ZIP Codes of Kearney County, NE

Population & People
Population & People
Total Population
6,143
Household Income
Household Income
Median Income
$71,552
Housing
Housing
Total Housing Units
2,765
Business & Economy
Business & Economy
Total Businesses
180
Employment
Employment
Employment Rate
68.03%
Education
Education
Bachelor's Degree+
33.62%
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates · rolled up across the 4 ZIPs in this county.
Data Last Updated: June 1, 2026
ZIP Codes:4 ZIP Codes (4 Standard, 0 PO Box, 0 Unique) [See All]
Area Code:308
Timezone:Central (GMT -06:00)
Local Time:2:13:06 PM
Population:6,143 [See All]
FIPS:31099
CBSA:Kearney, NE
Land Area:500 sq mi
Water Area:0 sq mi
Coordinates:40.4668, -99.0059
Quick Link:
https://www.zip-codes.com/county/ne-kearney.asp
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Nebraska's #46 most populous county
6,143 residents across 4 ZIPs — #46 of 107 Nebraska counties.

Standout ZIPs in this County


Most Populous
Minden · 4,048 people
65.9% of county total
Highest Income
Axtell · $85,000 median
1.2× county average
Largest Land Area
Minden · 259.3 sq mi
Spans the most ground
Fastest Growth
Axtell · 34.5% (10-yr)
1,002 → 1,348 residents
Most Educated
Minden · 33.8% bachelor's+
906 of 2,683 adults 25+

Things worth knowing about Kearney County


6,143 residents live across 4 ZIPs covering 500 sq mi, served by 4 distinct USPS-recognized cities.

Population moved from 6,075 to 6,143 from 2014 to 2024 — a +1.1% change. 2 ZIPs gained residents, 2 lost.

The county's wealthiest ZIP 68924 (Axtell, $85,000 median) and poorest ZIP 68945 (Heartwell, $64,792) are 17.5 miles apart — a 1.3× income gap across local geography.

Median home values vary 1.6× across this county — from $159,600 in 68982 (Wilcox) to $255,000 in 68945 (Heartwell).

Density varies across the county — from 4 people/sq mi in 68945 (Heartwell) to 16 in 68959 (Minden).

Educational attainment ranges from 13.8% bachelor's+ in 68945 (Heartwell) to 35.2% in 68924 (Axtell) — the breadth of educational profiles across the area.

Within Nebraska, this is the #46 most populous of 107 counties and ranks #56 for median household income .

Weighted by population, the typical household earns about $72,909 across the county — reflecting what a typical resident sees, not a simple ZIP average.

33.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher (1,388 of 4,128 reporting).

4 Standard delivery, 0 PO Box only, 0 single-entity Unique ZIPs serve this county.

Stories about Kearney County


Big & sparse

A frontier county — vast land area with only a few residents per square mile. Daily life looks very different here than in the country's denser counties.

Total area
500
square miles
Avg density
12.3
people per sq mi
Population
6,143
across 4 ZIPs
Minden
259.3 sq mi
4,048 residents
Axtell
103.5 sq mi
1,348 residents
Wilcox
97.0 sq mi
591 residents

Single-ZIP anchor

One ZIP holds the majority of this county's population — a sign of a county built around a single city or town.

Minden

All ZIP Codes in Kearney County


ZIPCityTypePopulationMedian IncomeArea (sq mi)10-yr Growth
68959MindenStandard4,048$70,167259.33.7%
68924AxtellStandard1,348$85,000103.534.5%
68982WilcoxStandard591$66,25097.0-21.1%
68945HeartwellStandard156$64,79240.3-63.0%

Adjacent & Nearby Counties