Kearney vs Norfolk
Kearney, Nebraska versus Norfolk, 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 Norfolk score about the same overall (46 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kearney | Norfolk |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $67k | $57k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $43k |
| Home Value | $219k | $192k |
| Monthly Rent | $897 | $801 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.57% | 1.42% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 6.97% | 6.97% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.85% | 13.46% |
| Unemployment | 2.9% | 2.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.2 in | 27.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.8 in | 29.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 266 days | 254 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 61 days | 69 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 56.0 | 70.6 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | — |
| School Quality | 35.2 | 43.9 |
| Violent Crime | 1869/100k | 615/100k |
| Property Crime | 1609/100k | 810/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 33,809 | 25,883 |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 36.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.24 | 0.28 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | R+45 | R+55 |
| White (%) | 83.1% | 79.5% |
| Black (%) | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.4% | 14.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.2% | 1.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 13 min |
| Walkability | 9.3/20 | 9.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 171 mi | 93 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.1% | 84.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 20.41 | 11.59 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
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 Norfolk more affordable?
- Norfolk has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Kearney's $44k and Norfolk's $43k. Median rent is $897 in Kearney versus $801 in Norfolk.
- Is Kearney or Norfolk safer?
- Norfolk has the lower violent crime rate. Kearney reports 1869/100k and Norfolk reports 615/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kearney or Norfolk?
- The median home value is $219k in Kearney and $192k in Norfolk, so homes are more affordable in Norfolk.