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MICROPOLITAN AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Kearney Micro

Kearney, NE · 2 counties · 44,076 residents · 1,484 sq mi
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The short version

Kearney is a metro area of 44,076 people. The typical home is worth $47,777. This skews young, with a median age of 29.9. Median rent is $318 a month. Median household income is $24,481, under the $30,130 national median. The population has fallen 10% since 2000.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 29.9
US median: 33.0
More educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
44,076
−10%vs 2000
vs 49,141 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
30 / sq mi
−10%vs 2000
vs 33 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
29.9
−4%vs 2000
vs 31.2 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
1,484 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
43K47K51K55K59K19902000201020202024Kearney
202457K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.3%(3,213)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.6%(3,358)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.8%(3,011)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 199.7%(4,256)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2411.5%(5,071)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3415.4%(6,787)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4413.1%(5,776)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 548.2%(3,635)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 647.4%(3,266)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 746.5%(2,848)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.4%(1,954)
US avg: 4%
85 and over2%(901)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$24,481
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $37,127 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$11,274
−36%vs 2000
vs $17,595 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
13.5%
+2.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 10.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$47,777
−27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $86,158 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$318
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $489 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
63.4%
−1.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 65.1% in 2000
36.6% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.6%(45,972)
Black0.5%(238)
Hispanic / Latino4.3%(2,131)
Asian0.6%(304)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic97.8%(43,103)
Black0.3%(134)
Hispanic / Latino2.1%(906)
Asian0.4%(161)
Other1.5%(678)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican7.2%(4,143)
Guatemalan1.1%(641)
Salvadoran0.2%(118)
Honduran0.2%(104)
Bolivian0.2%(90)
Venezuelan0.2%(82)
Spaniard0.1%(80)
Panamanian0.1%(70)
Puerto Rican0.1%(64)
Dominican0.1%(51)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Cuban0.1%(47)
Nicaraguan0.1%(47)
Colombian0.1%(42)
Chilean0%(23)
Asian origin
Chinese0.6%(342)
Japanese0.2%(107)
Nepalese0.2%(80)
Vietnamese0.2%(79)
Korean0.1%(67)
Kazakh0.1%(50)
Asian Indian0.1%(46)
Thai0%(16)
Laotian0.1%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(12)
Ancestry
German37.8%(21,664)
Irish12.7%(7,268)
English10.4%(5,957)
Swedish5.8%(3,320)
American4%(2,307)
Czech2.9%(1,675)
Polish2.9%(1,652)
Italian2.3%(1,337)
French2.3%(1,303)
Danish2.2%(1,250)
Scottish1.7%(985)
Norwegian1.4%(795)
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.9%(492)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(387)
British0.4%(255)
Welsh0.4%(225)
Swiss0.4%(213)
Russian0.4%(206)
Arab0.2%(133)
Lebanese0.2%(99)
Austrian0.2%(77)
Portuguese0.1%(77)
Australian0.1%(57)
Croatian0.1%(51)
Finnish0.1%(43)
Hungarian0.1%(43)
Canadian0.1%(39)
Slovak0.1%(39)
Belgian0.1%(38)
Ethiopian0.1%(36)
Greek0.1%(30)
Palestinian0.1%(28)
Ukrainian0%(18)
Armenian0%(12)
Turkish0.1%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
22.8%
−6.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 29.0% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
82.9%
−6.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 89.1% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
7.6%
−1.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 9.4% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.0 min
+49%vs 2000
vs 11.4 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 married36.4%(8,425)
Married52.1%(12,072)
Widowed2.5%(572)
Divorced9.1%(2,106)
Women 15+
Never married31.5%(7,330)
Married48.4%(11,271)
Widowed9.2%(2,146)
Divorced10.8%(2,517)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
6.9%
−2.4 ptssince 2013
from 9.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
57.7%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 59.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
20.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 20.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.7%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
13.9%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 11.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
76.5%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 78.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
30.2%
+3.7 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)17.6%(472)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.7%(528)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era36.5%(980)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War9.1%(245)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.9%(52)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,687 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
In this metro

Largest cities

KearneyCENTRAL34,782Minden3,133Gibbon1,913Ravenna1,397Shelton1,042Elm Creek983Axtell777Glenwood653Pleasanton377Wilcox327Riverdale243Amherst204Odessa138Miller129Heartwell82Norman35Poole0
What's inside

2 component counties

Buffalo CountyCENTRAL51,172Kearney County6,790
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Kearney

Batavia
Pop 58,416
Kingsland
Pop 60,143
Carson
Pop 58,571
Carlsbad
Pop 62,509
Places similar to Kearney
Head to head

Compare Kearney side by side

KEARNEY VS
Batavia
Income$73,314+199%
Home value$170,500+257%
Population58,416+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KEARNEY VS
Kingsland
Income$74,378+204%
Home value$261,400+447%
Population60,143+4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KEARNEY VS
Carson
Income$72,355+196%
Home value$453,000+848%
Population58,571+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KEARNEY VS
Carlsbad
Income$78,426+220%
Home value$212,600+345%
Population62,509+8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Kearney, NE?

Kearney, NE has about 44,076 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Kearney, NE?

The typical household in Kearney, NE earns about $24,481 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Kearney, NE expensive?

In Kearney, NE, the median home is worth about $47,777, and the typical rent is about $318 a month.

How educated are people in Kearney, NE?

About 22.8% of adults age 25 and over in Kearney, NE hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Kearney, NE?

About 13.5% of people in Kearney, NE live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →