25k–$35k 12.6%

$35k–$50k 15.5%

$50k–$75k 25.9%

$75k–$100k 14.4%

$100k–$150k 14.7%

$200k+ 3.6%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	5.8%
$10k–$15k	1.1%
$15k–$25k	6.5%
$25k–$35k	12.6%
$35k–$50k	15.5%
$50k–$75k	25.9%
$75k–$100k	14.4%
$100k–$150k	14.7%
$200k+	3.6%
Median income	$53,750

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 38.9%

$50k–$100k 19.0%

$100k–$150k 16.4%

$150k–$200k 6.2%

$200k–$300k 9.7%

$300k–$500k 5.8%

$1M+ 4.0%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$68,300
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	81.3%
Renter occupied	18.7%
Vacant	27.4%
Single-family detached	97.4%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	0.0%
Median rooms	6.7
Avg household size (owned)	2.08

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.0%
2000–2009	8.1%
1990–1999	3.1%
1980–1989	10.2%
1970–1979	9.4%
1960–1969	16.7%
1950–1959	0.5%
1940–1949	5.0%
1939 or earlier	47.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.3%
1 bedroom	5.0%
2 bedrooms	23.5%
3 bedrooms	49.9%
4 bedrooms	11.2%
5+ bedrooms	9.1%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	1.4%
1 vehicle	33.8%
2 vehicles	30.2%
3 or more	34.5%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	44.6%
Electricity	21.6%
Propane / LP gas	24.1%
Wood	4.3%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	139	50.0%
Cohabiting couple	4	1.4%
Male householder, no spouse	75	27.0%
Female householder, no spouse	60	21.6%
Households with children under 18	24	8.6%
Households with seniors (65+)	118	42.4%
Average household size	1.94

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	25.8%	19.0%
Married	57.8%	58.9%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	3.1%	11.3%
Divorced	13.3%	10.8%

Education

Less than 9th grade 1.6%

Some HS, no diploma 2.9%

HS graduate 32.2%

Some college, no degree 24.8%

Associate's degree 15.1%

Bachelor's degree 16.9%

Graduate / professional 6.7%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	95.6%
Bachelor's or higher	23.5%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	5	7.0%
Kindergarten	16	22.5%
Elementary school	29	40.8%
High school	12	16.9%
College / grad school	9	12.7%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 22.9%

Transportation & utilities 20.4%

Professional & management 15.5%

Retail trade 13.7%

Agriculture & mining 6.3%

Finance & real estate 6.3%

Arts, food & hospitality 4.6%

Wholesale trade 3.9%

Manufacturing 2.1%

Public administration 2.1%

Construction 1.4%

Information 0.7%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	43.7%
Service	15.5%
Sales & office	15.8%
Natural resources & construction	1.4%
Production & transportation	23.6%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	68.7%
Government	17.6%
Self-employed	13.7%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	83.3%
Carpool	0.4%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	6.4%
Work from home	5.3%
Other means	4.6%
Avg commute (minutes)	19.1

Poverty

All people 8.9%

Under 18 years 24.6%

18 and over 6.9%

Married-couple families 0.7%

Female-led households 30.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	44.2%
Retirement income	19.8%
Supplemental Security	2.5%
Cash public assistance	1.4%
Food stamps / SNAP	8.6%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	37.1%
High blood pressure	40.2%
High cholesterol	37.1%
Diabetes	12.9%
Heart disease	9.3%
Stroke	4.2%
Asthma	8.3%
Arthritis	32.4%
Kidney disease	3.8%
Pulmonary disease	8.2%
Cancer	9.4%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	17.0%
Binge drinking	18.2%
No physical activity	26.6%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	27.0%
Depression	16.4%
Fair or poor health	14.5%
Poor mental health	11.0%
Poor physical health	11.0%
No health insurance	13.2%
Visited doctor (checkup)	73.8%
Visited dentist	63.1%
Cholesterol screening	90.5%
Teeth loss	13.4%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	44	9.1%

Disability	%
Any disability	15.0%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	8.8%
65 and over	33.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	76.1%
Public insurance	38.0%
No insurance	7.4%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	533	98.2%
Spanish	3	0.6%
Other Indo-European	3	0.6%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	540	99.4%
Born in same state	535	98.5%
Born in different state	350	64.5%
Foreign born	5	0.9%
Naturalized citizen	3	0.6%
Not a US citizen	3	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	88	16.2%
French	81	14.9%
Arab	45	8.3%

Ancestry	Count	%
Dutch	20	3.7%
English	9	1.7%
Polish	2	0.4%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	51.2%
Internet access	91.7%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 68961

What city is ZIP code 68961 in?

ZIP code 68961 is primarily assigned to Nelson, Nebraska.

What county is ZIP code 68961 in?

ZIP code 68961 falls within Nuckolls County, Nebraska.

Does ZIP code 68961 have an older population?

30% of residents in ZIP code 68961 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 68961 have a large retiree population?

44% of households in ZIP code 68961 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Is ZIP code 68961 mostly owner-occupied?

81% of occupied units in ZIP code 68961 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 68961?

The median home value in ZIP code 68961 is $68,300.

What timezone is ZIP code 68961 in?

ZIP code 68961 observes the CST timezone.