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Buying a home in Imperial, Nebraska

The typical owner-occupied home in Imperial is worth about $158,600, 34% below the Nebraska median of $238,600 and 52% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,496 a year in property taxes, about 1.57% of their home's value, higher than the Nebraska rate of 1.49%. The median household earns $74,176 a year, so the median home costs 2.1 times the median income (3.1 times for Nebraska). 85% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 60% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Imperial at a glance

Imperial Nebraska U.S.
Median home value $158,600 $238,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,496 $3,549 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.57% 1.49% 0.94%
Median household income $74,176 $76,475 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 85% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 60% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,263 $1,736 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.4% 19.5% 21.0%
Median rent $904 $1,072 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 23.6% 27.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1972 1975 1980
Vacant homes 19.8% 7.6% 10.1%
Population 2,210 1,978,707 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Imperial

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Imperial home of $158,600 with 20% down costs about $1,127 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,391, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $48,305 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 18% of the median Imperial household income of $74,176; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $244,000.

The median rent here is $904 a month, so owning the median home costs about $223 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$31,720
Loan amount$126,880
Principal and interest$854
Property taxes (1.57% a year)$208
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$66
PMI$0
Total per month$1,127

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,551
Loan amount$155,727
Principal and interest$1,048
Property taxes (1.57% a year)$208
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$66
FHA mortgage insurance$70
Total per month$1,391

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Questions about home buying in Imperial

What is the median home value in Imperial?

About $158,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Imperial?

Homeowners pay a median $2,496 a year, which is about 1.57% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Imperial?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,127 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $48,305 a year.

More about Imperial

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data