James Brothers' House and Farm · National Register of Historic Places
Kearney’s story
170 years in pictures
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1856Kearney is settled
KearneyMO
A town of 10,885, settled in 1856. Public schools that outperform most of Missouri.
Population
10,885
+24.1% since 2010
Typical home
$403K
+2.6% in a year
Household income
$104K
median
Median age
39.3
years
Jobs based here
2,991
A commuter town
What makes Kearney stand out
The 3 things Kearney does most differently from other towns.
A growing town
Kearney has grown 24.1% since 2010
8,381 people in 2010; 10,885 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Kearney’s report card
SchoolsABeats 93% of MO districtsCommute19 miHalf of commuters travel lessHealthA−Healthier than 75% of U.S. townsHousing$403K50% above the MO typical homeSafetyB+Less crime than 66% of U.S. townsClimate88°/19°Summer high · winter low · 19″ snowOutdoors3 miof trails · 2% conservedHazards50/100Moderate risk of storm & flood damage
Now in Kearney
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Kearney is #7 of 254 in MO for “Snowiest”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Kearney’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →70°
Light Rain
H 78° · L 66°
Local news
All →- Winnetonka (MO) vs. Kearney (MO)ESPN · Sep 25
- Lawson man killed in accident with school bus in KearneyKMZU.com · Sep 16
- Fatal crash involving school bus shuts down Route 92 in Clay CountyKCTV · Sep 16
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Kearney. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Kearney’s public schools outperform 93% of Missouri districts
The public schools Kearney’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 93% of Missouri’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
ASchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dogwood Elem. | K–5 | 463 | A |
| Southview Elem. | K–5 | 455 | A |
| Hawthorne Elem. | K–5 | 264 | A |
| Kearney Elem. | PK–5 | 223 | B+ |
| Lens | 4–5 | 60 | A+ |
| Kearney Middle | 6–7 | 591 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduationAll 9 schools →
Work & commute
About one in nine working residents works right in Kearney
Most working residents leave Kearney for work: only 11% work in town. The top destinations are Kansas City (29%), Liberty (10%) and Claycomo (4%). Half commute less than 19 miles.
11%work in town
Where working residents work
In Kearney11%
Kansas City29%
Liberty10%
Claycomo4%
Kansas City3%
19 mi
median commute distance
2,991
jobs based in Kearney
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 75% of U.S. towns
Kearney beats the Missouri average on 15 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
A−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Missouri
15 better17 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Kearney | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.4% | 13.7% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6% | 9% |
Excelsior Springs Hospital
6.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
88th
percentile among MO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Housing
A typical Kearney home is worth about $403K
The typical Kearney home is worth about $403,000, up 2.6% in a year, 50% above the Missouri typical home.
$403KZillow home value
Typical home value
Kearney$403K
Missouri$268K
Market temperature
23
days on market
+2.6%
value change, 1 year
17
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 66% of U.S. towns
Kearney reports less crime per resident than 66% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
B+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Kearney0.9
Missouri4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Kearney4.4
Missouri16.9
U.S.15.5
66th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
81st
percentile among MO towns
10
violent crimes reported in 2025
50
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Kearney has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 19 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
19″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–41°
Spring43–65°
Summer66–86°
Fall45–67°
Oct 17
typical first frost
Apr 19
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Outdoors
2% of Kearney is conserved land
2.9 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
2%conserved
2%
conserved · 171 of 8,492 acres
2.9 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jesse James Park | 0.2 mi | 131 |
| 2. Mack Porter Park | — | 31 |
| 3. Lions Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities.
50risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
A commuter town
89% of working residents leave Kearney for work
Where Kearney’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,991jobs based in Kearney
11%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
3 places in Kearney on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Kearney
5 notable people were born in Kearney.
About Kearney
City in Clay County, Missouri, United States
Kearney is a city in Clay County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2020 census, Kearney had a population of 10,404. The city was the birthplace of Jesse James, and there is an annual festival in the third weekend of September to recognize the outlaw. It is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1856
- Population
- 10,404
- Area
- 13 sq mi
- Elevation
- 856 ft
- ZIP code
- 64060
- Area code
- 816
Kearney’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Kearney.