Housing decision brief
Wayne County, NE Housing Market
Wayne County screens as a higher 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.
80th lowest home value out of 93 Nebraska counties with data | 35th lowest rent out of 93
Median home value
$203,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$732/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,103/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.0x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$371/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
$732/mo is 5% below Nebraska county median
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 86.1 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
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 Wayne 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. | $203,700 | $146,300 | $281,900 | 39% pressure39% above Nebraska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $732 | $772 | $1,163 | 5% favorable5% below Nebraska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,103 | $791 | $1,672 | 39% pressure39% above Nebraska county median |
Median household income | $67,687 | $65,438 | $74,755 | Near state median3% above Nebraska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.19% | 1.26% | 1.02% | 5% favorable5% below Nebraska county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 31.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 35% pressure31.00% 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
+$38,407
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$20,416
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Wayne County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $732/month , about 13.0% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
At $732/month rent versus $1,103/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $371/month cheaper , a 34% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,280/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $47,271/year. With a median household income of $67,687, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 31.0% of renter households in Wayne County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Nebraska, Wayne County is less affordable than Perkins County by roughly 7% ($732/mo vs $783/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phelps County, NE | $173,300 | $724/mo | Same-state comparison near $173,300 home value and $724/mo rent. |
| Howard County, NE | $205,200 | $811/mo | Same-state comparison near $205,200 home value and $811/mo rent. |
| Arthur County, NE | $188,800 | $850/mo | Same-state comparison near $188,800 home value and $850/mo rent. |
| Chase County, NE | $178,700 | $749/mo | Same-state comparison near $178,700 home value and $749/mo rent. |
| Madison County, NE | $196,000 | $851/mo | Same-state comparison near $196,000 home value and $851/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Wayne County
Is Wayne County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Wayne County?
How much income do you need for housing in Wayne County?
What should I double-check before moving to Wayne County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.