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Buying a home in Wauneta, Nebraska

The typical owner-occupied home in Wauneta is worth about $88,100, 63% below the Nebraska median of $238,600 and 74% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,188 a year in property taxes, about 1.35% of their home's value, lower than the Nebraska rate of 1.49%. The median household earns $47,143 a year, so the median home costs 1.9 times the median income (3.1 times for Nebraska). 71% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 28% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Wauneta at a glance

Wauneta Nebraska U.S.
Median home value $88,100 $238,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,188 $3,549 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.35% 1.49% 0.94%
Median household income $47,143 $76,475 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 71% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 28% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,161 $1,736 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 21.3% 19.5% 21.0%
Median rent $630 $1,072 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 24.0% 27.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1938 1975 1980
Vacant homes 10.9% 7.6% 10.1%
Population 531 1,978,707 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Wauneta

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Wauneta home of $88,100 with 20% down costs about $610 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $757, 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 $26,140 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 16% of the median Wauneta household income of $47,143; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $159,000.

The median rent here is $630 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$17,620
Loan amount$70,480
Principal and interest$474
Property taxes (1.35% a year)$99
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$37
PMI$0
Total per month$610

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$3,084
Loan amount$86,504
Principal and interest$582
Property taxes (1.35% a year)$99
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$37
FHA mortgage insurance$39
Total per month$757

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Questions about home buying in Wauneta

What is the median home value in Wauneta?

About $88,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Wauneta?

Homeowners pay a median $1,188 a year, which is about 1.35% 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 Wauneta?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $610 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $26,140 a year.

More about Wauneta

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