Housing decision brief
Wheeler County, NE Housing Market
Wheeler 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.
40th lowest home value out of 93 Nebraska counties with data | 3rd lowest rent out of 93
Median home value
$135,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$525/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$578/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
13.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$53/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $32,261 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$135,900 median home value is 7% below Nebraska county median
Lower rent
$525/mo is 32% below Nebraska county median
Rent burden below pressure line
13.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 94.6 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$55,893 median income is 15% below Nebraska county median
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 $32,261, 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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Wheeler 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. | $135,900 | $146,300 | $281,900 | 7% favorable7% below Nebraska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $525 | $772 | $1,163 | 32% favorable32% below Nebraska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $578 | $791 | $1,672 | 27% favorable27% below Nebraska county median |
Median household income | $55,893 | $65,438 | $74,755 | 15% pressure15% below Nebraska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.91% | 1.26% | 1.02% | 28% favorable28% below Nebraska county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 13.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 43% favorable13.00% 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
+$34,893
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$31,122
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Wheeler County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $525/month representing approximately 11.3% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 13.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Wheeler County is $525/month, while owner costs run $578/month. Renting saves approximately $53/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $21,000/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $24,771/year. With a median household income of $55,893, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 13.0% of renter households in Wheeler County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Wheeler County sits 10% less expensive than Hooker County ($581/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock County, NE | $124,400 | $608/mo | Same-state comparison near $124,400 home value and $608/mo rent. |
| Dundy County, NE | $118,200 | $588/mo | Same-state comparison near $118,200 home value and $588/mo rent. |
| Garfield County, NE | $144,900 | $519/mo | Same-state comparison near $144,900 home value and $519/mo rent. |
| Valley County, NE | $122,200 | $616/mo | Same-state comparison near $122,200 home value and $616/mo rent. |
| Frontier County, NE | $138,800 | $605/mo | Same-state comparison near $138,800 home value and $605/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $32,261 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Wheeler County
Is Wheeler County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Wheeler County?
How much income do you need for housing in Wheeler County?
What should I double-check before moving to Wheeler County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.