KEARNEY, NE

Kearney is the county seat of Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 30,787 in the 2010 census. It is home to the University of Nebraska at Kearney and the corporate headquarters of national retailer The Buckle. The westward push of the railroad as the Civil War ended gave new birth to the community.

Geography

Kearney is located at (40.700731, -99.081150) on I-80 with access to the major markets of Omaha-Lincoln, Denver, Kansas City, Des Moines, Wichita and Cheyenne, Kearney is at the center of a seven-state region and 20 million people.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

Demographics

:

Kearney is the principal city of the Kearney, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Buffalo and Kearney counties.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 30,787 people, 12,201 households, and 7,015 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 12,738 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.3% White, 1.0% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 3.1% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.3% of the population.

There were 12,201 households, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.5% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.96 .

The median age in the city was 29 years. 22.2% of residents were under age 18; 20.5% were between ages 18 and 24; 25.6% were aged 25 to 44; 20.6% were aged 45 to 64; and 11.1% were aged 65 years or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 29,952 people, 10,549 households, and 6,160 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,498.5 people per square mile (964.6/km²). There were 11,099 housing units at an average density of 1,010.9 per square mile (390.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.18% White, 0.63% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.68% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.08% of the population.

There were 10,549 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.96 .

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.2% under age 18, 23.9% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,829, and the median income for a family was $46,650. Males had a median income of $30,150 versus $22,366 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,713. About 7.4% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

History

American settlers traveling westward arrived in significant numbers along the Mormon Trail and Overland Trails in the late 1840s, marking the beginning of Kearney's role as a crossroads on major east-west transportation arteries. In 1848, to safeguard westward migrants traveling through the region, the US Army established a military fort several miles southeast of the present city. Named after famed frontier military officer Stephen W. Kearny, Fort Kearny would become the namesake of the present city and serve as a comfort station for gold prospectors, Pony Express riders, and Union Pacific Railroad workers until 1871.

The first permanent settlement in the area was called Dobytown, located southeast of the present-day Kearney. The "e" in Kearney was added by mistake sometime afterwards by postmen who consistently misspelled the town name; eventually the spelling became nomenclature.

The region forever changed in 1866 with the arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad. The fixing of a junction point with the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad in 1871 anticipated the establishment of a townsite in the summer of that year. The city of Kearney was incorporated on December 3, 1873. The current location of the city is on the north side of the Platte River and steadily grew as a result of the influence of the railroad. Chosen to be the seat of Buffalo County in 1874, Kearney quickly developed as a regional center and experienced a period of unprecedented population and economic growth through the next twenty odd years. Enterprising investors poured into the burgeoning community from the East and elsewhere, hoping to enrich themselves through speculative development schemes like the building of an irrigation canal, an electric street railway, and a five-story opera house. These flush times would come to a sudden halt as a result of the agricultural depression and economic crisis of the early 1890s.

In 1912, a Catholic Diocese was centered here. This status was removed in 1917, with the creation of other dioceses. In 1997, the city began to be used as a titular see by the Catholic Church.

Government

The council-manager form is used in Kearney. The City Council makes legislative and policy-making decisions. There are five members elected citywide to serve four-year terms which are staggered. The council manager form of government was adopted in 1950. Michael W. Morgan currently serves as city manager.

The council appoints a city manager to implement policies, prepare a budget, appoints department heads, and recommends areas that the council needs to attend. There are five members elected citywide serving staggered four-year terms. One member of the City Council is chosen by the council to be Mayor. Stanley Clouse is the Mayor.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Post-Secondary Schools

Economy

Companies headquartered in Kearney include Citizens Telecommunications Company of Nebraska and The Buckle.

According to Buffalo County Economic Development, the top non-manufacturing employers in the city are:

:{| class="wikitable"

|+ Top non-manufacturing employers

|-

! #

! Employer

! Employees

|-

| 1

| Good Samaritan Hospital

|style="text-align:right;"| 1,000+

|-

| 2

| University of Nebraska at Kearney

|style="text-align:right;"| 1,000+

|-

| 3

| Kearney Public Schools

|style="text-align:right;"| 750-1,000

|-

| 4

| Buckle (clothing retailer)

|style="text-align:right;"| 750–1,000

|-

| 5

| Kearney Regional Medical Center

|style="text-align:right;"| 500–750

|-

| 6

| HyVee

|style="text-align:right;"| 500–750

|-

| 7

| Cash-Wa

|style="text-align:right;"| 500-750

|-

| 8

| Walmart

|style="text-align:right;"| 250–500

|-

| 9

| Cabelas

|style="text-align:right;"| 250–500

|}

The top manufacturing employers are:

:{| class="wikitable"

|+ Top manufacturing employers

|-

! #

! Employer

! Employees

|-

| 1

| Baldwin Filters

|style="text-align:right;"| 1,000+

|-

| 2

| Eaton

|style="text-align:right;| 500-700

|-

| 3

| West Pharmaceutical Services

|style="text-align:right;"| 250–500

|-

| 4

| Chief Industries

|style="text-align:right;"| 100–250

|-

| 5

| BluePrint Engines

|style="text-align:right;"| 100–250

|-

| 6

| Morris Printing Group

|style="text-align:right;"| 100–250

|}

Transportation

The city operates Kearney Regional Airport located east of the city. Commercial air service is available via United Express with twice-daily service to Denver International Airport, as well as a daily non-stop flight to O'Hare Airport in Chicago, IL.

The Union Pacific Railroad east-west main line runs through Kearney. The closest Amtrak station, a stop on the California Zephyr between Chicago, IL and Emeryville, CA (near San Francisco), is in Holdrege, NE, 50 km (31 miles) southwest of Kearney.

Greyhound Bus Lines stops to pick up or discharge passengers in Kearney at 112 W. Talmadge Rd.

Local attractions

Kearney is home to several museums, many of which reflect its location on the California, Mormon, Oregon, and Pony Express trails, and the Lincoln Highway.

Local media

;Newspaper

;Radio

;Television

Notable people

Sports

In popular culture