Kearney vs Lincoln
Kearney, Nebraska versus Lincoln, Nebraska: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Kearney and Lincoln score about the same overall (45 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kearney | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $67k | $68k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $45k |
| Home Value | $219k | $230k |
| Monthly Rent | $897 | $998 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $8k | $67k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.57% | 1.62% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 6.97% | 6.97% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.85% | 14.19% |
| Unemployment | 2.9% | 3.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.2 in | 30.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.8 in | 26.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 266 days | 262 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 61 days | 61 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 56.0 | 39.7 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 35.2 | 49.7 |
| Violent Crime | 1869/100k | 2076/100k |
| Property Crime | 1609/100k | 2851/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 33,809 | 290,531 |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 33.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.24 | 0.32 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | R+45 | Even |
| White (%) | 83.1% | 78.0% |
| Black (%) | 1.1% | 4.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.4% | 8.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.2% | 4.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 9.3/20 | 14.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 171 mi | 54 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.1% | 91.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 20.41 | 23.75 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Limited |
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 Kearney or Lincoln more affordable?
- Kearney has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Kearney's $44k and Lincoln's $45k. Median rent is $897 in Kearney versus $998 in Lincoln.
- Is Kearney or Lincoln safer?
- Kearney has the lower violent crime rate. Kearney reports 1869/100k and Lincoln reports 2076/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kearney or Lincoln?
- The median home value is $219k in Kearney and $230k in Lincoln, so homes are more affordable in Kearney.