Jobs, pay and daily life in Kearney, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Kearney is a city in Nebraska with 34,246 residents. The median household earns $69,724 a year and the median rent is $949 a month, which is 16.3% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Grand Island, NE (39,520 jobs), about 41 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Kearney compares. Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, Kearney is #5 by population, #10 for college degrees (#1 = most), #27 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #26 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Buffalo County, is #26 of 93 counties for average pay ($51,993).
Kearney has 34,246 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.7% of the population of Nebraska. It covers 15 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,277 people per square mile. The median age is 32.8, 12% younger than the state median (32.8 against 37.2).
The median gross rent is $949 a month (rent plus utilities), 11% below the state median ($949 against $1,072). Over a year that is 16.3% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $244,600, which is 3.5 times the median household income ($69,724); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 60.6% of households own their home, 9% below the state average (60.6% against 66.5%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Grand Island, NE, metropolitan area has 39,520 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,410 a year, 3% below the national median ($49,410 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (5,780 jobs, median $52,670); transportation and material moving (4,360 jobs, median $46,920); office and administrative support (4,200 jobs, median $44,620). The area is most specialised in production (2.6 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($52,670). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Buffalo County was 2.2%. 71.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Buffalo County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 80.8% drive alone, 0.3% use public transit, 2.2% walk, 4.5% work from home. 6.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, about the same as the state average (6.8% against 7.0%).
36.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 6% above the state share (36.5% against 34.6%). 5.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 30% below the state share (5.6% against 8.0%). The poverty rate is 12.4%, 17% above the state rate (12.4% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (26.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 28°F (-2.5°C). About 635 mm (25 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (104 mm) and Jan the driest (11 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Holdrege (24 miles, rent 12% lower); Lexington (35 miles, similar rent); Hastings (37 miles, rent 10% lower); Grand Island (41 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Kearney; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →State guide: NebraskaCountry guideBuffalo CountyNebraska rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 294 federal postings open in Nebraska (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Nebraska →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 830 | 0.97 | $82,590 | $61,900 | $105,940 | -15% |
| General and Operations Managers | 870 | 0.97 | $79,520 | $45,280 | $160,810 | -25% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 970 | 1.84 | $60,810 | $43,150 | $94,810 | +4% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 540 | 1.25 | $44,450 | $35,120 | $60,830 | -6% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 660 | 0.89 | $44,370 | $31,440 | $60,340 | +10% |
| Nursing Assistants | 590 | 1.60 | $38,880 | $36,660 | $48,350 | -8% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 670 | 0.94 | $34,650 | $28,980 | $40,020 | -7% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,070 | 1.08 | $30,830 | $28,080 | $41,150 | -13% |
| Cashiers | 860 | 1.10 | $30,050 | $28,080 | $35,720 | -9% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 570 | 0.99 | $29,840 | $28,080 | $58,120 | -15% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,250 | 1.27 | $29,150 | $28,080 | $35,620 | -7% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Grand Island, NE, about 41 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,410 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.0% |
| Retail trade | 14.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.7% |
| Manufacturing | 10.4% |
| Other services | 7.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.3% |
| Construction | 5.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.3% |
| Public administration | 4.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.5% |
| Information | 1.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Kearney lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo County | 50,579 | $4,461 million | $88,193 | 28,148 | 1,879 | $51,993 | +1.2% | 2.2% | 29,059 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 4,580 | 19.3% | $64,033 | 1.14 |
| Manufacturing | 3,534 | 14.9% | $62,454 | 1.53 |
| Retail trade | 3,379 | 14.2% | $33,730 | 1.20 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,181 | 13.4% | $21,346 | 1.24 |
| Construction | 1,449 | 6.1% | $61,994 | 0.98 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,169 | 4.9% | $67,739 | 1.05 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,022 | 4.3% | $36,174 | 1.21 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,004 | 4.2% | $36,929 | 0.61 |
| Professional and technical services | 968 | 4.1% | $62,267 | 0.49 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 824 | 3.5% | $58,316 | 0.69 |
| Management of companies | 681 | 2.9% | $93,551 | 1.44 |
| Finance and insurance | 662 | 2.8% | $77,166 | 0.58 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 429 | 1.8% | $54,289 | 1.88 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 362 | 1.5% | $18,625 | 0.77 |
| Real estate and rental | 198 | 0.8% | $41,947 | 0.45 |
| Information | 173 | 0.7% | $48,972 | 0.33 |
| Educational services | 76 | 0.3% | $26,860 | 0.13 |
| Utilities | 45 | 0.2% | $115,144 | 0.42 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 42 | 0.2% | $53,213 | 0.39 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 80.8% |
| Public transit | 0.3% |
| Walk | 2.2% |
| Work from home | 4.5% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,724 |
| Income per person | $37,716 |
| Median gross rent per month | $949 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 16.3% |
| Median home value | $244,600 |
| Homeowners | 60.6% |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 86.7 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $49,410 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 4.55%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 36.5% |
| Born abroad | 5.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 71.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2.5 | 28 | 11 |
| Feb | -1.4 | 29 | 16 |
| Mar | 5.0 | 41 | 32 |
| Apr | 10.7 | 51 | 71 |
| May | 16.6 | 62 | 104 |
| Jun | 23.0 | 73 | 96 |
| Jul | 26.1 | 79 | 83 |
| Aug | 24.1 | 75 | 81 |
| Sep | 19.6 | 67 | 50 |
| Oct | 11.0 | 52 | 52 |
| Nov | 4.2 | 40 | 19 |
| Dec | -1.8 | 29 | 20 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holdrege | NE | 24 mi | 5,546 | $55,789 | $835 |
| Lexington | NE | 35 mi | 10,862 | $67,666 | $966 |
| Hastings | NE | 37 mi | 25,008 | $64,048 | $858 |
| Grand Island | NE | 41 mi | 52,884 | $63,795 | $947 |
| Cozad | NE | 49 mi | 3,937 | $54,471 | $851 |
| Aurora | NE | 57 mi | 4,664 | $77,679 | $764 |
| York | NE | 79 mi | 8,141 | $63,265 | $862 |
| McCook | NE | 88 mi | 7,314 | $56,917 | $823 |
| North Platte | NE | 92 mi | 22,831 | $58,097 | $921 |
| Columbus | NE | 103 mi | 24,488 | $64,626 | $892 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
34,246 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$949 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 16.3% of the median household income.
$69,724 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.2% (BLS county, Buffalo County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nebraska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.