Signals
Garden City
Kearney
Growth
67 · Top 24%
vs60 · Top 34%
Climate
60 · Bottom 25%
vs59 · Bottom 21%
Physical resilience
35 · Bottom 24%
vs24 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs98 · Top 37%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs39 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
82 · Top 11%
vs92 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Garden City | Kearney | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,084 | 57,292 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,009 | $76,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,062 | $39,133 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 29/sq mi | 39/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $201,400 | $242,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,048 | $930 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.9% | 67.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 34.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 150 | 168 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 476.9% | 17.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.9" | 25.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 183 mi | 90 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.2 min | 18.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.9 | 35.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Garden City
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, cold wave.
Kearney
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Your best match
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Garden City
57
Your Score
—
Area Score
Kearney
62
Your Score
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Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Garden City, KS Micro Area · Kearney, NE Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology