Town Hall · Kearney

Kearney, NE town hall & government

Kearney spent $88.9 million in the year to September 30, 2024, about $2,594 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Kearney's government.

Town budget

Where Kearney's money goes

Spent
$88.9 million
fiscal year to September 30, 2024
Per resident
$2,594
typical Nebraska cities: $4,803
Long-term debt
$99.5 million
$2,903 per resident
Parks & libraries
$22.1 million25%
Roads & transportation
$21.1 million24%
Police
$7.8 million9%
Administration & buildings
$6.8 million8%
Water & other utilities
$6.4 million7%
Sewer & trash
$6.2 million7%
Fire
$4.9 million6%
Interest on debt
$3.3 million4%
Housing & development
$2.3 million3%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$959,0001%
Health & welfare
$522,0001%
Other
$6.5 million7%

Where the money comes from

  • Fees & charges 32%
  • Sales taxes 16%
  • From the state 15%
  • Interest, fines & other 14%
  • Utility sales 11%
  • Other taxes & licenses 6%
  • Property taxes 5%
  • From other local governments <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Kearney

Full-time staff
310
139 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$81,200
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
61
and 17 full-time firefighters
Parks & libraries
57 full-time105 part
Police
78 full-time1 part
Sewer & trash
49 full-time14 part
Roads & transportation
34 full-time7 part
Administration & buildings
27 full-time5 part
Water & other utilities
26 full-time
Fire
18 full-time4 part
Other
21 full-time3 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Kearney Public Schools

Kearney's K–12 school district, shared with Riverdale. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$13,037
Nebraska: $15,602
Students
6,064
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$144.8 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Nebraska districts overall: 56% local, 34% state, 10% federal

  • Local 67%
  • State 27%
  • Federal 7%

Of the $13,037 per pupil, $7,717 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Kearney pay

Typical tax bill
$3,641
a year · Nebraska typical $3,549
Effective rate
1.49%
of home value · Nebraska 1.49%
Typical home value
$244,600
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Kearney's government

🏛️ Official websitecityofkearney.org ↗

Town hall & decisions in Kearney →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Kearney

Kearney is represented in Congress by Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts and Representative Adrian Smith. Jim Pillen is governor.

All of Kearney's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Kearney

Nebraska · NE
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