ZIP Codes of Merrick County, NE

Population & People
Population & People
Total Population
7,430
Household Income
Household Income
Median Income
$70,744
Housing
Housing
Total Housing Units
3,540
Business & Economy
Business & Economy
Total Businesses
238
Employment
Employment
Employment Rate
67.43%
Education
Education
Bachelor's Degree+
19.27%
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates · rolled up across the 6 ZIPs in this county.
Data Last Updated: July 1, 2026
ZIP Codes:6 ZIP Codes (6 Standard, 0 PO Box, 0 Unique) [See All]
Area Code:308
Timezone:Central (GMT -06:00)
Local Time:11:54:26 PM
Population:7,430 [See All]
FIPS:31121
CBSA:Grand Island, NE
Land Area:612 sq mi
Water Area:10 sq mi
Coordinates:41.1889, -98.0019
Quick Link:
https://www.zip-codes.com/county/ne-merrick.asp
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Nebraska's #37 most populous county
7,430 residents across 6 ZIPs — #37 of 107 Nebraska counties.

Standout ZIPs in this County


Most Populous
Central City · 3,944 people
53.1% of county total
Highest Income
Chapman · $89,063 median
1.3× county average
Largest Land Area
Palmer · 170.0 sq mi
Spans the most ground
Fastest Growth
Central City · 1.3% (10-yr)
3,894 → 3,944 residents
Most Educated
Central City · 21.2% bachelor's+
580 of 2,742 adults 25+

Things worth knowing about Merrick County


7,430 residents live across 6 ZIPs covering 612 sq mi, served by 6 distinct USPS-recognized cities.

Population moved from 7,512 to 7,430 from 2014 to 2024 — a -1.1% change. 3 ZIPs gained residents, 3 lost.

The county's wealthiest ZIP 68827 (Chapman, $89,063 median) and poorest ZIP 68663 (Silver Creek, $57,333) are 30.7 miles apart — a 1.6× income gap across local geography.

Median home values vary 2.5× across this county — from $171,200 in 68816 (Archer) to $430,400 in 68827 (Chapman).

Density varies across the county — from 4 people/sq mi in 68816 (Archer) to 28 in 68826 (Central City).

Educational attainment ranges from 11.0% bachelor's+ in 68663 (Silver Creek) to 31.2% in 68816 (Archer) — the breadth of educational profiles across the area.

Within Nebraska, this is the #37 most populous of 107 counties and ranks #58 for median household income .

Weighted by population, the typical household earns about $73,302 across the county — reflecting what a typical resident sees, not a simple ZIP average.

19.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher (1,025 of 5,320 reporting).

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

Stories about Merrick 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
612
square miles
Avg density
12.1
people per sq mi
Population
7,430
across 6 ZIPs
Palmer
170.0 sq mi
958 residents
Central City
139.2 sq mi
3,944 residents
Clarks
114.3 sq mi
848 residents

All ZIP Codes in Merrick County


ZIPCityTypePopulationMedian IncomeArea (sq mi)10-yr Growth
68826Central CityStandard3,944$74,583139.21.3%
68864PalmerStandard958$83,365170.0-20.3%
68628ClarksStandard848$58,438114.3-0.6%
68663Silver CreekStandard782$57,33398.26.3%
68827ChapmanStandard761$89,06356.129.2%
68816ArcherStandard137$61,68533.9-42.4%

Adjacent & Nearby Counties