Howard County, Nebraska Housing Market Prices

Howard County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance

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 195% above the Nebraska median Among the 3 most expensive counties in Nebraska
    $517,857
  • Median rent 27% below the Nebraska median
    $777

Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties

Howard County
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Median home price

Housing Market Overview

Metric Howard County Nebraska Avg US Average
Median Home Price $517,857 $175,282 $248,835
Price Trend (Annual %) 117.7% 7.7% 7.5%
Median Gross Rent $777 $1,071 $1,407
Rent Trend (Annual %) 4.0% 4.7% 5.1%
Household Income Trend (Annual %) — — —

The median home price in Howard County is about 195% higher than in Nebraska. Rent is about 27% lower than the Nebraska average.

Median Home and Rent Price Trends

Median Home Prices, 2015-2024

Howard County
Nebraska
United States
Year Howard County Nebraska United States

Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024

Howard County
Nebraska
United States
Year Howard County Nebraska United States

Both home prices and rent are rising in Howard County, up about 117.7% and 4.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.

Median rent in Howard County rose about 40.5% between 2015 and 2024, from $553 to $777. Over the same span, rent in Nebraska rose about 47.6%.

Affordability

On average, housing unit costs 6.7 yearly household incomes in Howard County.

Buying the median-priced home in Howard County costs roughly 55.6 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 13.6.

Metric Howard County Nebraska Avg US Average
Median Home Price $517,857 $175,282 $248,835
Median Household Income $77,518 $76,615 $80,455
Price-to-Income Ratio 6.7 2.3 3.1

Home Prices vs Income Over Time

Home Prices
Household Income

Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Howard County rose about 363.0%, while median household income rose about 54.8% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.

Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)

Compare income and housing cost trends.

Household Income Growth %
Housing Cost Growth %
Year Income Growth % Housing Cost Growth % Gap (Cost - Income)

Occupancy & Tenure

Metric Howard County Nebraska Avg US Average
Homeownership Rate 67.7% 61.5% 58.5%
Rental Rate 18.8% 30.9% 31.2%
Vacancy Rate 13.5% 7.6% 10.2%
Median Tenure (years) 17.0 14.0 15.0
Median Year Moved In 2009 2012 2011

Howard County has a homeownership rate of 67.7%, higher than the Nebraska average of 61.5%. Its housing vacancy rate is 13.5%, compared with 7.6% in Nebraska.

Housing Stock

Metric Howard County Nebraska Avg US Average
Average Household Size 2.58 people 2.42 people 2.53 people
Median Structure Built Year 1966 1974 1978
Median Number of Rooms 6.5 6.1 5.5

The typical housing unit in Howard County was built around 1966. On average, 2.6 people live in a home with about 6.5 rooms, staying for about 17.0 years on average.

Howard County, NE Housing Compared With Nearby Counties

How Howard County, NE compares with the 1 counties closest to it.

Area Population Median home price Median rent Homeownership
Howard County, NE 6,534 $517,857 #1/2 $777 #2/2 78.2% #1/2
Hall County, NE 62,536 $243,292 $942 62.0%

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 $517,857, higher than the Nebraska average of $175,282.

What is the average home price in Howard County, Nebraska?

The typical home price in Howard County, Nebraska, reported as the median sale price, is $517,857. 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 $777 per month, lower than the Nebraska average of $1,071.

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 55.6, meaning it would take roughly 55.6 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 117.7% and 4.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.

What is the homeownership rate in Howard County, Nebraska?

67.7% of households in Howard County, Nebraska own their home, higher than the Nebraska average of 61.5%.

What is the vacancy rate in Howard County, Nebraska?

The housing vacancy rate in Howard County, Nebraska is 13.5%, higher than the Nebraska average of 7.6%.

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