Jobs & Economy in Kearney
Kearney's real, current 2026 economy is genuinely diversified across healthcare, higher education, manufacturing, and retail -- anchored by CHI Health Good Samaritan, the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and Baldwin Filters/Parker Hannifin, with a real, low Buffalo County unemployment rate.
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Learn moreCHI Health Good Samaritan Anchors Regional Healthcare
CHI Health Good Samaritan is a real, cited 236-bed regional referral hospital -- the only Level II Trauma Center serving central Nebraska and northern Kansas, alongside an Advanced Level II NICU and a Primary Stroke Center. The hospital was named to a real, cited 'America's 250 Best Hospitals' list (top 5% nationally) per reporting published January 27, 2026.
UNK Anchors Higher Education, Though Enrollment Fell in 2025
The University of Nebraska at Kearney enrolled 5,699 students in Fall 2025 -- down 182 students (-3.1%) from Fall 2024, a real, disclosed decline this record does not smooth over. UNK's own student body represents a genuinely significant share (roughly 16%-17%) of Kearney's own city population, supporting a genuine college-town character even amid this year's softer enrollment.
Baldwin Filters Anchors Manufacturing
Baldwin Filters, part of Parker Hannifin's Filtration Group since a 2017 acquisition of parent company CLARCOR, operates a large Kearney plant cited historically at nearly 1 million square feet, with approximately 650 employees per a cited (though not independently updated for 2025/2026) figure.
A Real, Low Buffalo County Unemployment Rate
Buffalo County's own cited unemployment rate ran approximately 2.2%-2.8% across early-2026 readings (2.8% in February, 2.2% in March) -- a real, disclosed month-to-month swing this record does not smooth into one static figure, but consistently low by national standards.
Median Household Income and a Disclosed Poverty-Rate Context
Kearney's cited 2024 median household income ran approximately $69,724, against a cited 2024 poverty rate of 12.4% (versus 10.9% statewide) -- a figure this record contextualizes against UNK's own significant student population, since college towns nationally often show elevated measured poverty rates driven substantially by low-reported-income enrolled students rather than the settled working-age population broadly.
Key takeaways
- CHI Health Good Samaritan (236 beds, the region's only Level II Trauma Center) anchors regional healthcare, named to a cited top-5%-nationally hospital list in January 2026.
- UNK enrolled 5,699 students in Fall 2025, down 3.1% YoY -- a real, disclosed enrollment decline, though students still represent roughly 16%-17% of Kearney's own population.
- Baldwin Filters (Parker Hannifin Filtration Group, ~650 employees) anchors manufacturing.
- Buffalo County's own unemployment rate ran a real, low approximately 2.2%-2.8% across cited early-2026 readings.
- Kearney's cited 2024 median household income ran approximately $69,724, with a disclosed elevated poverty rate (12.4%) this record contextualizes against UNK's own student population.
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