Population 39,226 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Kearney
Household size in Kearney
| Period | Kearney | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.47 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.51 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Kearney is a place of small households, averaging 2.39 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.47, mirroring the country. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Kearney
| Period | Kearney | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.0 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.7 | 37.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.5 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.3 | 38.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +0.9 | +2.3 |
Kearney is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.3, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 33.0 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Kearney
| Period | Kearney | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Kearney than nationally: 10.4%, against 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Nebraska.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Kearney
Renters in Kearney
| Period | Kearney | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.9% | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.9% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.6% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.6% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Kearney is about as common as it is nationally: 36.6% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Nebraska overall (33.5%). Among homeowners, 41.7% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Kearney
| Period | Kearney | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 7.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Kearney: 6.8% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across Nebraska. Vacancy is down 2.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Kearney
| Period | Kearney | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Kearney are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1982, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in Nebraska as a whole, where the median home dates to 1975. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Kearney
| Period | Kearney | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $680 | $730 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $759 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $817 | $911 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,011 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$331 | +$429 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Kearney costs $1,011 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $331 a month from 2006–10, a 49% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 27.0% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Kearney
Bachelor's degrees in Kearney
| Period | Kearney | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.7% | 29.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.1% | 30.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.2% | 32.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.8% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Kearney as nationally: 35.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has edged down 0.9 points, even as the national share rose. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Kearney
| Period | Kearney | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.1% | 90.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.5% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.9% | 91.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.2% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +1.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Kearney is above the national rate: 94.2% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.1 points, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Kearney
| Period | Kearney | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 5.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.1% | 5.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.5% | 3.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Kearney has been strong: just 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Kearney compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kearney | 2.39 | 36.3 | 10.4% | 36.6% | 6.8% | 1982 | $1,011 | 35.8% | 94.2% | 2.3% |
| Riverdale | 2.91 | 39.9 | 5.9% | 9.6% | 9.7% | 1991 | $877 | 39.3% | 94.5% | 1.3% |
| Odessa | 3.03 | 36.6 | 5.3% | 13.1% | 12.3% | 1984 | $878 | 38.7% | 93.8% | 0.7% |
| Lowell | 2.29 | 45.3 | 9.4% | 29.1% | 8.0% | 1965 | $952 | 34.2% | 99.1% | 1.2% |
| Gibbon | 2.55 | 36.9 | 9.4% | 25.9% | 8.2% | 1975 | $895 | 27.5% | 87.9% | 3.7% |
| Axtell | 2.40 | 40.8 | 8.3% | 17.3% | 3.6% | 1970 | $996 | 36.4% | 97.8% | 0.5% |
| Amherst | 2.80 | 36.8 | 3.0% | 18.3% | 10.3% | 1976 | $683 | 32.1% | 97.2% | 1.2% |
| Elm Creek | 2.81 | 32.8 | 10.0% | 25.0% | 8.2% | 1975 | $772 | 25.9% | 96.6% | 0.3% |
| Minden | 2.32 | 42.5 | 12.3% | 24.5% | 10.2% | 1964 | $833 | 30.8% | 90.4% | 2.4% |
| Pleasanton | 2.59 | 38.8 | 4.6% | 19.3% | 8.4% | 1976 | $719 | 29.0% | 96.5% | 0.7% |
| Funk | 2.48 | 41.0 | 5.0% | 21.1% | 10.3% | 1968 | $670 | 25.5% | 97.3% | 0.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Sandusky, OH · Huber Heights, OH · Keizer, OR · La Puente, CA · La Vergne, TN · Lake Wales, FL · Laurel, MS · Long Beach, NY · Los Altos, CA · Madison, TN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Kearney. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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