Housing decision brief
Keith County, NE Housing Market
Keith 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 | 46th lowest rent out of 93
Median home value
$157,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$772/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$853/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$81/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 86.3 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$58,132 median income is 11% below Nebraska county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.40% effective property-tax rate is 11% 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.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- 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 Keith 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. | $157,000 | $146,300 | $281,900 | 7% pressure7% above Nebraska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $772 | $772 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Nebraska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $853 | $791 | $1,672 | 8% pressure8% above Nebraska county median |
Median household income | $58,132 | $65,438 | $74,755 | 11% pressure11% below Nebraska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.40% | 1.26% | 1.02% | 11% pressure11% above Nebraska county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 17% pressure27.00% 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
+$27,252
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$21,575
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Keith County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $772/month in gross rent, with 27.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Keith County is $772/month, while owner costs run $853/month. Renting saves approximately $81/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $30,880/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $36,557/year. With a median household income of $58,132, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Keith County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Deuel County where rent averages $827/month, Keith County is approximately 7% less expensive.
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. |
| Merrick County, NE | $168,000 | $772/mo | Same-state comparison near $168,000 home value and $772/mo rent. |
| Gage County, NE | $167,100 | $770/mo | Same-state comparison near $167,100 home value and $770/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. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Keith County
Is Keith County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Keith County?
How much income do you need for housing in Keith County?
What should I double-check before moving to Keith County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.