Signals
68845
68803
Opportunity
65 · Top 30%
vs70 · Top 20%
Growth
58 · Top 37%
vs55 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 19%
vs28 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 26%
vs96 · Top 18%
Schools
77 · Top 18%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Access
43 · Bottom 2%
vs42 · Bottom 2%
Economic stability
73 · Top 25%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | 68845 | 68803 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,536 | 25,534 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,978 | $73,463 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,181 | $40,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 166/sq mi | 294/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $282,000 | $244,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $931 | $927 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.2% | 62.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.2% | 25.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 107 | 177 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 3.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 4.9% | 77.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Distance to major airport | 84 mi | 87 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.1 min | 17.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 41.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.86 | 16.31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 59.7% | 45.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 57.7% | 45.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.7% | 16.3% | 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.
68803
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 68845 — Kearney, NE · 68803 — Grand Island, NE · How this is calculated: methodology