Signals
68803
68845
Opportunity
70 · Top 20%
vs65 · Top 30%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs58 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
28 · Bottom 22%
vs24 · Bottom 19%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs93 · Top 26%
Schools
48 · Bottom 45%
vs77 · Top 18%
Access
42 · Bottom 2%
vs43 · Bottom 2%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs73 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | 68803 | 68845 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,534 | 20,536 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,463 | $76,978 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,685 | $42,181 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 294/sq mi | 166/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $244,200 | $282,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $927 | $931 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.9% | 59.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.7% | 41.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 177 | 107 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.3 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 77.0% | 4.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Distance to major airport | 87 mi | 84 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 16.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.31 | 15.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.0% | 59.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.7% | 57.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 16.3% | 29.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
68803
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
68845
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 68803 — Grand Island, NE · 68845 — Kearney, NE · How this is calculated: methodology