Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Howard County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $516,026 | $167,658 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 134.4% | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $811 | $1,035 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.1% | 4.8% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Howard County is about 208% higher than in Nebraska. Rent is about 22% lower than the Nebraska average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Howard County, up about 134.4% and 5.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Howard County rose about 46.8% between 2015 and 2023, from $553 to $811. Over the same span, rent in Nebraska rose about 42.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 7.0 yearly household incomes in Howard County.
Buying the median-priced home in Howard County costs roughly 53.0 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Howard County. The price-to-rent ratio in Nebraska is about 13.5.
| Metric | Howard County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $516,026 | $167,658 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $73,946 | $74,987 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 7.0 | 2.2 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Howard County rose about 361.4%, while median household income rose about 67.1% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Howard County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 63.8% | 61.2% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 22.4% | 30.8% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 13.8% | 8.0% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 17.0 | 14.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2009 | 2012 | 2011 |
Howard County has a homeownership rate of 63.8%, higher than the Nebraska average of 61.2%. Its housing vacancy rate is 13.8%, compared with 8.0% in Nebraska.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Howard County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.59 people | 2.43 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1965 | 1973 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.3 | 6.1 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Howard County was built around 1965. On average, 2.6 people live in a home with about 6.3 rooms, staying for about 17.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Howard County, Nebraska.
What is the median home price in Howard County, Nebraska?
The median home price in Howard County, Nebraska is $516,026, higher than the Nebraska average of $167,658.
What is the average home price in Howard County, Nebraska?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Howard County, Nebraska?
The median gross rent in Howard County, Nebraska is $811 per month, lower than the Nebraska average of $1,035.
What was the median gross rent in Howard County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Howard County, Nebraska was $736 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Howard County, Nebraska?
The price-to-rent ratio in Howard County, Nebraska is about 53.0, meaning it would take roughly 53.0 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Howard County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Howard County, Nebraska?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Howard County, up about 134.4% and 5.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Howard County, Nebraska?
63.8% of households in Howard County, Nebraska own their home, higher than the Nebraska average of 61.2%.
What is the vacancy rate in Howard County, Nebraska?
The housing vacancy rate in Howard County, Nebraska is 13.8%, higher than the Nebraska average of 8.0%.