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Living in
Kearney.
About
Life in Kearney
Kearney is a community of 10,696 people in Missouri. The median household income is $103,622, median rent runs about $1,250 per month, and median home values are around $298,400. Unemployment is low at 3.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Kearney at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.6%
Foreign-Born
1.3%
Broadband Internet
86.5%
of households
Population Growth
+8.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.3% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Kearney: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Kearney, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (30.3%), and 0.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.7%
of residents
65 and Older
18.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.4%
of households
Married Couples
57.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.51
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 21% above MO average
Rent, home values, and income in Kearney
In Kearney, rent runs 21% above the MO average, and home values are 30% above the MO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
4.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,940
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
74.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2002
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $400,894 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MO
Unemployment in Kearney and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Clay County, which includes Kearney, is close to the MO average.
Unemployment rate
Kearney: Clay County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Clay County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Kearney is about 4% of Clay County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Kearney Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Kansas City, MO-KS metro area
Commute23.5 min avg
How Kearney residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Kearney, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 65% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 19 mi
Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
Medium hub5.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 73% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Kearney runs 73% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
87.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
446.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Kearney Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
89.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Clay County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Clay County, which includes Kearney, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2023 | 8 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 13 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $25,000 |
| 2020 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2019 | 19 | Hail | None reported |
| 2018 | 13 | Drought | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Clay County, county-wide
Kearney is about 4% of Clay County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Clay County, which includes Kearney, is typically good — 270 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
270
per year
Moderate Days
86
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Clay County, county-wide
Kearney is about 4% of Clay County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate86°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Kearney has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and very cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
65°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
41°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
41.2"
Annual Snowfall
19.4"
Hot Days/Year
37
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
128
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
96
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 17°F | 1.27" |
| Feb | 43°F | 21°F | 1.55" |
| Mar | 55°F | 31°F | 2.48" |
| Apr | 66°F | 41°F | 4.07" |
| May | 75°F | 53°F | 5.23" |
| Jun | 84°F | 63°F | 5.22" |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 5.41" |
| Aug | 87°F | 64°F | 4.03" |
| Sep | 80°F | 55°F | 4.91" |
| Oct | 68°F | 43°F | 3.25" |
| Nov | 55°F | 31°F | 2.11" |
| Dec | 42°F | 22°F | 1.68" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Kearney
Uninsured
2.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Kearney's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Liberty Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.5 mi away · Liberty
Excelsior Springs Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 6.6 mi away · Excelsior Springs
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Kearney
Kearney's student/teacher ratio is 13.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 36.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
36.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Kearney (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 924 students · in-state tuition $21,538 · 62% graduate · median earnings $63,955 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Harry S Truman National Historic Site, 31 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Kearney
Kearney has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Harry S Truman National Historic Site (31 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Harry S Truman National Historic Site
National Historic Site
31 mi awayBrown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
74 mi awayPublic Libraries in Kearney
Kearney Branch
100 S Platte-Clay Way, Kearney
Cities Near Kearney
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Kearney?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Kearney FAQ
Is Kearney, Missouri affordable?⌄
Kearney's median rent is $1,251/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $103,622/year. Median home value is $298,400.
Is Kearney, Missouri safe?⌄
Kearney's violent crime rate was 88 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 447 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Kearney, Missouri?⌄
Clay County, which includes Kearney, has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Kearney, Missouri?⌄
The cost of living in Kearney is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,251/month and median household income is $103,622/year. The median home value is $298,400. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Kearney, Missouri?⌄
The average commute in Kearney is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from