68847 and 68601 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
68847
68601
Opportunity
62 · Top 35%
vs56 · Top 47%
Growth
58 · Top 37%
vs61 · Top 30%
Climate
59 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs28 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 16%
vs97 · Top 16%
Schools
74 · Top 21%
vs68 · Top 29%
Access
39 · Bottom 1%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | 68847 | 68601 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,354 | 30,944 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,818 | $68,480 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,176 | $36,313 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 167/sq mi | 108/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $238,400 | $221,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $976 | $897 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.6% | 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 | 33.1% | 22.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 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 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 25.6" | 28.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 91 mi | 53 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.8 min | 16.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.78 | 14.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 54.9% | 50.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.7% | 54.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.7% | 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
68847
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
68601
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 68847 — Kearney, NE · 68601 — Columbus, NE · How this is calculated: methodology