Home / Home Buying by state / Nebraska / Howard County / Elba

Buying a home in Elba, Nebraska

The typical owner-occupied home in Elba is worth about $98,300, 59% below the Nebraska median of $238,600 and 70% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,250 a year in property taxes, about 1.27% of their home's value, lower than the Nebraska rate of 1.49%. The median household earns $36,250 a year, so the median home costs 2.7 times the median income (3.1 times for Nebraska). 59% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 40% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Elba at a glance

Elba Nebraska U.S.
Median home value $98,300 $238,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,250 $3,549 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.27% 1.49% 0.94%
Median household income $36,250 $76,475 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 59% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 40% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,083 $1,736 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.0% 19.5% 21.0%
Median rent $918 $1,072 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 41.8% 27.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1949 1975 1980
Vacant homes 8.7% 7.6% 10.1%
Population 171 1,978,707 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Elba

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Elba home of $98,300 with 20% down costs about $674 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $838, 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 $28,886 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 22% of the median Elba household income of $36,250; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $123,000.

The median rent here is $918 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$19,660
Loan amount$78,640
Principal and interest$529
Property taxes (1.27% a year)$104
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$41
PMI$0
Total per month$674

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$3,440
Loan amount$96,520
Principal and interest$649
Property taxes (1.27% a year)$104
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$41
FHA mortgage insurance$43
Total per month$838

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Elba

What is the median home value in Elba?

About $98,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Elba?

Homeowners pay a median $1,250 a year, which is about 1.27% 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 Elba?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $674 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $28,886 a year.

More about Elba

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