68421 ZIP Code — Peru, NE
Nemaha County, Nebraska
ZIP code 68421 is located in Peru, Nebraska, within Nemaha County. It covers approximately 49.58 square miles and serves a population of 1,046 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 402.
About ZIP code 68421
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 $96,000. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 70%.
Median household income is $55,368. Poverty affects 22% of residents, above the national average.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 13 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 37% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
1,046
population
49.58
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
68421 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 68421
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 68421. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Peru | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
68321 Brownville (6.8 mi)
64482 Rock Port (8.8 mi)
68379 Julian (9.5 mi)
68378 Johnson (11.7 mi)
68410 Nebraska City (11.9 mi)
68305 Auburn (12.9 mi)
51640 Hamburg (13 mi)
68414 Nemaha (13.7 mi)
68448 Talmage (14.1 mi)
68382 Lorton (15.6 mi)
51650 Riverton (15.9 mi)
68346 Dunbar (18.9 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 1,046 |
| Population density | 21 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 31 |
| County FIPS | 127 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 49.58 sq mi |
| Water area | 0.65 sq mi |
| Latitude | 40.4993 |
| Longitude | -95.7557 |
| 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 | 53.7% | 49.8% | 39.5% |
| $50k – $100k | 28.0% | 28.1% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 8.8% | 19.1% | 22.0% |
| Over $200k | 9.4% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
Demographics & statistics
1,046
Population
21
People per sq mi
21.6
Median age
$55,368
Median household income
$20,928
Per capita income
$96,000
Median home value
$542
Median monthly rent
70.1%
Home ownership
21.7%
Poverty rate
15.2%
Unemployment
318
Housing units
36.7%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
24
Under 5
18
22
5–9
17
15
10–14
11
155
15–19
116
136
20–24
101
74
25–34
55
36
35–44
26
28
45–54
21
40
55–59
30
14
60–64
10
37
65–74
27
18
75–84
13
1
85+
1
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 114 | 10.9% |
| 18 and over | 932 | 89.1% |
| 65 and over | 97 | 9.3% |
| Median age | 21.6 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
83.3%
Black or African American
6.5%
Two or more races
3.2%
Hispanic or Latino
2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native
2.5%
Other race
1.6%
Asian
0.4%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 894 | 83.3% |
| Black or African American | 70 | 6.5% |
| Two or more races | 34 | 3.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 27 | 2.5% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 27 | 2.5% |
| Other race | 17 | 1.6% |
| Asian | 4 | 0.4% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 53.7% | 49.8% | 39.5% |
| $50k – $100k | 28.0% | 28.1% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 8.8% | 19.1% | 22.0% |
| Over $200k | 9.4% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
Under $10k
2.8%
$10k–$15k
6.9%
$15k–$25k
5.0%
$25k–$35k
20.1%
$35k–$50k
13.5%
$50k–$75k
21.1%
$75k–$100k
20.4%
$100k–$150k
2.2%
$150k–$200k
4.1%
$200k+
3.8%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 2.8% |
| $10k–$15k | 6.9% |
| $15k–$25k | 5.0% |
| $25k–$35k | 20.1% |
| $35k–$50k | 13.5% |
| $50k–$75k | 21.1% |
| $75k–$100k | 20.4% |
| $100k–$150k | 2.2% |
| $150k–$200k | 4.1% |
| $200k+ | 3.8% |
| Median income | $55,368 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
17.5%
$50k–$100k
36.3%
$100k–$150k
21.5%
$150k–$200k
9.4%
$200k–$300k
12.6%
$300k–$500k
2.7%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $96,000 |
| Median rent / month | $542 |
| Owner occupied | 70.1% |
| Renter occupied | 29.9% |
| Vacant | 23.0% |
| Single-family detached | 80.6% |
| Large apartment buildings | 0.0% |
| Mobile homes | 0.5% |
| Median rooms | 6.1 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 1.95 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.0% |
| 2010–2019 | 0.0% |
| 2000–2009 | 1.2% |
| 1990–1999 | 2.2% |
| 1980–1989 | 2.9% |
| 1970–1979 | 1.5% |
| 1960–1969 | 18.2% |
| 1950–1959 | 5.1% |
| 1940–1949 | 6.3% |
| 1939 or earlier | 62.7% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 0.0% |
| 1 bedroom | 19.1% |
| 2 bedrooms | 28.1% |
| 3 bedrooms | 27.4% |
| 4 bedrooms | 11.1% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 14.3% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 5.7% |
| 1 vehicle | 33.6% |
| 2 vehicles | 40.3% |
| 3 or more | 20.4% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 60.1% |
| Electricity | 23.3% |
| Propane / LP gas | 16.0% |
| No fuel used | 0.6% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 106 | 33.3% |
| Cohabiting couple | 8 | 2.5% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 139 | 43.7% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 65 | 20.4% |
| Households with children under 18 | 50 | 15.7% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 81 | 25.5% |
| Average household size | 2.06 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 63.1% | 71.2% |
| Married | 23.5% | 21.3% |
| Separated | 0.6% | 0.0% |
| Widowed | 0.7% | 4.8% |
| Divorced | 12.0% | 2.8% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
5.8%
Some HS, no diploma
2.8%
HS graduate
22.0%
Some college, no degree
29.2%
Associate's degree
3.5%
Bachelor's degree
30.2%
Graduate / professional
6.5%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 91.4% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 36.7% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 5 | 0.8% |
| Kindergarten | 11 | 1.9% |
| Elementary school | 43 | 7.3% |
| High school | 10 | 1.7% |
| College / grad school | 524 | 88.4% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
33.1%
Agriculture & mining
13.4%
Manufacturing
11.8%
Retail trade
11.2%
Arts, food & hospitality
10.8%
Transportation & utilities
8.9%
Construction
5.3%
Wholesale trade
2.2%
Other services
1.4%
Finance & real estate
0.6%
Professional & management
0.6%
Public administration
0.6%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 34.5% |
| Service | 22.9% |
| Sales & office | 20.3% |
| Natural resources & construction | 3.7% |
| Production & transportation | 18.5% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 53.3% |
| Government | 30.6% |
| Self-employed | 16.2% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 59.2% |
| Carpool | 13.7% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 21.0% |
| Work from home | 3.8% |
| Other means | 2.2% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 13.4 |
Poverty
All people
21.7%
Under 18 years
4.4%
18 and over
25.3%
Married-couple families
8.5%
Female-led households
0.0%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 19.8% |
| Retirement income | 8.5% |
| Supplemental Security | 3.8% |
| Cash public assistance | 0.0% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 11.0% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 29.9% |
| High blood pressure | 17.5% |
| High cholesterol | 19.4% |
| Diabetes | 4.7% |
| Heart disease | 3.2% |
| Stroke | 1.5% |
| Asthma | 8.9% |
| Arthritis | 13.1% |
| Kidney disease | 1.5% |
| Pulmonary disease | 3.3% |
| Cancer | 3.4% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 12.1% |
| Binge drinking | 26.6% |
| No physical activity | 18.0% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 26.3% |
| Depression | 18.9% |
| Fair or poor health | 7.6% |
| Poor mental health | 14.3% |
| Poor physical health | 6.0% |
| No health insurance | 13.7% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 67.0% |
| Visited dentist | 64.7% |
| Cholesterol screening | 76.4% |
| Teeth loss | 11.7% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 22 | 2.4% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 12.1% |
| Under 18 | 7.0% |
| 18–64 years | 9.1% |
| 65 and over | 44.3% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 73.4% |
| Public insurance | 24.2% |
| No insurance | 9.6% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 2.8% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 1,004 | 96.0% |
| Spanish | 5 | 0.5% |
| Other Indo-European | 5 | 0.5% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other languages | 0 | 0.0% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 1,010 | 96.6% |
| Born in same state | 1,005 | 96.1% |
| Born in different state | 603 | 57.6% |
| Foreign born | 5 | 0.5% |
| Naturalized citizen | 36 | 3.4% |
| Not a US citizen | 25 | 69.4% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | 172 | 16.4% |
| French | 96 | 9.2% |
| Arab | 63 | 6% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Polish | 48 | 4.6% |
| German | 10 | 1% |
| Dutch | 3 | 0.3% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 30.4% |
| Internet access | 94.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 68421
What city is ZIP code 68421 in?
ZIP code 68421 is primarily assigned to Peru, Nebraska.
What county is ZIP code 68421 in?
ZIP code 68421 falls within Nemaha County, Nebraska.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 68421?
22% of residents in ZIP code 68421 live below the poverty line, above the national average.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 68421?
The median home value in ZIP code 68421 is $96,000.
What is the population of ZIP code 68421?
ZIP code 68421 has an estimated population of 1,046 residents, with a density of 21 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 68421?
The median household income in ZIP code 68421 is $55,368, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 68421 in?
ZIP code 68421 observes the CST timezone.