Housing decision brief
Boone County, NE Housing Market
Boone County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
58th lowest home value out of 93 Nebraska counties with data | 36th lowest rent out of 93
Median home value
$164,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$734/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$740/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
19.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$6/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$734/mo is 5% below Nebraska county median
Rent burden below pressure line
19.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
Poor Fit For
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Boone County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $164,700 | $146,300 | $281,900 | 13% pressure13% above Nebraska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $734 | $772 | $1,163 | 5% favorable5% below Nebraska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $740 | $791 | $1,672 | 6% favorable6% below Nebraska county median |
Median household income | $71,367 | $65,438 | $74,755 | 9% favorable9% above Nebraska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.02% | 1.26% | 1.02% | 20% favorable20% below Nebraska county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 19.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 17% favorable19.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$42,007
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$39,653
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Boone County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $734/month representing approximately 12.3% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 19.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Boone County pay $734/month on average, compared to $740/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 1%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,360/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $31,714/year. With a median household income of $71,367, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 19.0% of renter households in Boone County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Nebraska, Boone County is more affordable than Cedar County by roughly 7% ($734/mo vs $683/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logan County, NE | $160,000 | $725/mo | Same-state comparison near $160,000 home value and $725/mo rent. |
| Box Butte County, NE | $161,100 | $771/mo | Same-state comparison near $161,100 home value and $771/mo rent. |
| Polk County, NE | $177,800 | $692/mo | Same-state comparison near $177,800 home value and $692/mo rent. |
| Phelps County, NE | $173,300 | $724/mo | Same-state comparison near $173,300 home value and $724/mo rent. |
| Holt County, NE | $152,000 | $724/mo | Same-state comparison near $152,000 home value and $724/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Boone County
Is Boone County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Boone County?
How much income do you need for housing in Boone County?
What should I double-check before moving to Boone County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.