ZIP Codes of Buffalo County, NE

Population & People
Population & People
Total Population
51,664
Household Income
Household Income
Median Income
$75,913
Housing
Housing
Total Housing Units
21,785
Business & Economy
Business & Economy
Total Businesses
1,795
Employment
Employment
Employment Rate
68.83%
Education
Education
Bachelor's Degree+
34.47%
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates · rolled up across the 13 ZIPs in this county.
Data Last Updated: June 1, 2026
ZIP Codes:13 ZIP Codes (11 Standard, 1 PO Box, 1 Unique) [See All]
Area Code:308
Timezone:Central (GMT -06:00)
Local Time:2:13:04 PM
Population:51,664 [See All]
FIPS:31019
CBSA:Kearney, NE
Land Area:1,181 sq mi
Water Area:8 sq mi
Coordinates:40.8096, -99.1085
Quick Link:
https://www.zip-codes.com/county/ne-buffalo.asp
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Extreme geographic sprawl
The largest ZIP spans 206× the smallest by area — 209.0 sq mi down to 1.02.
Among Nebraska's 5 most populous counties
#5 of 107 counties with 51,664 residents.

Standout ZIPs in this County


Most Populous
Kearney · 20,536 people
39.7% of county total
Highest Income
Pleasanton · $94,792 median
1.2× county average
Largest Land Area
Ravenna · 209.0 sq mi
Spans the most ground
Fastest Growth
Elm Creek · 21.1% (10-yr)
1,576 → 1,908 residents
Most Educated
Kearney · 41.2% bachelor's+
5,301 of 12,874 adults 25+

Things worth knowing about Buffalo County


51,664 residents live across 13 ZIPs covering 1,181 sq mi, served by 10 distinct USPS-recognized cities.

Population moved from 48,386 to 51,664 from 2014 to 2024 — a +6.8% change. 9 ZIPs gained residents, 3 lost.

The county's wealthiest ZIP 68866 (Pleasanton, $94,792 median) and poorest ZIP 68869 (Ravenna, $65,208) are 14.1 miles apart — a 1.5× income gap across local geography.

Median home values vary 1.7× across this county — from $163,800 in 68876 (Shelton) to $282,000 in 68845 (Kearney).

Density varies 2784× across the county — from 5 people/sq mi in 68858 (Miller) to 13,305 in 68849 (Kearney).

Educational attainment ranges from 17.6% bachelor's+ in 68869 (Ravenna) to 41.7% in 68812 (Amherst) — the breadth of educational profiles across the area.

Within Nebraska, this is the #5 most populous of 107 counties and ranks #34 for median household income with the #17 fastest decade growth .

Hosts 1 single-entity Unique ZIP: 68849Univ Of Ne Kearney .

Weighted by population, the typical household earns about $76,215 across the county — reflecting what a typical resident sees, not a simple ZIP average.

34.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher (11,256 of 32,658 reporting).

11 Standard delivery, 1 PO Box only, 1 single-entity Unique ZIPs serve this county.

Stories about Buffalo 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
1,181
square miles
Avg density
43.7
people per sq mi
Population
51,664
across 13 ZIPs
Ravenna
209.0 sq mi
2,165 residents
Elm Creek
154.9 sq mi
1,908 residents
Gibbon
152.1 sq mi
2,624 residents

All ZIP Codes in Buffalo County


ZIPCityTypePopulationMedian IncomeArea (sq mi)10-yr Growth
68845KearneyStandard20,536$76,978118.2-2.1%
68847KearneyStandard18,354$73,818109.79.4%
68840GibbonStandard2,624$76,394152.1-3.6%
68869RavennaStandard2,165$65,208209.03.1%
68876SheltonStandard1,910$82,20793.818.8%
68836Elm CreekStandard1,908$86,806154.921.1%
68849KearneyUnique1,3850.1335.5%
68866PleasantonStandard1,168$94,792110.841.7%
68812AmherstStandard642$69,808121.0-10.8%
68870RiverdaleStandard506$87,15941.718.8%
68858MillerStandard328$82,08368.68.6%
68861OdessaStandard138$39,7921.0187.5%
68848KearneyPO Box0.0

Adjacent & Nearby Counties