Kearney is the county seat of Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 33,790 in the 2020 census, making it the 5th most populous city in Nebraska. It is home to the University of Nebraska at Kearney. The westward push of the railroad as the Civil War ended gave new birth to the community.

Buffalo County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska in the Midwestern United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 50,084, making it Nebraska's fifth-most populous county. Its county seat is Kearney. The county was created in 1855 and was organized in 1870. It was named after the once-prevalent bison herds of the Great Plains.