Small-town market profile · Nebraska
Kearney, NE area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Kearney area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 57,962
- +1.9% since 2020
- Households
- 22,798
- Median household income
- $76,109
- +27.9% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $242,600
- Jobs located here
- 29,261
- Highest market score
- 83
- Barbershops, #21 of 377 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Kearney area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Kearney area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 57,962 people live in the Kearney area, in 22,798 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Kearney area grew 1.9%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Kearney area is $76,109 a year, 6% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 27.9% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Kearney area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 127, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (68).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Kearney area are for barbershops (83), convenience stores (80) and optometrists and eye clinics (76). The Kearney area ranks #21 of 377 scored small-town markets for barbershops.
The Kearney area takes in 2 counties: Buffalo County and Kearney County. For its number of households, the Kearney area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for roofing and gutter companies (3.4 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate businesses (43% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Kearney area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Kearney area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbershops | 83 | #21 of 377 | 6 | 2.6 | $3.7M | 198 | Under 3 |
| Convenience stores | 80 | #22 of 529 | 16 | 7.0 | $8.6M | 109 | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 76 | #26 of 400 | 6 | 2.6 | $5.3M | 170 | 5 |
| Tire shops | 76 | #48 of 431 | 10 | 4.4 | $2.8M | 110 | 4 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 75 | #40 of 538 | 45 | 19.7 | $3M | 90 | 11 |
| Funeral homes | 72 | #52 of 365 | 5 | 2.2 | $637K | 94 | 3 |
| Nail salons | 70 | #63 of 387 | 8 | 3.5 | $2.8M | 167 | 4 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 69 | #55 of 378 | 10 | 4.4 | $2M | 98 | 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 66 | #98 of 441 | 11 | 4.8 | $2.5M | 100 | 5 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 61 | #112 of 387 | 10 | 4.4 | $1.9M | 75 | 5 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 60 | #167 of 538 | 124 | 54.4 | $708K | 107 | 42 |
| Gyms | 59 | #165 of 506 | 23 | 10.1 | $862K | 66 | 4 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 58 | #165 of 458 | 17 | 7.5 | $1.9M | 106 | 34 |
| Grocery stores | 57 | #196 of 506 | 18 | 7.9 | $7.6M | 82 | 10 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 56 | #202 of 535 | 36 | 15.8 | $551K | 83 | 7 |
| Gas stations | 56 | #210 of 536 | 38 | 16.7 | $1.8M | 78 | 37 |
| Auto repair and car care | 55 | #220 of 538 | 107 | 46.9 | $259K | 96 | 61 |
| Pet stores | 54 | #96 of 220 | 7 | 3.1 | $2.7M | 60 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 52 | #236 of 507 | 23 | 10.1 | $3.8M | 92 | 14 |
| Auto repair shops | 52 | #264 of 538 | 65 | 28.5 | $426K | 96 | 50 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 50 | #190 of 387 | 11 | 4.8 | $2.5M | 82 | 12 |
| Spas and skin care | 47 | #286 of 504 | 23 | 10.1 | $973K | 111 | 7 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 46 | #309 of 529 | 32 | 14.0 | $2.7M | 74 | 14 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 46 | #324 of 538 | 104 | 45.6 | $215K | 101 | 29 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 45 | #329 of 538 | 199 | 87.3 | $161K | 105 | 106 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 44 | #323 of 536 | 60 | 26.3 | $740K | 84 | 31 |
| Physical therapy | 43 | #259 of 400 | 17 | 7.5 | $1.9M | 78 | 14 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 43 | #334 of 536 | 46 | 20.2 | $965K | 76 | 31 |
| Real estate | 43 | #349 of 536 | 50 | 21.9 | Index only | 146 | 51 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 43 | #351 of 538 | 281 | 123.3 | $312K | 84 | 118 |
| Pizza | 42 | #334 of 520 | 27 | 11.8 | $3.3M | 64 | 61 |
| Child care and preschools | 41 | #309 of 454 | 14 | 6.1 | $645K | 64 | 24 |
| Pet businesses | 41 | #380 of 527 | 38 | 16.7 | $502K | 57 | 15 |
| Hair salons | 40 | #387 of 538 | 67 | 29.4 | $334K | 78 | 17 |
| Veterinarians | 38 | #285 of 398 | 14 | 6.1 | $1.4M | 50 | 10 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 38 | #382 of 526 | 36 | 15.8 | $889K | 90 | 30 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 38 | #416 of 533 | 45 | 19.7 | Index only | 129 | 33 |
| Chiropractors | 37 | #321 of 426 | 22 | 9.6 | $1.5M | 61 | 20 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 37 | #363 of 481 | 22 | 9.6 | $1.3M | 75 | 40 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 37 | #395 of 537 | 48 | 21.1 | $1.8M | 60 | 61 |
