Real Estate Investing in Clarks, Nebraska (68628)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Merrick County • Population: 844 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 68628 (Clarks, NE)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (57/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • High vacancy: 34.9% of homes vacant — above national norms.

• Limited market data — this is a very small market; averages are built from few observations and can swing widely. • Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Clarks, NE (68628)?

Click any question — our AI will research it live from the web and show you sources.

✨ Live AI + Web Search
Want to ask your own questions? Upgrade to Pro for unlimited custom queries.
3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

4.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $309,799
Avg Monthly Rent $1,044
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $54,125
% Renters 14.6%

Market Analysis: 68628 Clarks

From a cash-flow lens, ZIP 68628 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $310K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

On balance, the numbers look inviting — $310K purchase price, 0.0% nominal cap — the work to hit that pro forma in 68628 is substantial and deserves full respect.

Looking more closely, 68628 offers a low basis, the region around Clarks has moved on in ways that the ZIP itself has not fully absorbed. The result is a discount with genuine reasons.

Who lives in 68628 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

The right play in 68628 usually involves deep tenant screening, aggressive delinquency response, and a conservative capex buffer. Anything less, and the discount can turn into a trap.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Clarks:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 63/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.7× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+7.2%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,044/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
WARM
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
☀️
WARM MARKET
Grand Island, NE Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
7.0%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Grand Island, NE metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$327K$281K$235K$189K$143K$97KJan 2010May 2018Jul 2026

📊 How Does 68628 Compare?

Metric 68628 Clarks Grand Island, NE Nebraska
Home Value $309,799 $309,799 N/A $269,423
5-Year CAGR 8.2% 8.2% N/A 6.7%
Avg Rent $1,044 $1,044 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.6% 2.6% - -
💡 Why Invest in 68628? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
Open the Market Finder →
Free to search · investor plans from $19/mo

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 68628 (Clarks, NE). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 68628 (Clarks, NE)?

~25 seconds · no account needed · your report is anonymous

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.6%
Low
5yr Growth
+8.2%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Grand Island, NE metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
0%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $309,799
Monthly Rent $1,044
Price-to-Rent 24.7:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.0%
Cap Rate 2.6%
5-Year IRR 10.8%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +7.2% ▲
3-Year CAGR +6.5% ▲
5-Year CAGR +8.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +7.3% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.6%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.6%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
34.9%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+8.2%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 68628

Population: 844

💰 Median Household Income
$54,125
This area
$54,125
State
$70,851
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
14.6%
This area
14.6%
State
22.7%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.0%
This area
2.0%
State
-5.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
15.1%
This area
15.1%
State
15.7%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
42.4 years
This area
42.4 years
State
33.1 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
34.9%
This area
34.9%
State
15.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 92.3%
Other/Mixed 7.5%
Hispanic/Latino 3.0%
Black/African American 0.2%
👶 Under 18
23.5%
This area
23.5%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
21.9%
This area
21.9%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
8.3%
This area
8.3%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 68628

A+ Avg School Grade
1 Schools
10.3:1 Avg Class Size
$31,932 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

HIGH PLAINS COMMUNITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
113 Students
👨‍🏫
10.3:1 Class Size
💰
$31,932 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Clarks, NE a good place for real estate investing?

Our data puts Clarks, NE at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $310K and rents around $1,044/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

How expensive is real estate in Clarks, NE?

Clarks, NE median home values land near $310K. That is reasonable territory for investors looking at $1,044/mo-per-month rentals.

How do experienced investors play Clarks, NE?

Investors usually favor careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management in Clarks, NE. With home values at $310K and rents near $1,044/mo, other strategies can work but produce consistent rather than outsized returns.

How strong is tenant demand in Clarks, NE?

Tenant quality in Clarks, NE ranks as solid. Landlords generally report consistent occupancy at market rents of $1,044/mo.

How much is rent in Clarks, NE?

Rent in Clarks, NE is around $1,044/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $310K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

You know 68628 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 68628 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

Compare Plans

How 68628 ranks in Grand Island, NE

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 68628 (Clarks)

Loading...

Community Ratings

What people who’ve spent time here actually say. Not paid reviews.

Be the first to rate 68628 (Clarks, NE).

It takes 30 seconds. No signup. Your rating helps everyone who comes here after you.