Kearney, Nebraska

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kearney is a city in Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 27,431 at the 2000 census and increased to 28,958 by 2005. It is the county seat of Buffalo CountyGR6. Home of University of Nebraska-Kearney. Kearney is pronounced "Kar-ney" (IPA pronunciation: [ˈkɑɹni]) and not "Ker-ney".

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[edit] Geography

Location of Kearney, Nebraska

Kearney is located at 40°42′3″N, 99°4′52″W (40.700731, -99.081150)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.0 km² (11.2 mi²). 28.4 km² (11.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (1.96%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

Woman sweeping sidewalk in downtown Kearney
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Woman sweeping sidewalk in downtown Kearney

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 27,431 people, 10,549 households, and 6,160 families residing in the city. The population density was 964.6/km² (2,498.5/mi²). There were 11,099 housing units at an average density of 390.3/km² (1,010.9/mi²). 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 the age of 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 age 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.

[edit] Attractions

Parade of U.S. Infantry through Kearney, Nebraska, 1888.
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Parade of U.S. Infantry through Kearney, Nebraska, 1888.

The campus of the University of Nebraska at Kearney is located in the city, as is the Museum of Nebraska Art, the state's official art collection. The Great Platte River Road Archway Monument is a museum that spans Interstate 80. It was featured in the movie About Schmidt. The city marks the halfway point between Boston and San Francisco.

The headquarters of The Buckle are located in Kearney. The city is also home to the Tri-City Storm, a UHL team, and formerly the Nebraska Cranes, which were the 2006 USBL Champions.

[edit] History

The city was named after nearby Fort Kearny (with an extra "e" added, but pronounced the same), a United States Army outpost along the Oregon Trail in the middle 19th century that was itself named after Col. and later General Stephen W. Kearny. The current location of the city is on the North side of the Platte River and thanks to the railroad steadly grew.

[edit] External links

Flag of Nebraska State of Nebraska
State capital Lincoln
Regions

Omaha metropolitian area | Panhandle | Pine Ridge | Rainwater Basin | Sand Hills | Wildcat Hills

Largest cities

Alliance | Beatrice | Bellevue | Columbus | Fremont | Gering | Grand Island | Hastings | Kearney | La Vista | Lexington | Lincoln | McCook | Norfolk | North Platte | Omaha | Papillion | Scottsbluff | South Sioux City | York

Counties

Adams | Antelope | Arthur | Banner | Blaine | Boone | Box Butte | Boyd | Brown | Buffalo | Burt | Butler | Cass | Cedar | Chase | Cherry | Cheyenne | Clay | Colfax | Cuming | Custer | Dakota | Dawes | Dawson | Deuel | Dixon | Dodge | Douglas | Dundy | Fillmore | Franklin | Frontier | Furnas | Gage | Garden | Garfield | Gosper | Grant | Greeley | Hall | Hamilton | Harlan | Hayes | Hitchcock | Holt | Hooker | Howard | Jefferson | Johnson | Kearney | Keith | Keya Paha | Kimball | Knox | Lancaster | Lincoln | Logan | Loup | Madison | McPherson | Merrick | Morrill | Nance | Nemaha | Nuckolls | Otoe | Pawnee | Perkins | Phelps | Pierce | Platte | Polk | Red Willow | Richardson | Rock | Saline | Sarpy | Saunders | Scotts Bluff | Seward | Sheridan | Sherman | Sioux | Stanton | Thayer | Thomas | Thurston | Valley | Washington | Wayne | Webster | Wheeler | York


There is a good chance that Kearney, Fort Kearny, Col Kearny are all named after Kearney in County Down in Northern Ireland where many of its inhabitants moved from Ireland to set up home in the USA