Department of Numbers

Nebraska Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Nebraska was $859 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent was $868 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Nebraska median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Nebraska rental vacancy rates, Nebraska rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Nebraska.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Nebraska (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Nebraska Median Gross Rent $859 +1.66% +6.71%

Nebraska Real Gross Rent Trends

At $859, real median gross rent in Nebraska was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. At $868, real average gross rent in Nebraska was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005.

Real Gross Rent in Nebraska: Median, Average, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Nebraska

Date US Median Nebraska Median Nebraska Average
2019 $1,097 $859 $868
2018 $1,077 $845 $855
2017 $1,043 $826 $827
2016 $1,027 $805 $826
2015 $1,017 $796 $815
2014 $986 $783 $792
2013 $953 $752 $770
2012 $940 $736 $741
2011 $941 $727 $739
2010 $955 $748 $752
2009 $960 $734 $726

more history ...

Nebraska Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Nebraska was 5.92% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Nebraska

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Nebraska 5.92% +0.17% +0.94%

Trends in Nebraska Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Nebraska peaked in 2007 at 8.80%. Since then it has fallen by 2.88% to 5.92%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2016 post peak low of 4.98%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 0.94%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Nebraska, US

Rental vacancy rate in Nebraska

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Nebraska

Date US Nebraska
2019 5.97% 5.92%
2018 6.15% 5.75%
2017 6.18% 6.27%
2016 5.89% 4.98%
2015 5.85% 5.65%
2014 6.32% 5.80%
2013 6.49% 5.60%
2012 6.77% 5.97%
2011 7.40% 6.44%
2010 8.17% 6.54%
2009 8.43% 7.43%

more history ...

Nebraska Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Nebraska, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Nebraska, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 16.30% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Nebraska Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Nebraska 16.30% -0.42% +0.09%

Trends in Nebraska Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Nebraska household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2014 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 16.90%. Since then it has fallen by 0.60% to 16.30%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Nebraska, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Nebraska

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Nebraska

Date US Nebraska
2019 20.03% 16.30%
2018 20.50% 16.72%
2017 20.13% 16.03%
2016 20.43% 16.21%
2015 20.63% 16.36%
2014 20.89% 16.90%
2013 20.78% 16.66%
2012 20.65% 16.37%
2011 20.70% 16.06%
2010 20.50% 16.58%
2009 20.12% 16.32%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Nebraska

You can calculate the renter fraction in Nebraska in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Nebraska as a fraction of total Nebraska households. In 2019 33.71% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Nebraska Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Nebraska 33.71% -0.23% -0.97%

Trends in the Nebraska Renter Fraction

The Nebraska household renter fraction peaked in in 2016 at 34.68% and is now 0.97% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Nebraska, US

Fraction of renters in Nebraska

History of Nebraska Renter Fraction

Date US Nebraska
2019 35.89% 33.71%
2018 36.05% 33.94%
2017 36.13% 33.72%
2016 36.88% 34.68%
2015 36.97% 34.10%
2014 36.90% 34.06%
2013 36.50% 33.96%
2012 36.09% 33.66%
2011 35.42% 33.09%
2010 34.65% 32.62%
2009 34.13% 32.76%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.