Kearney, NE Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Kearney, NE Summary

Cost of living in Kearney research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Kearney is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Nebraska, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Kearney is 92, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Kearney is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Kearney ranks as the #20 cheapest in Nebraska out of 34.

  • Kearney ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Kearney is $310,749.

  • The median income in Kearney is $69,790.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
92
Kearney's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Kearney, NE?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Kearney has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Nebraska, Kearney has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Nebraska's index of 89.

The standard of living in Kearney ranks as #20 most affordable out of the 34 places we measured in Nebraska. By definition, that implies Kearney ranks as the #14 most expensive place in the Cornhusker State.

For more reading on life in Kearney, check out:

20 out of 34
In Nebraska
1,501 out of 6,489
In America

Kearney Cost Of Living Vs. Nebraska

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Kearney. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Kearney is 91.

  • The Groceries index in Kearney is 94.

  • The Health index in Kearney is 98.

  • The Housing index in Kearney is 95.

  • The Transportation index in Kearney is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Kearney is 81.

Living Expense Kearney Nebraska National Average
Overall 92 89 100
Services 91 94 100
Groceries 94 97 100
Health 98 99 100
Housing 95 77 100
Transportation 97 100 100
Utilities 81 86 100
For more reading on cost of living around Nebraska, check out:
Kearney Cost of Living Vs. NE

Kearney, NE Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Nebraska, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Kearney is $310,749.

  • The Median Rent in Kearney is $922.

  • The Median Income in Kearney is $69,790.

  • The Home Value To Income in Kearney is 4.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Kearney is 0.16x.

Statistic Kearney Nebraska United States
Median Home Value $310,749 $272,244 $303,400
Median Rent $922 $1,035 $1,348
Median Income $69,790 $74,985 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.5x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.17x 0.21x
$310,749
Median Home Value
$922
Median Rent
$69,790
Median Income

Kearney, NE Costs By Category

Detailed Kearney Services Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Kearney Nebraska
Shampoo $0.98 $1.28
Movie $9.1 $12.13
Bowling $11.33 $18
Haircut $17.5 $24.26
Beauty Salon $28.75 $45.56

Detailed Kearney Groceries Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Kearney Nebraska
Ground Beef $6.66 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.49 $4.67
Potatoes $4.49 $4.93
Pizza $11.34 $12.09
Beer $9.34 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.67 $3.7

Detailed Kearney Health Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Kearney Nebraska
Optometrist $128.5 $125.68
Doctor $139.89 $135.78
Dentist $97.5 $113.29

Detailed Kearney Transportation Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Kearney Nebraska
Gasoline $3.36 $3.46
Tire Balancing $55.44 $59.92

Detailed Kearney Utilities Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Kearney Nebraska
All Electricity $126.33 $193.99
Phone $199.27 $192.25

Kearney SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
7
Affordability
8
Diversity
7
Safety
5
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Kearney

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Kearney. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Mason, OH has a cost of living index of 121, 1.3x Kearney.

  • Hastings, NE has a cost of living index of 86, 0.9x Kearney.

  • Holdrege, NE has a cost of living index of 83, 0.9x Kearney.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Kearney
Mason, OH 35,148 121 1.3x
Hastings, NE 25,005 86 0.9x
Holdrege, NE 5,503 83 0.9x

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