Nebraska's real average effective property tax rate is well above the ~0.99% national average — multiple independent sources converge in the roughly 1.3%–1.5% range: Tax Foundation puts it at 1.44% on owner-occupied housing value, SmartAsset reports 1.42%, TaxByCounty.com reports 1.29%, and PropertyTaxRates.org reports 1.49%–1.50% (ranking Nebraska around #6–#7 highest in the nation). Regardless of exact methodology, Nebraska consistently ranks among the 6-10 highest-tax states in the country, roughly 30-50% above the national average rate. There is significant county variation: Sarpy County (Omaha suburbs) has one of the highest median bills in the state at roughly $5,157/year, while rural counties with low home values have much lower effective dollar amounts despite similar or higher rates.
Example: Because Nebraska home values run well below the national average (~$152,847–$174,909 median vs. ~$281,900 nationally), the median ANNUAL DOLLAR tax bill is actually often below the national median even though the rate is higher. Reported median annual tax bills range from about $1,972 to $2,896 depending on the data source and year (TaxByCounty.com: $1,972 median statewide; another aggregator citing $2,283 average on a $174,909 median home; Tax-Rates.org's older Census-based figure: $2,164 on a $123,300 median home). By contrast, high-value suburban counties like Sarpy County show a median bill around $5,157/year — illustrating the wide spread depending on local home values and county levies.
Exact current-year (2026) dollar figures for the homestead exemption income tables are published by the Nebraska Department of Revenue as PDFs (Homestead Exemption Information Guide, updated Feb 19, 2026, and the annual Household Income Table) that could not be fully text-extracted in this research pass — the figures cited here reflect the most recently confirmed 2025 income limits, which the Department explicitly resets every February, so homeowners should verify the exact current-year thresholds directly at revenue.nebraska.gov/PAD/homestead-exemption or by calling the Homestead Helpline at (888) 475-5101 before relying on precise numbers for a 2026 filing. Also note effective-rate figures vary by 0.2-0.3 percentage points across sources (1.29%-1.50%) due to differing methodologies (assessed vs. market value, which year's ACS data, owner-occupied vs. all parcels) — all agree Nebraska is a high-property-tax state relative to the ~0.99% national average.</notes>
Facts on this page reflect research current as of 2026-07-05. Programs, rates, and laws change — confirm current figures with the relevant state agency before relying on them.