| Electricians | 36 | #237 of 295 | 13 | 5.7 | $4.7M | 39 | 24 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 36 | #299 of 399 | 16 | 7.0 | $1.7M | 59 | 25 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 30 | #430 of 476 | 28 | 12.3 | $2.2M | 46 | 39 |
| Home repair trades | 29 | #482 of 526 | 69 | 30.3 | $887K | 37 | 79 |
| Roofing and gutters | 26 | #270 of 288 | 28 | 12.3 | $2.2M | 26 | 16 |
| Insurance agencies | 25 | #467 of 537 | 54 | 23.7 | $789K | 63 | 65 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.8 | $6.9M | 109 | 15 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.3 | Index only | 190 | 11 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.3 | $6.6M | 163 | 4 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | $22.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | $22.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | $13.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | $13.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
Household spending in the Kearney area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $27.7M | $1,213 | 127 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $70.3M | $3,082 | 119 |
| Food away from home | $87.8M | $3,851 | 95 |
| Groceries | $137M | $6,010 | 95 |
| Personal care products and services | $22.4M | $982 | 98 |
| Child care and other personal services | $9M | $396 | 68 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $19.8M | $869 | 88 |
| Medical and dental services | $32M | $1,404 | 109 |
| Pets | $19.1M | $836 | 92 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $44.4M | $1,947 | 95 |
| Vehicle insurance | $42.6M | $1,868 | 95 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $61.2M | $2,684 | 89 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $27.8M | $1,219 | 86 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $317.2M | $13,913 | 84 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Kearney area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 57,962+1.9% since 2020
- Households
- 22,798
- Median age
- 36.8
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 68%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 1,484 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 39
- Median household income
- $76,109+27.9% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $96,670
- Median home value
- $242,600
- Jobs located here
- 29,261
- Daytime population
- 59,015Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Kearney area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Kearney area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Kearney area 2
- Buffalo County, NE50,579 people
- Kearney County, NE6,713 people
Other markets based in Nebraska 11
- Omaha, NE-IA metro area982,064 people
- Lincoln, NE metro area344,337 people
- Grand Island, NE metro area76,794 people
- Norfolk, NE area48,653 people
- Columbus, NE area45,357 people
- Hastings, NE area40,507 people
- Fremont, NE area37,351 people
- Scottsbluff, NE area36,585 people
- North Platte, NE area34,575 people
- Lexington, NE area26,242 people
- Beatrice, NE area21,629 people
Questions
How fast is the Kearney, NE area growing?
Population estimates put the Kearney area at 57,962 people in 2025, up 1.9% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 22,798 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 27.9%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Kearney, NE area spend?
Households in the Kearney area spend about $317.2M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $137M on groceries and $87.8M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Kearney area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 127, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (68).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Kearney, NE area?
Of the business types scored in the Kearney area, barbershops (83), convenience stores (80) and optometrists and eye clinics (76) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For barbershops, that ranks #21 of 377 scored small-town markets.
How does the Kearney, NE area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Kearney area is $76,109, 6% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 1.9% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $242,600, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for roofing and gutter companies (3.4 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate businesses (43% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 46 of the 56 business types have a score in the Kearney area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Kearney area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Kearney area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Kearney area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.