The typical owner-occupied home in Clay Center is worth about $141,300, 41% below the Nebraska median of $238,600 and 58% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,921 a year in property taxes, about 1.36% of their home's value, lower than the Nebraska rate of 1.49%. The median household earns $82,500 a year, so the median home costs 1.7 times the median income (3.1 times for Nebraska). 86% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 47% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Clay Center at a glance
| Clay Center | Nebraska | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $141,300 | $238,600 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,921 | $3,549 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.36% | 1.49% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $82,500 | $76,475 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 86% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 47% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,156 | $1,736 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 16.8% | 19.5% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $625 | $1,072 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 18.3% | 27.9% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1942 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 10.6% | 7.6% | 10.1% |
| Population | 802 | 1,978,707 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Clay Center
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Clay Center home of $141,300 with 20% down costs about $979 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,215, 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 $41,976 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 14% of the median Clay Center household income of $82,500; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $278,000.
The median rent here is $625 a month, so owning the median home costs about $354 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $28,260 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $113,040 |
| Principal and interest | $760 |
| Property taxes (1.36% a year) | $160 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $59 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $979 |
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| Down payment | $4,946 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $138,741 |
| Principal and interest | $933 |
| Property taxes (1.36% a year) | $160 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $59 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $62 |
| Total per month | $1,215 |
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Questions about home buying in Clay Center
What is the median home value in Clay Center?
About $141,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Clay Center?
Homeowners pay a median $1,921 a year, which is about 1.36% 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 Clay Center?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $979 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $41,976 a year.
More about Clay Center
- Mortgage Refinance in Clay Center
- Debt Relief in Clay Center
- Home Equity Loans in Clay Center
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
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