1st Advantage MortgageBuffalo County households have a median income of $75,911 and median rent of $936 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Buffalo County by the numbers
- Jobs and commutes in Buffalo County
- Household income in Buffalo County
- Renting and owning in Buffalo County
- Buffalo County next to its neighbors
- Buffalo County towns compared
- Debt-to-income at Buffalo County's medians
- More Buffalo County figures
- What the numbers mean for Buffalo County borrowers
- Lender oversight for Buffalo County
- Checklist for Buffalo County applicants
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Buffalo County by the numbers
Roughly 50,579 residents live in Buffalo County, Nebraska, 5th by population among the state's 93 counties and county equivalents. Packed into 968 square miles, that is close to 52 residents for every square mile of land. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Buffalo County is not part of any metropolitan area. Kearney is the biggest of its 11 Census places, at roughly 34,246 people (68% of the county total).
Jobs and commutes in Buffalo County
The biggest employer of Buffalo County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 25% of workers, followed by retail trade (13%). Compared with Nebraska, the county leans toward retail trade (13% against 11%). Averaged over the five survey years, 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 7% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 5% work from home. Households without a car make up 4.5% of the total (5.4% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Buffalo County workers | vs Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.2% | +0.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.1% | +2.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.3% | +0.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.0% | +1.6 pts |
| Other services | 6.7% | +2.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.2% | -3.2 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Household income in Buffalo County
At $75,911, the typical Buffalo County household income is 16% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). In the state ranking that is 21st of 93.
| Income band | Share in Buffalo County | Difference from Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.2% | +1.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.6% | -0.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.7% | +0.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.4% | -2.0 pts |
The spread is wide: 36% of Buffalo County households make $100,000 or more, and 22% make less than $35,000. Census counts 9.9% of Buffalo County residents in poverty, against 10.6% across Nebraska. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.435 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Buffalo County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Renting and owning in Buffalo County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $936 in Buffalo County versus $1,072 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 41% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $246,400, about 3.2 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 66%. Median construction year: 1980.
| Cost | Buffalo County | Nebraska figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $936/mo | $1,072/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $246,400 | $238,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 66% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 41% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 5.6% | 2.9% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 6% | 8% | n/a |
Buffalo County next to its neighbors
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (25 to 38 miles). Income ranges from $63,578 in Sherman County to $78,631 in Kearney County; 2 of these neighbors top Buffalo County's median.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo County | - | $75,911 | $936/mo | 66% |
| Kearney County, NE | 25 mi | $78,631 | $857/mo | 77% |
| Sherman County, NE | 26 mi | $63,578 | $818/mo | 75% |
| Phelps County, NE | 29 mi | $68,919 | $815/mo | 68% |
| Hall County, NE | 30 mi | $69,251 | $943/mo | 62% |
| Adams County, NE | 38 mi | $68,365 | $857/mo | 70% |
| Howard County, NE | 38 mi | $76,767 | $777/mo | 78% |
Buffalo County towns compared
11 Census places fall mainly inside Buffalo County; the 11 biggest are below. They account for 40,552 residents, leaving about 20% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Incomes vary by place: $143,098 at the median in Glenwood, $64,423 in Ravenna. Rent is cheapest in Elm Creek ($761) and steepest in Kearney ($949). None of the 11 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kearney | city | 34,246 | $69,724 | $949 | 11 mi |
| Gibbon | city | 1,763 | $70,069 | $810 | 14 mi |
| Ravenna | city | 1,382 | $64,423 | $921 | 15 mi |
| Elm Creek | village | 1,107 | $79,148 | $761 | 18 mi |
| Glenwood | CDP | 653 | $143,098 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Pleasanton | village | 556 | $73,750 | $888 | 8 mi |
| Riverdale | village | 307 | $85,227 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Amherst | village | 272 | $69,125 | $679 | 10 mi |
| Odessa | CDP | 138 | $39,792 | n/a | 14 mi |
| Miller | village | 128 | $90,500 | $763 | 17 mi |
| Poole | CDP | 0 | n/a | n/a | 11 mi |
Debt-to-income at Buffalo County's medians
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Buffalo County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $75,911 a year is $6,326 of gross monthly income
- Median rent: $936, or 15 cents of every gross dollar
- $1,278: what a 35% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- At 45%, room after rent is $1,911 a month
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
More Buffalo County figures
Degree holders: 34% of adults over 25. About 7% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Buffalo County | All of Nebraska | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 | 37.2 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 34.4% | 34.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.2% | 7.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.0% | 7.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 11.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.6% | 3.0% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Buffalo County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 62.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 22.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 8.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.4% |
| 60+ min | 3.8% |
What the numbers mean for Buffalo County borrowers
Where the Buffalo County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Consolidating cards in Buffalo County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Buffalo County borrower sees (free reports).
Lender oversight for Buffalo County
Buffalo County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. The Nebraska guide covers state rules in more detail.
Checklist for Buffalo County applicants
Steps that save money for Buffalo County residents:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Nebraska guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Buffalo County household make?
About $75,911 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24).
How much is rent in Buffalo County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $936 a month; 41% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
What are the biggest places in Buffalo County?
By population: Kearney, Gibbon, Ravenna, Elm Creek, Glenwood. The county has 11 Census places in all.
Will a Buffalo County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Nebraska as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Where can someone in Buffalo County check a lender's license?
With the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.