Signals
68845
68601
Opportunity
65 · Top 30%
vs56 · Top 47%
Growth
58 · Top 37%
vs61 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 19%
vs28 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 26%
vs97 · Top 16%
Schools
77 · Top 18%
vs68 · Top 29%
Access
43 · Bottom 2%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
73 · Top 25%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | 68845 | 68601 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,536 | 30,944 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,978 | $68,480 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,181 | $36,313 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 166/sq mi | 108/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $282,000 | $221,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $931 | $897 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.2% | 69.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.2% | 22.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 10.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 107 | 161 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 4.9% | -51.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Distance to major airport | 84 mi | 53 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.1 min | 16.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.86 | 14.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 59.7% | 50.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 57.7% | 54.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.7% | 29.9% | 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
68845
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
68601
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 68845 — Kearney, NE · 68601 — Columbus, NE · How this is calculated: methodology