Violent
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Kearney, NE has a Safety Score of 43/100 — higher crime than 57% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 1,926.1 per 100,000 residents, ranking #1,690 of 2,957 US cities and #8 of 16 in Nebraska.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Kearney, NE?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Kearney, Nebraska Safe?
Kearney, Nebraska, a city bisected by the historic Transcontinental Railroad, sits on the Great Platte River Road. It's home to the University of Nebraska at Kearney, contributing to a youthful demographic.
Kearney has a safety score of 43/100 (Higher Crime Than Average). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 1,926.1 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Kearney ranks #8 out of 16 cities in Nebraska and #1690 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 43rd percentile for safety — with higher crime than 57% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Kearney is rape, at 98.5 per 100K — 2.2x the national average. Conversely, robbery is relatively low at just 0.2x the national rate.
Year over year, Kearney's total crime rate decreased by 9.4%, with violent crime rising 2.9%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Kearney Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 104 | 301.2 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 1 | 2.9 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 34 | 98.5 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 6 | 17.4 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 63 | 182.5 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 561 | 1,624.9 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 58 | 168.0 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 466 | 1,349.8 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 37 | 107.2 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Kearney vs Nebraska Average
How does Kearney's crime rate compare to the Nebraska state average?
| Metric | Kearney | Nebraska Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 301.2 | 312.5 | -3.6% |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,624.9 | 2,466.0 | -34.1% |
| Murder Rate | 2.9 | 2.6 | +10.7% |
| Total Crime Rate | 1,926.1 | 2,778.5 | -30.7% |
Kearney Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Kearney, Nebraska.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 34,525 | 1,926.1 | 301.2 | 1,624.9 |
| 2023 | 34,486 | 2,125.5 | 292.9 | 1,832.6 |
| 2022 | 34,186 | 1,954.0 | 345.2 | 1,608.9 |
| 2021 | 34,576 | 1,480.8 | 286.3 | 1,194.5 |
| 2020 | 34,201 | 2,345.0 | 362.6 | 1,982.4 |
| 2019 | 34,124 | 1,948.8 | 175.8 | 1,773.0 |
Kearney Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Kearney and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Nebraska crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kearney, Nebraska safe?
Kearney has a safety score of 43/100, meaning it has less crime than about 43% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 1,926.1 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Kearney is higher-crime than most US cities.
What is the crime rate in Kearney, Nebraska?
According to FBI data for 2024, Kearney has a violent crime rate of 301.2 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 1,624.9 per 100,000 residents.
How does Kearney compare to the national average?
Kearney's total crime rate of 1,926.1 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 34,525 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Kearney?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Kearney are larceny-theft (466 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (63 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 5.4x in the city.
Is Kearney safe to visit?
Like any city, Kearney has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 43/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.