The typical owner-occupied home in Nelson is worth about $71,700, 70% below the Nebraska median of $238,600 and 78% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $624 a year in property taxes, about 0.87% of their home's value, lower than the Nebraska rate of 1.49%. The median household earns $50,000 a year, so the median home costs 1.4 times the median income (3.1 times for Nebraska). 85% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 26% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Nelson at a glance
| Nelson | Nebraska | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $71,700 | $238,600 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $624 | $3,549 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.87% | 1.49% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $50,000 | $76,475 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 85% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 26% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $949 | $1,736 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 13.6% | 19.5% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $666 | $1,072 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 23.5% | 27.9% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1940 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 9.8% | 7.6% | 10.1% |
| Population | 487 | 1,978,707 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Nelson
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Nelson home of $71,700 with 20% down costs about $468 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $587, 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 $20,045 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 11% of the median Nelson household income of $50,000; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $179,000.
The median rent here is $666 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $14,340 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $57,360 |
| Principal and interest | $386 |
| Property taxes (0.87% a year) | $52 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $30 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $468 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $2,510 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $70,401 |
| Principal and interest | $474 |
| Property taxes (0.87% a year) | $52 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $30 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $32 |
| Total per month | $587 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Nelson
What is the median home value in Nelson?
About $71,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Nelson?
Homeowners pay a median $624 a year, which is about 0.87% 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 Nelson?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $468 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $20,045 a year.
More about Nelson
- Mortgage Refinance in Nelson
- Debt Relief in Nelson
- Home Equity Loans in Nelson
- 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