Housing decision brief
Dawson County, NE Housing Market
Dawson County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher 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.
52nd lowest home value out of 93 Nebraska counties with data | 80th lowest rent out of 93
Median home value
$166,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$925/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$894/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
21.3%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$31/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
21.30% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $31/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.31% effective property-tax rate is 3% above Nebraska county median
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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- 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 Dawson 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. | $166,200 | $157,200 | $281,900 | 6% pressure6% above Nebraska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $925 | $777 | $1,163 | 19% pressure19% above Nebraska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $894 | $820 | $1,672 | 9% pressure9% above Nebraska county median |
Median household income | $69,880 | $68,892 | $74,755 | Near state median1% above Nebraska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.31% | 1.27% | 1.02% | Near state median3% above Nebraska county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 21.30% | 23.40% | N/A | 9% favorable21.30% 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
+$32,880
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$31,566
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Dawson County is affordable. The median rent is $861/month against a median household income of $65,383, putting rent at 15.8% of income.
Rent vs own
At $861/month rent versus $885/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $24/month cheaper , a 3% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,440/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $37,929/year. With a median household income of $65,383, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 23.0% of renter households in Dawson County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Dawson County sits 6% less expensive than Cheyenne County ($912/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perkins County, NE | $157,200 | $922/mo | Same-state comparison near $157,200 home value and $922/mo rent. |
| Scotts Bluff County, NE | $168,500 | $909/mo | Same-state comparison near $168,500 home value and $909/mo rent. |
| Cherry County, NE | $152,200 | $916/mo | Same-state comparison near $152,200 home value and $916/mo rent. |
| Custer County, NE | $157,800 | $853/mo | Same-state comparison near $157,800 home value and $853/mo rent. |
| Chase County, NE | $165,900 | $800/mo | Same-state comparison near $165,900 home value and $800/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Dawson County
Is Dawson County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Dawson County?
How much income do you need for housing in Dawson County?
What should I double-check before moving to Dawson County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.