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.
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:
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 | |
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.
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 |