Housing decision brief
Gage County, NE Housing Market
Gage County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
61st lowest home value out of 93 Nebraska counties with data | 43rd lowest rent out of 93
Median home value
$167,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$770/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$843/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.6x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$73/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
$770/mo is At the Nebraska county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$64,426 median income is 2% below Nebraska county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.44% effective property-tax rate is 14% 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
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Gage 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. | $167,100 | $146,300 | $281,900 | 14% pressure14% above Nebraska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $770 | $772 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Nebraska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $843 | $791 | $1,672 | 7% pressure7% above Nebraska county median |
Median household income | $64,426 | $65,438 | $74,755 | Near state median2% below Nebraska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.44% | 1.26% | 1.02% | 14% pressure14% above Nebraska county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 9% pressure25.00% 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
+$33,626
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$28,297
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Gage County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $770/month representing approximately 14.3% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 25.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Gage County pay $770/month on average, compared to $843/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 9%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $30,800/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $36,129/year. With a median household income of $64,426, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Gage County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Gage County sits 8% more expensive than Hitchcock County ($715/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merrick County, NE | $168,000 | $772/mo | Same-state comparison near $168,000 home value and $772/mo rent. |
| Custer County, NE | $160,500 | $794/mo | Same-state comparison near $160,500 home value and $794/mo rent. |
| Box Butte County, NE | $161,100 | $771/mo | Same-state comparison near $161,100 home value and $771/mo rent. |
| Chase County, NE | $178,700 | $749/mo | Same-state comparison near $178,700 home value and $749/mo rent. |
| Phelps County, NE | $173,300 | $724/mo | Same-state comparison near $173,300 home value and $724/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Gage County
Is Gage County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Gage County?
How much income do you need for housing in Gage County?
What should I double-check before moving to Gage County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.