Hastings vs Kearney
Hastings, Nebraska versus Kearney, Nebraska: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Hastings and Kearney score about the same overall (46 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hastings | Kearney |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $58k | $67k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $44k |
| Home Value | $156k | $219k |
| Monthly Rent | $814 | $897 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.65% | 1.57% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 6.97% | 6.97% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.19% | 13.85% |
| Unemployment | 3.0% | 2.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 28.2 in | 26.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.6 in | 21.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 266 days | 266 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 65 days | 61 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 62.7 | 56.0 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 46.4 | 35.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1869/100k | 1869/100k |
| Property Crime | 2371/100k | 1609/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,098 | 33,809 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 31.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.27 | 0.24 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | R+41 | R+45 |
| White (%) | 81.1% | 83.1% |
| Black (%) | 0.6% | 1.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 13.9% | 10.4% |
| Asian (%) | 1.4% | 2.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 3.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 15 min |
| Walkability | 8.2/20 | 9.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 139 mi | 171 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.1% | 90.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 16.73 | 20.41 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hastings or Kearney more affordable?
- Hastings has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Hastings's $43k and Kearney's $44k. Median rent is $814 in Hastings versus $897 in Kearney.
- Is Hastings or Kearney safer?
- Kearney has the lower violent crime rate. Hastings reports 1869/100k and Kearney reports 1869/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hastings or Kearney?
- The median home value is $156k in Hastings and $219k in Kearney, so homes are more affordable in Hastings.