Housing decision brief
Kearney County, NE Housing Market
Kearney County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
84th lowest home value out of 93 Nebraska counties with data | 54th lowest rent out of 93
Median home value
$218,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$787/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,081/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
21.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$294/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
2 notes
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
21.00% 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
- 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 Kearney 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. | $218,300 | $146,300 | $281,900 | 49% pressure49% above Nebraska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $787 | $772 | $1,163 | Near state median2% above Nebraska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,081 | $791 | $1,672 | 37% pressure37% above Nebraska county median |
Median household income | $79,167 | $65,438 | $74,755 | 21% favorable21% above Nebraska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.23% | 1.26% | 1.02% | Near state median3% below Nebraska county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 21.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 9% favorable21.00% 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
+$47,687
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$32,838
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 Kearney County is affordable. The median rent is $787/month against a median household income of $79,167, putting rent at 11.9% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Kearney County pay $787/month on average, compared to $1,081/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 27%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,480/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $46,329/year. With a median household income of $79,167, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 21.0% of renter households in Kearney County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Nebraska, Kearney County is more affordable than Boone County by roughly 7% ($787/mo vs $734/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gosper County, NE | $202,700 | $797/mo | Same-state comparison near $202,700 home value and $797/mo rent. |
| Hamilton County, NE | $238,700 | $776/mo | Same-state comparison near $238,700 home value and $776/mo rent. |
| Howard County, NE | $205,200 | $811/mo | Same-state comparison near $205,200 home value and $811/mo rent. |
| Stanton County, NE | $184,300 | $817/mo | Same-state comparison near $184,300 home value and $817/mo rent. |
| Platte County, NE | $207,800 | $867/mo | Same-state comparison near $207,800 home value and $867/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
- Water-quality monitoring is based on 2 active sites in recent WQP data.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Kearney County
Is Kearney County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Kearney County?
How much income do you need for housing in Kearney County?
What should I double-check before moving to Kearney County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.