Kearney County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 6,688. Its county seat is Minden. The county was formed in 1860. It was named for Fort Kearny, which in turn was named for Brigade General Stephen W. Kearny. Kearney County is part of the Kearney Micropolitan Statistical Area. In the Nebraska license plate system, Kearney County is represented by the prefix 52.