COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Kearney County

Nebraska · 6,882 residents · 516 sq mi

Time machine

VIEWING

COMPARE TO

The short version

Kearney County is home to 6,882 people in Nebraska. At a median age of 38.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 74% of homes are owner-occupied. Home values have more than doubled since 1990, reaching $77,300. The poverty rate is 8.5%, under the national 12.4%. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $42,589

Older

median age 38.7

US median: 35.2

Average education

21% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 24%

Less affordable

home values up 40%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $120,530

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

6,882

+4%since 1990

from 6,629 in 1990

1990 – 2025

Median age

38.7

+9%since 1990

from 35.6 in 1990

US average: 35.2

Land area

516 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20247K

Age distribution, 2000

Under 56.2%(424)

US avg: 6.8%

5 to 97.3%(499)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.9%(545)

US avg: 7.3%

15 to 197.5%(519)

US avg: 7.2%

20 to 244.3%(294)

US avg: 6.7%

25 to 3411.2%(772)

US avg: 14.2%

35 to 4416.3%(1,121)

US avg: 16%

45 to 5413.4%(920)

US avg: 13.4%

55 to 649.3%(641)

US avg: 8.6%

65 to 747.9%(542)

US avg: 6.5%

75 to 845.8%(399)

US avg: 4.4%

85 and over3%(206)

US avg: 1.5%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$39,247

+9%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $27,207 in 1990

US average: $42,589

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$18,118

+54%since 1990

from $11,751 in 1990

US average: $21,522

Poverty rate

8.5%

−1.9 ptssince 1990

from 10.5% in 1990

US average: 12.4%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$77,300

+40%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $42,000 in 1990

US average: $120,530

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$453

+12%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $307 in 1990

US average: $602

Owner-occupied

74.3%

+2.1 ptssince 1990

from 72.2% in 1990

25.7% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.7%(6,611)

Black0%(0)

Hispanic / Latino1%(68)

Asian0%(3)

2000

White, non-Hispanic96.8%(6,659)

Black0.1%(9)

Hispanic / Latino2.3%(161)

Asian0.2%(16)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican6.4%(428)

Central American0.4%(29)

Guatemalan0.4%(29)

Spaniard0%(2)

Asian origin

Chinese0.2%(16)

Asian Indian0.2%(11)

Laotian0.1%(9)

Ancestry

German44.1%(2,962)

Swedish10.7%(717)

Irish9.7%(652)

English8.8%(594)

Danish5.2%(350)

American4.5%(299)

Scottish2.8%(187)

Italian2.5%(168)

Czech2.4%(160)

French2.4%(160)

Polish1.8%(119)

Dutch0.9%(63)

+ 16 more ancestry groups with data

Russian0.7%(44)

Scotch-Irish0.6%(39)

Norwegian0.5%(34)

Welsh0.4%(26)

Swiss0.3%(18)

Portuguese0.2%(14)

Subsaharan African0.2%(12)

Finnish0.2%(11)

Arab0.1%(10)

Lebanese0.1%(10)

Turkish0.1%(8)

British0.1%(7)

Greek0.1%(7)

Belgian0%(3)

Armenian0%(2)

French Canadian0%(2)

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

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

21.3%

+3.4 ptssince 1990

from 17.9% in 1990

US average: 24.4%

High school or higher

88.5%

+8.2 ptssince 1990

from 80.3% in 1990

US average: 80.3%

Graduate degree

4.8%

Unchangedsince 1990

from 4.8% in 1990

US average: 8.8%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

13.2 min

−33%since 1990

from 19.6 min in 1990

US average: 17.6

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status

Men 15+

Never married23.1%(611)

Married66%(1,744)

Widowed2.6%(68)

Divorced8.3%(219)

Women 15+

Never married15.2%(422)

Married67.4%(1,871)

Widowed10.8%(299)

Divorced6.6%(183)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

6.1%

−1.9 ptssince 2013

from 8.0% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

53.5%

−1.2 ptssince 2020

from 54.7% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

29.2%

+2.0 ptssince 2020

from 27.2% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

20.1%

+0.1 ptssince 2020

from 20.0% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

12.3%

−0.5 ptssince 2020

from 12.8% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.3%

−0.9 ptssince 2020

from 4.2% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

79.0%

+0.5 ptssince 2020

from 78.5% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

31.3%

+0.9 ptssince 2020

from 30.4% 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)23.7%(80)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)24.6%(83)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era25.1%(85)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War6.5%(22)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 338 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

Drill deeper