Kearney County, Nebraska
Located in Nebraska, Kearney County has a population of 6,713 residents and a median age of 40.2 years, making it the #2,757 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 7.2%. The median home value is $223,400, and the median household income is $78,631, which is 5% above the national median.
Demographics
Kearney County has a population of 6,713, making it the #2,757 most populous county in the US. The median age is 40.2 years, which is 3.3% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Kearney County is $78,631, ranking #643 out of 3,222 counties — 4.6% above the national median. The poverty rate is 7.2% and unemployment stands at 1.7%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Kearney County is $223,400 (-20.8% vs national). Renters pay a median of $857/mo and the homeownership rate is 77.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Kearney County, 34.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 2.3% above the national average, ranking #488 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Kearney County is 79.6 years. 15.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.1% of adults in Kearney County smoke , 38.3% are obese , and 22.2% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
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Families & Children
9.2% of children in Kearney County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 13.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Kearney County is 74.8%. The mean commute time is 23.1 min, which is 16.2% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Kearney County voted Republican with a margin of 58.1%. The vote was 20.4% Dem / 78.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted +0.5 toward Democrats .
Vote Share Over Time
About Kearney County, Nebraska
Kearney County, Nebraska has a total population of 6,713, making it the 2,757th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Kearney County is 40.2 years, which is 3.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Kearney County is $78,631, which ranks #643 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 4.6% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 7.2%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 1.7%.
The median home value in Kearney County is $223,400, 20.8% below the national median. Renters in Kearney County pay a median gross rent of $857 per month. The homeownership rate is 77.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Kearney County, 34.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 2.3% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 23.1 min.
Kearney County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 90.8% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.8%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
All data for Kearney County, Nebraska comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.