Residential comparison · 13 facts
Columbus, NE vs Kearney, NE
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Columbus needs about $87,000 in Kearney to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Kearney, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $83,000 in Columbus.
A few differences
- Kearney is higher on median household income ($69,724 vs $64,626).
- Columbus is lower on cost of living index (79 vs 81).
- Columbus is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($924/mo vs $946/mo).
Columbus vs Kearney · facet by facet
| Facet | Columbus, NE | Kearney, NE |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $213,600 | $244,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $924/mo | $946/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.6% | 1.6% |
| State & local income tax | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 7% |
| Cost of living index | 79 | 81 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $64,626 | $69,724 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Crime index | 42/100 | 42/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 215 days | 215 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Columbus, NE · Kearney, NE
Questions & answers
- Is Columbus cheaper than Kearney?
- Columbus has the lower day-to-day cost index (79 vs 81 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Kearney equals $85,000 in Columbus?
- A household earning $85,000 in Columbus needs about $87,000 in Kearney to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Kearney lifestyle costs about $83,000 in Columbus.