Kearney, Nebraska

About Kearney

Set in the southern part of Nebraska, Kearney is a thriving city with an estimated population of 34,741. It ranks as the 5th largest city in Nebraska.

Officially, Kearney is an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 15.04 square miles, giving it a balanced suburban layout with room to breathe at roughly 2,310 residents per square mile.

📰 Kearney News Today

• Gallery: Kearney High School defeats Standing Bear, 10-3 Central Nebraska Today · Oct 10
• MoWest football captures homecoming victory over Nebraska-Kearney KQ2 · Oct 10
• UNK ending summer commencement due to declining participation, rising costs Nebraska Public Media · Oct 7
• University of Nebraska at Kearney to discontinue summer commencement beginning in 2027 UNK NEWS · Oct 7
• Sidney Shuts Out Kearney Catholic 42-0 Platte Valley News Channel Nebraska · Oct 10

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

📰 Local News

Read the latest Nebraska headlines on our news site, Bless News Daily.

What Makes Kearney Unique

• One of the 5 largest cities in Nebraska (#5 statewide).
• Positioned in southern Nebraska, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
• Home to 2.2% of Nebraska's city-dwelling population.

Why People Love It Here

• The sweet spot: real amenities without big-city congestion.
• Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 34,741.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 10 miles.

🍽️ Where to Eat in Kearney

• Caribou Coffee — coffee shop (café)
• Gourmet House Japanese Cuisine — japanese
• Nebraska Ale Works — american
• Pasta Madre — italian
• Starbucks — coffee shop (café)
• Buffalo Wild Wings — wings
• Carlos O'Kelly's — mexican
• Cunnigham's Journal On The Lake — american
• Dropzone
• El Putreru — mexican

Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · click a restaurant to read or write reviews.

🎡 Fun Things to Do

• Museum of Nebraska Art · Museum
• The Great Platte River Road Archway · Attraction
• Trails and Rails Museum · Museum
• Big Apple Fun Center · Attraction
• Elizabeth Thomsic Hillard Memorial Labyrinth · Attraction
• Fort Kearney Historical Marker · Attraction
• Fort Kearney Museum · Museum
• Fort Kearney Visitor's Center · Museum
• Nebraska Firefighters Museum & Education Center · Museum

Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Kearney

• Buffalo County Fairgrounds reviews ★
• Apollo Park reviews ★
• Bufflehead State Wildlife Management Area · Nature reserve reviews ★
• Centennial Park reviews ★
• Collins Park reviews ★
• Cottonmill Park reviews ★
• Dryden Park reviews ★
• East Odessa State Wildlife Management Area · Nature reserve reviews ★
• Fort Kearney State Historical Park reviews ★
• Fort Kearny State Recreation Area reviews ★
• Fountain Hills Park reviews ★
• Great Platte River Road Historical Marker reviews ★

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

🏫 Schools in Kearney

• BRYANT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• EMERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• GLENWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• HORIZON MIDDLE SCHOOL
• KEARNEY EDUCATION CENTER
• KEARNEY HIGH SCHOOL
• KENWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• MEADOWLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• SUNRISE MIDDLE SCHOOL
• WEST KEARNEY HIGH SCHOOL
• WINDY HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.

🏥 Hospitals & Healthcare

• Chi Health Good Samaritan ★★★★ (4/5 CMS rating) · 24/7 ER
• Kearney Regional Medical Center ★★★★ (4/5 CMS rating) · 24/7 ER

Medicare-registered hospitals with official CMS star ratings.

⚡ Quick Facts

🌤️ Current Weather

Full forecast →

Source: National Weather Service

🗺️ Map of Kearney

🏘️ Nearby Communities