Residents continue to view Kearney as a desirable place to live, while also pointing to shopping, dining, jobs, recreation and development quality as priorities for the future, according to results from the city’s 2026 National Community Survey.

The City of Kearney received the survey results July 29. The report is intended to help city leaders better understand residents’ experiences with local services and community life as they prepare to set priorities for the coming year.

Overall, the results show strong satisfaction with the community. Ninety percent of respondents rated Kearney as an excellent or good place to live, 88 percent said they expect to remain in the community over the next five years, 87 percent said they would recommend Kearney as a place to live, and 85 percent rated the city’s overall quality of life positively.

Compared with the city’s 2023 survey, 28 community ratings improved, 88 remained statistically similar and seven declined. City officials said the findings suggest residents continue to have a generally positive view of municipal services and the community as a whole.

Several of the improved ratings involved services residents encounter regularly, including traffic flow on major streets, traffic signal timing, ease of travel by car, snow removal, sidewalk maintenance, crime prevention, traffic enforcement and code enforcement.

Those gains follow strategic investments by the mayor and Board of Aldermen over the past three years in infrastructure, public safety and city services.

The survey also identified areas where residents would like to see continued progress. Respondents expressed interest in more shopping and dining options, additional employment opportunities, expanded recreation programs, more community events and continued attention to the quality of new development.

“The National Community Survey gives us an opportunity to measure whether the city’s priorities are reflected in residents’ everyday experiences,” City Administrator Sheila Ernzen said. “It’s encouraging to see many of the survey’s strongest improvements align with those priorities.”

Ernzen said the Board has focused on strengthening everyday services, investing in infrastructure, encouraging business investment, expanding housing choices and preserving the quality of life that residents value.

The mayor and Board of Aldermen are expected to use the survey results during their annual priority-setting session as they establish city goals for the next year.

The full National Community Survey report can be found HERE.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.