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CITY

Kearney

Nebraska · 34,782 residents (2025 est.) · 15.0 sq mi
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Part of the Kearney micropolitan area
The short version

With 34,246 people, Kearney is a city in Nebraska. This skews young, with a median age of 32.8. The average commute runs 14 minutes. Growth has run 25% since 2000, or 6,815 more people. Density works out to 2,287 people per square mile. The foreign-born share is 6%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.8
US median: 38.9
Average education
37% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 50%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
34,246
+25%since 2000
from 27,431 in 2000
34,782 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
2,287 / sq mi
+14%since 2009
from 2,003 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
32.8
+20%since 2000
from 27.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
15.0 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
23K26K29K32K35K19902000201020202024Kearney
202434K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(1,992)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.7%(1,966)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.8%(1,994)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 198.7%(2,989)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2412.9%(4,430)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.6%(4,668)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.5%(4,296)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 549%(3,074)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 649.6%(3,291)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.1%(3,103)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845%(1,706)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.2%(737)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$69,724
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,829 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,716
+113%since 2000
from $17,713 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
47.0%
+21.8 ptssince 2009
from 25.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.4%
−1.0 ptssince 2000
from 13.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.442
+1%since 2010
from 0.435 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information14%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade10.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade5.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services4.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration3.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing3.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$244,600
+50%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$949
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $509 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
60.6%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 56.5% in 2000
39.4% rent
Vacancy rate
4.9%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.30 people
−5%since 2009
from 2.43 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
21.3%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
41.1%
+2.8 ptssince 2009
from 38.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.5
+26%since 2009
from 2.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
52
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.1%(25,525)
Black0.6%(170)
Hispanic / Latino4.1%(1,118)
Asian0.9%(252)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic81.5%(27,898)
Black1.1%(367)
Hispanic / Latino11.4%(3,895)
Asian2.4%(807)
Other3.7%(1,279)
Diversity Score
40
+86%since 2009
from 22 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican8.1%(2,761)
Guatemalan1.4%(476)
Bolivian0.3%(90)
Venezuelan0.2%(82)
Panamanian0.2%(70)
Puerto Rican0.2%(64)
Dominican0.1%(51)
Colombian0.1%(40)
Salvadoran0.1%(38)
Chilean0.1%(23)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Spaniard0.1%(22)
Nicaraguan0.1%(18)
Honduran0%(13)
Cuban0%(5)
Asian origin
Chinese1%(326)
Japanese0.3%(107)
Nepalese0.2%(80)
Vietnamese0.2%(79)
Korean0.2%(52)
Kazakh0.1%(50)
Asian Indian0.1%(35)
Bangladeshi0.1%(20)
Thai0%(16)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(12)
Ancestry
German35.9%(12,307)
Irish13.5%(4,638)
English10.8%(3,684)
Swedish5.3%(1,799)
American4%(1,362)
Polish3.1%(1,072)
French2.6%(902)
Italian2.6%(900)
Czech2.6%(881)
Scottish1.8%(607)
Danish1.7%(575)
Norwegian1.4%(465)
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.8%(260)
Dutch0.7%(248)
British0.7%(225)
Russian0.4%(127)
Welsh0.4%(121)
Arab0.3%(109)
Lebanese0.2%(81)
Swiss0.2%(69)
Portuguese0.2%(63)
Australian0.2%(55)
Ethiopian0.1%(36)
Austrian0.1%(35)
Slovak0.1%(35)
Palestinian0.1%(28)
Finnish0.1%(28)
Greek0.1%(23)
Lithuanian0.1%(21)
Hungarian0%(14)
Armenian0%(10)
Ukrainian0%(10)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
36.5%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 34.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.0%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 89.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
12.5%
Unchangedsince 2000
from 12.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
13.9 min
+32%since 2000
from 10.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.8%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 82.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.7%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
4.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.2%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.0%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.9%
−2.4 ptssince 2011
from 5.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
71.2%
−2.6 ptssince 2011
from 73.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
81.0%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 82.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
14.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
35.3%
+3.8 ptssince 2009
from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 49.3% in 2009
Female
50.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 50.7% in 2009
Foreign born
5.6%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.4%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.3%
+3.6 ptssince 2012
from 8.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.5%
−1.8 ptssince 2013
from 9.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
91.4%
+9.3 ptssince 2017
from 82.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.1%
+3.4 ptssince 2020
from 92.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
80.5%
+7.0 ptssince 2020
from 73.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
90.2%
−2.7 ptssince 2016
from 92.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
6.3%
+2.2 ptssince 2016
from 4.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married44.3%(6,146)
Married44.2%(6,137)
Widowed2.2%(307)
Divorced9.3%(1,291)
Women 15+
Never married38.5%(5,547)
Married40.3%(5,808)
Widowed10.1%(1,458)
Divorced11.1%(1,600)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.5%
−1.8 ptssince 2013
from 9.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
56.3%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 58.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
20.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 20.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.6%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.5%
+3.5 ptssince 2020
from 12.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 2.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
74.9%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 76.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
31.3%
+4.8 ptssince 2020
from 26.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)15.5%(228)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.5%(316)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.4%(579)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War10.3%(151)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.9%(28)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,469 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Kearney, Nebraska?

Kearney, Nebraska has about 34,246 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Kearney, Nebraska?

The typical household in Kearney, Nebraska earns about $69,724 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Kearney, Nebraska expensive?

In Kearney, Nebraska, the median home is worth about $244,600, and the typical rent is about $949 a month.

How educated are people in Kearney, Nebraska?

About 36.5% of adults age 25 and over in Kearney, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Kearney, Nebraska?

About 12.4% of people in Kearney, Nebraska live below the federal poverty line.

Has Kearney, Nebraska grown since 1990?

Yes, Kearney, Nebraska has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,850 residents, a change of about 40 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →