--- title: Buffalo County Economic Pulse | March 2026 description: Buffalo County Economic Pulse | March 2026 image: https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hubfs/buffalo%20county%20economic%20pulse%20(3).png --- [Skip to content](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/buffalo-county-economic-pulse-march-2026#main-content) [![Development Council for Buffalo County logo](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hubfs/Development%20Council%20Logo_1-23-23_V1.png)](https://growbuffalocounty.com) - About Buffalo County - [Communities](https://growbuffalocounty.com/communities) - [Livability](https://growbuffalocounty.com/live) - [Labor](https://growbuffalocounty.com/work) - Site Selectors - [Sites & Buildings](https://growbuffalocounty.com/sites-buildings) - [Target Industries](https://growbuffalocounty.com/target-industries) - [Regional Data](https://growbuffalocounty.com/regional-data) - [Location Advantages](https://growbuffalocounty.com/location-advantages) - Strategic Initiatives - [Build Buffalo County](https://growbuffalocounty.com/build-buffalo-county) - Business Support - [Incentives](https://growbuffalocounty.com/incentives) - [Resources](https://growbuffalocounty.com/resources) - [Entrepreneurs](https://growbuffalocounty.com/big-idea-buffalo-county) - About DCBC - [Services](https://growbuffalocounty.com/services-1) - [Staff](https://growbuffalocounty.com/staff) - [Board](https://growbuffalocounty.com/board) - [Investors](https://growbuffalocounty.com/membership) - [News](https://growbuffalocounty.com/news) - [Contact Us](https://growbuffalocounty.com/contact-us) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ![](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hubfs/buffalo%20county%20economic%20pulse%20(3).png) # Buffalo County Economic Pulse | March 2026 [![Trevor Lee](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Trevor%20Lee.png?width=52&height=52&name=Trevor%20Lee.png)](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/author/trevor-lee) [Trevor Lee](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/author/trevor-lee) Published Mar 26, 2026 Reading Time 1 min read March’s *Economic Pulse* shows a Buffalo County economy that remains steady and active as growth normalizes following a strong 2025. Consumer activity continues to anchor our local economy. Retail sales reached $98.6 million in December, up from last year, signaling sustained confidence in local businesses. Vehicle sales dipped slightly year over year, reflecting cautious behavior on larger purchases — a trend consistent with broader economic conditions. Tourism and travel remain key strengths. January lodging tax collections jumped to nearly $130,000, and rolling 12‑month totals exceeded $1.9 million, underscoring strong visitor demand. Passenger enplanements at Kearney Regional Airport also remain elevated, reinforcing Buffalo County’s role as a regional hub for business and leisure travel. Development activity continues at a measured pace. While total building permits over the past year trail last year’s highs, February still reflected continued residential investment and underscored the persistent need for additional housing amid cost and workforce constraints. Beyond what’s captured in this report, the Kearney Planning Commission has recently recommended approval of several housing developments that together would add hundreds of new units to the market. As these projects advance, staying aligned with long‑term community goals — and recognizing the limited, localized opposition relative to the broader need — will be critical to ensuring Buffalo County can keep pace with growth and opportunity. Overall, Buffalo County’s economy remains resilient — marked by strong spending, healthy tourism, and continued investment. The opportunity ahead is clear: ensuring workforce availability, housing capacity, and infrastructure keep pace with demand so today’s momentum translates into long‑term growth. [![Trevor Lees Headshot](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Trevor%20Lees%20Headshot.jpeg?width=400&height=402&name=Trevor%20Lees%20Headshot.jpeg)](https://growbuffalocounty.com/trevor-lee)*Trevor Lee, President of the Development Council for Buffalo County* [![Trevor Lee](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Trevor%20Lee.png?width=64&height=64&name=Trevor%20Lee.png) Trevor Lee](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/author/trevor-lee) Share [Economic Pulse](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/tag/economic-pulse) #### Let's Connect We’d love to hear from you—reach out anytime and let’s start the conversation. ## Related Posts [Buffalo County Economic Pulse | February 2026 Buffalo County rolls into February with a mix of steady strengths and a few eyebrow‑raising shifts —...](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/buffalo-county-economic-pulse-february-2026) [Buffalo County Economic Pulse | August 2025 Welcome back to our monthly Economic Pulse report, where we break down the latest trends shaping the...](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/buffalo-county-economic-pulse-august-2025) [Buffalo County Economic Pulse | June 2026 Buffalo County’s economy continues to show steady performance as we move into the summer, with the m...](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/buffalo-county-economic-pulse-june-2026) ![edcc-logo-1](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hubfs/edcc-logo-1.svg) **Development Council for Buffalo County** 220 11th Avenue Kearney, NE 68845 [(308) 237-9346](tel:+1308-237-9346)[mailto:info@growbuffalocounty.com](mailto:info@growbuffalocounty.com) [info@growbuffalocounty.com](mailto:info@growbuffalocounty.com) - [Buffalo County](https://buffalocounty.ne.gov/) - [City of Kearney](https://cityofkearney.org/) - [Kearney Area Chamber](https://www.kearneycoc.org/) - [Kearney Visitors Bureau](https://visitkearney.org/) - [Contact](https://growbuffalocounty.com/contact-us) - [Site Map](https://242034849.hs-sites-na2.com/sitemap.xml) © 2025 Development Council for Buffalo County. 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