CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Kearney

Nebraska · 24,396 residents · 15.0 sq mi

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The short version

Kearney is a city of 24,396 people in Nebraska. This skews young, with a median age of 25.9. Getting to work takes 12 minutes on average. About 29% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $53,700. 55% of homes are owner-occupied.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Younger

median age 25.9

US median: 33.0

More educated

29% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 21%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

24,396

−11%vs 2000

vs 27,431 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

25.9

−5%vs 2000

vs 27.3 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

15.0 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202434K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.8%(1,667)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97%(1,702)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146%(1,459)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 1911.5%(2,794)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 2417.5%(4,269)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3415.7%(3,840)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4412%(2,924)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 546.9%(1,679)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 645.7%(1,396)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 745.4%(1,317)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 843.7%(892)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.9%(457)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$23,310

−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $34,829 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$11,350

−36%vs 2000

vs $17,713 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

16.5%

+3.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 13.4% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$53,700

−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $89,300 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$331

−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $509 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

55.4%

−1.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 56.5% in 2000

44.6% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic93.1%(25,525)

Black0.6%(170)

Hispanic / Latino4.1%(1,118)

Asian0.9%(252)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic97.7%(23,834)

Black0.4%(87)

Hispanic / Latino2%(488)

Asian0.4%(107)

Other1.5%(368)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican8.1%(2,761)

Central American1.8%(615)

Guatemalan1.4%(476)

South American0.7%(241)

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)

Argentine0%(6)

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

Native Hawaiian0.1%(43)

Chamorro0%(12)

Guamanian0%(6)

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)

Subsaharan African0.4%(128)

Russian0.4%(127)

Welsh0.4%(121)

Arab0.3%(109)

Lebanese0.2%(81)

French Canadian0.2%(79)

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)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Mexican population · Largest Swedish population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

28.9%

−6.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 34.9% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

84.7%

−5.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 89.8% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

10.5%

−1.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 12.4% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

12.2 min

+16%vs 2000

vs 10.5 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

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

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

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.

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