68974 ZIP Code — Ruskin, NE

Nuckolls County, Nebraska

ZIP code 68974 is located in Ruskin, Nebraska, within Nuckolls County. It covers approximately 34.82 square miles and serves a population of 279 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 402.

About ZIP code 68974

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 $78,800. Owner-occupancy is high at 98%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $74,667. 52% 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 14 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 26% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 68974 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

279

population

34.82

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

68974 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 68974

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 68974. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Ruskin	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

68943 Hardy (6.7 mi) 68340 Deshler (7.2 mi) 68325 Byron (9.2 mi) 68961 Nelson (10.8 mi) 68370 Hebron (11.7 mi) 66964 Republic (12.1 mi) 68335 Davenport (13.1 mi) 68327 Chester (14.6 mi) 68978 Superior (15.3 mi) 68935 Edgar (15.6 mi) 68326 Carleton (15.7 mi) 66970 Webber (16.2 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	279
Population density	8 / sq mi
State FIPS	31
County FIPS	129

Geography
Land area	34.82 sq mi
Water area	0.04 sq mi
Latitude	40.1327
Longitude	-97.8776
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	13.4%	45.7%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	70.6%	39.5%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	11.8%	10.8%	22.0%
Over $200k	4.2%	4.0%	5.2%

Demographics & statistics

279

Population

People per sq mi

48.4

Median age

$74,667

Median household income

$39,139

Per capita income

$78,800

Median home value

Median monthly rent

98.4%

Home ownership

11.1%

Poverty rate

0.0%

Unemployment

169

Housing units

25.9%

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	29	10.4%
18 and over	250	89.6%
65 and over	99	35.5%
Median age	48.4 years

Race & ethnicity

White 90.4%

Hispanic or Latino 4.8%

Other race 4.8%

Group	Count	%
White	265	90.4%
Hispanic or Latino	14	4.8%
Other race	14	4.8%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	13.4%	45.7%	39.5%
$50k – $100k	70.6%	39.5%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	11.8%	10.8%	22.0%
Over $200k	4.2%	4.0%	5.2%

$10k–$15k 4.7%

$15k–$25k 7.8%

$35k–$50k 5.5%

$50k–$75k 35.2%

$75k–$100k 22.7%

$100k–$150k 14.1%

$150k–$200k 7.8%

$200k+ 2.3%

Range	% of households
$10k–$15k	4.7%
$15k–$25k	7.8%
$35k–$50k	5.5%
$50k–$75k	35.2%
$75k–$100k	22.7%
$100k–$150k	14.1%
$150k–$200k	7.8%
$200k+	2.3%
Median income	$74,667

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 42.9%

$50k–$100k 34.9%

$100k–$150k 8.7%

$150k–$200k 3.2%

$200k–$300k 2.4%

$300k–$500k 7.9%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$78,800
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	98.4%
Renter occupied	1.6%
Vacant	25.1%
Single-family detached	100.0%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	0.0%
Median rooms	6.9
Avg household size (owned)	2.15

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.6%
2000–2009	0.0%
1990–1999	14.6%
1980–1989	17.5%
1970–1979	5.8%
1960–1969	5.3%
1950–1959	0.6%
1940–1949	2.9%
1939 or earlier	52.6%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	0.0%
2 bedrooms	38.0%
3 bedrooms	28.1%
4 bedrooms	29.2%
5+ bedrooms	4.7%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.0%
1 vehicle	9.4%
2 vehicles	29.7%
3 or more	60.9%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	53.9%
Electricity	1.6%
Propane / LP gas	40.6%
Wood	3.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	79	61.7%
Cohabiting couple	26	20.3%
Male householder, no spouse	4	3.1%
Female householder, no spouse	19	14.8%
Households with children under 18	17	13.3%
Households with seniors (65+)	61	47.7%
Average household size	2.18

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	31.1%	5.1%
Married	65.6%	62.0%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	0.0%	4.4%
Divorced	3.3%	28.5%

Education

Less than 9th grade 1.3%

Some HS, no diploma 7.1%

HS graduate 14.7%

Some college, no degree 33.9%

Associate's degree 17.0%

Bachelor's degree 23.7%

Graduate / professional 2.2%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	91.5%
Bachelor's or higher	25.9%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	2	6.7%
Elementary school	7	23.3%
High school	21	70.0%
College / grad school	0	0.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Agriculture & mining 27.7%

Retail trade 16.9%

Construction 15.7%

Education & healthcare 15.1%

Wholesale trade 7.8%

Transportation & utilities 4.2%

Arts, food & hospitality 3.6%

Manufacturing 3.0%

Finance & real estate 3.0%

Other services 1.8%

Public administration 1.2%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	30.1%
Service	19.3%
Sales & office	27.1%
Natural resources & construction	17.5%
Production & transportation	6.0%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	94.0%
Government	1.8%
Self-employed	4.2%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	71.7%
Carpool	1.2%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	16.3%
Work from home	10.2%
Other means	0.6%
Avg commute (minutes)	13.5

Poverty

All people 11.1%

Under 18 years 31.0%

18 and over 8.8%

Married-couple families 7.6%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	51.6%
Retirement income	14.1%
Supplemental Security	0.0%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	0.0%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	37.7%
High blood pressure	40.8%
High cholesterol	37.4%
Diabetes	13.2%
Heart disease	9.6%
Stroke	4.2%
Asthma	8.1%
Arthritis	32.6%
Kidney disease	3.9%
Pulmonary disease	8.2%
Cancer	9.4%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	17.2%
Binge drinking	18.0%
No physical activity	26.9%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	27.1%
Depression	15.9%
Fair or poor health	14.7%
Poor mental health	10.7%
Poor physical health	11.1%
No health insurance	13.5%
Visited doctor (checkup)	73.9%
Visited dentist	62.9%
Cholesterol screening	91.3%
Teeth loss	13.9%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	14	5.6%

Disability	%
Any disability	14.3%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	18.5%
65 and over	12.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	64.2%
Public insurance	50.5%
No insurance	7.9%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	268	96.1%
Spanish	2	0.7%
Other Indo-European	2	0.7%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	265	95.0%
Born in same state	265	95.0%
Born in different state	244	87.5%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	14	5.0%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
English	24	8.6%
Italian	24	8.6%

Ancestry	Count	%
Dutch	12	4.3%
French	5	1.8%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	45.9%
Internet access	98.4%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 68974

What city is ZIP code 68974 in?

ZIP code 68974 is primarily assigned to Ruskin, Nebraska.

What county is ZIP code 68974 in?

ZIP code 68974 falls within Nuckolls County, Nebraska.

Does ZIP code 68974 have an older population?

36% of residents in ZIP code 68974 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Is ZIP code 68974 mostly owner-occupied?

98% of occupied units in ZIP code 68974 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 68974 have a large retiree population?

52% of households in ZIP code 68974 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 68974?

The median home value in ZIP code 68974 is $78,800.

What timezone is ZIP code 68974 in?

ZIP code 68974 observes the CST timezone.