Housing decision brief
Johnson County, NE Housing Market
Johnson County screens as a below-state 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.
38th lowest home value out of 93 Nebraska counties with data | 50th lowest rent out of 93
Median home value
$131,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$777/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$691/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
24.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$86/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $30,758 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$131,500 median home value is 10% below Nebraska county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $86/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 95.5 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$59,457 median income is 9% below Nebraska county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.52% effective property-tax rate is 20% above Nebraska county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $30,758, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- 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 Johnson 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. | $131,500 | $146,300 | $281,900 | 10% favorable10% below Nebraska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $777 | $772 | $1,163 | Near state median1% above Nebraska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $691 | $791 | $1,672 | 13% favorable13% below Nebraska county median |
Median household income | $59,457 | $65,438 | $74,755 | 9% pressure9% below Nebraska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.52% | 1.26% | 1.02% | 20% pressure20% above Nebraska county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 24.00% | 23.00% | N/A | Near state median24.00% 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
+$28,377
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$29,843
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 Johnson County is affordable. The median rent is $777/month against a median household income of $59,457, putting rent at 15.7% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Johnson County is $777/month, while owner costs run $691/month. Owning saves approximately $86/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,080/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $29,614/year. With a median household income of $59,457, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Johnson County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Nebraska, Johnson County is more affordable than Logan County by roughly 7% ($777/mo vs $725/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Willow County, NE | $143,500 | $778/mo | Same-state comparison near $143,500 home value and $778/mo rent. |
| Nemaha County, NE | $125,100 | $727/mo | Same-state comparison near $125,100 home value and $727/mo rent. |
| Nance County, NE | $122,800 | $776/mo | Same-state comparison near $122,800 home value and $776/mo rent. |
| Sherman County, NE | $135,000 | $866/mo | Same-state comparison near $135,000 home value and $866/mo rent. |
| Burt County, NE | $125,400 | $688/mo | Same-state comparison near $125,400 home value and $688/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $30,758 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Johnson County
Is Johnson County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Johnson County?
How much income do you need for housing in Johnson County?
What should I double-check before moving to Johnson County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.