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Buying a home in Washington County, Nebraska

The typical owner-occupied home in Washington County is worth about $297,600, 25% above the Nebraska median of $238,600 and 11% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,142 a year in property taxes, about 1.39% of their home's value, lower than the Nebraska rate of 1.49%. The median household earns $94,396 a year, so the median home costs 3.2 times the median income (3.1 times for Nebraska). 83% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Washington County at a glance

Washington County Nebraska U.S.
Median home value $297,600 $238,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,142 $3,549 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.39% 1.49% 0.94%
Median household income $94,396 $76,475 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 83% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 65% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,793 $1,736 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.2% 19.5% 21.0%
Median rent $965 $1,072 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 30.3% 27.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1976 1975 1980
Vacant homes 3.2% 7.6% 10.1%
Population 21,106 1,978,707 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Washington County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Washington County home of $297,600 with 20% down costs about $2,070 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,566, 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 $88,727 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 26% of the median Washington County household income of $94,396; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $317,000.

The median rent here is $965 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,105 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$59,520
Loan amount$238,080
Principal and interest$1,602
Property taxes (1.39% a year)$345
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$124
PMI$0
Total per month$2,070

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,416
Loan amount$292,210
Principal and interest$1,966
Property taxes (1.39% a year)$345
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$124
FHA mortgage insurance$132
Total per month$2,566

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Questions about home buying in Washington County

What is the median home value in Washington County?

About $297,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Washington County?

Homeowners pay a median $4,142 a year, which is about 1.39% 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 Washington County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,070 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $88,727 a year.

More about Washington County

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