Housing decision brief
Thayer County, NE Housing Market
Thayer County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
17th lowest home value out of 93 Nebraska counties with data | 37th lowest rent out of 93
Median home value
$106,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$738/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$620/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
19.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$118/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$106,200 median home value is 27% below Nebraska county median
Lower rent
$738/mo is 4% below Nebraska county median
Rent burden below pressure line
19.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $118/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$63,095 median income is 4% below 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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
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 Thayer 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. | $106,200 | $146,300 | $281,900 | 27% favorable27% below Nebraska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $738 | $772 | $1,163 | Near state median4% below Nebraska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $620 | $791 | $1,672 | 22% favorable22% below Nebraska county median |
Median household income | $63,095 | $65,438 | $74,755 | Near state median4% below Nebraska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.14% | 1.26% | 1.02% | 10% favorable10% below Nebraska county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 19.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 17% favorable19.00% 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
+$33,575
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$36,524
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Thayer County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $738/month representing approximately 14.0% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 19.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Thayer County pay $738/month on average, compared to $620/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 16%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,520/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $26,571/year. With a median household income of $63,095, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 19.0% of renter households in Thayer County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Thomas County where rent averages $685/month, Thayer County is approximately 8% more 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thurston County, NE | $105,100 | $698/mo | Same-state comparison near $105,100 home value and $698/mo rent. |
| Morrill County, NE | $112,000 | $744/mo | Same-state comparison near $112,000 home value and $744/mo rent. |
| Antelope County, NE | $116,900 | $746/mo | Same-state comparison near $116,900 home value and $746/mo rent. |
| Blaine County, NE | $102,100 | $786/mo | Same-state comparison near $102,100 home value and $786/mo rent. |
| Webster County, NE | $102,000 | $673/mo | Same-state comparison near $102,000 home value and $673/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Thayer County
Is Thayer County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Thayer County?
How much income do you need for housing in Thayer County?
What should I double-check before moving to Thayer County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.