Is Kearney, NE growing?

Name: Growth in Kearney, NE, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Kearney, NE had an estimated 34,246 (±26) residents in 2020–2024, against 33,464 in 2015–2019.

That is a change of +2.3%, a measurable increase.

Its housing went from 13,959 to 14,750 homes (+5.7%), a measurable increase.

1.9% of today’s homes were built in 2020 or later.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Residents now: 34,246 (±26)
Amount of change: +2.3%
Homes change: +5.7%
Built 2020 or later: 1.9%

Residents and homes in Kearney, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Residents	33,464 (±31)	34,246 (±26)	+2.3%	Measurable increase
Housing units	13,959 (±239)	14,750 (±248)	+5.7%	Measurable increase
Households that rent	40.9% (±2.5 points)	39.4% (±2.4 points)	−1.5 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$767 (±$21)	$949 (±$31)	+23.7%	No measurable change after inflation
Median home value	$178,900 (±$6,622)	$244,600 (±$8,217)	+36.7%	Up after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Growth in Kearney against Buffalo County, its state and the nation

Change between 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
	Residents	Verdict	Housing units
Kearney	+2.3%	Measurable increase	+5.7%
Buffalo County	+2.8%	Measurable increase	+3.9%
Nebraska	+3.3%	Measurable increase	+3.1%
United States	+3.1%	Measurable increase	+4.6%

A change in a place’s boundaries between the two periods (an annexation, say) changes its counts as well; the Census Bureau’s figures are for the place as it was drawn in each period.

New homes in Kearney

Housing units by year built, 2020–2024
Year built	Kearney	Buffalo County	Nebraska	United States
2020 or later	1.9% (±0.8 points)	1.5%	1.8%	2.0%
2010 to 2019	13.8% (±2.2 points)	12.0%	9.5%	9.4%
2000 to 2009	13.3% (±2.0 points)	12.9%	11.6%	13.6%

15.7% of the homes in Kearney were built in 2010 or later.

The median age of residents is 32.8 years.

Growth in places near Kearney

Change in residents between 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Place	Distance	Residents now	Amount of change	Verdict
Kearney	—	34,246	+2.3%	Measurable increase
Riverdale	7.0 mi	307	+1.7%	Not a measurable change
Gibbon	13 mi	1,763	−15.2%	Not a measurable change
Amherst	14 mi	272	+100.0%	Measurable increase
Minden	15 mi	3,108	+10.7%	Measurable increase
Elm Creek	15 mi	1,107	−2.4%	Not a measurable change
Axtell	16 mi	818	0.0%	Not a measurable change
Heartwell	18 mi	97	+16.9%	Not a measurable change
Pleasanton	19 mi	556	+42.2%	Measurable increase

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

What you can do on Seayora in Kearney

One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.

Own or manage a rental?

List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for Kearney beside you.

Create a landlord account · See what landlords get

Looking for a place to rent?

Browse homes for rent near Kearney, save the ones you like and apply online.

Browse rentals · Create a renter account

Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?

Get found by owners and renters near Kearney, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.

Join as a pro · Find a pro

Questions about Kearney

Is Kearney growing?

Kearney, NE had an estimated 34,246 residents in 2020–2024 and 33,464 in 2015–2019, a change of +2.3%: a measurable increase by the Census Bureau’s test.

How many homes have been added in Kearney?

The estimated number of housing units went from 13,959 in 2015–2019 to 14,750 in 2020–2024 (+5.7%), a measurable increase.

How much new construction is there in Kearney?

1.9% of homes in Kearney were built in 2020 or later and 13.8% between 2010 and 2019.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Kearney city, Nebraska (place:25055, in state:31).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25001_001E, B25001_001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B25077_001E, B25077_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0017PE, DP04_0017PM, DP04_0018PE, DP04_0018PM, DP05_0018E, DP05_0018M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.