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Buying a home in Palmer, Nebraska

The typical owner-occupied home in Palmer is worth about $123,900, 48% below the Nebraska median of $238,600 and 63% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,500 a year in property taxes, about 1.21% of their home's value, lower than the Nebraska rate of 1.49%. The median household earns $62,578 a year, so the median home costs 2.0 times the median income (3.1 times for Nebraska). 81% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 46% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Palmer at a glance

Palmer Nebraska U.S.
Median home value $123,900 $238,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,500 $3,549 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.21% 1.49% 0.94%
Median household income $62,578 $76,475 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 81% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 46% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $956 $1,736 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 14.8% 19.5% 21.0%
Median rent $875 $1,072 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 17.5% 27.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1946 1975 1980
Vacant homes 5.3% 7.6% 10.1%
Population 403 1,978,707 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Palmer

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Palmer home of $123,900 with 20% down costs about $843 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,050, 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 $36,144 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 16% of the median Palmer household income of $62,578; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $215,000.

The median rent here is $875 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$24,780
Loan amount$99,120
Principal and interest$667
Property taxes (1.21% a year)$125
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$52
PMI$0
Total per month$843

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$4,336
Loan amount$121,656
Principal and interest$818
Property taxes (1.21% a year)$125
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$52
FHA mortgage insurance$55
Total per month$1,050

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Questions about home buying in Palmer

What is the median home value in Palmer?

About $123,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Palmer?

Homeowners pay a median $1,500 a year, which is about 1.21% 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 Palmer?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $843 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $36,144 a year.

More about Palmer

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