Overview of Nebraska Taxes
Nebraska has some of the highest property tax rates of any U.S. state. The average effective property tax rate in Nebraska is 1.88%. This ranks as the sixth highest rate in the country.
| Enter Your Location Dismiss | Assessed Home Value Dismiss |
| Average Tax Rate 0.0% | Property Taxes $0 (Annual) |
| of Assessed Home Value | |
| of Assessed Home Value | |
| National | of Assessed Home Value |
- About This Answer
To calculate the exact amount of property tax you will owe requires your property's assessed value and the property tax rates based on your property's address. Please note that we can only estimate your property tax based on median property taxes in your area. There are typically multiple rates in a given area, because your state, county, local schools and emergency responders each receive funding partly through these taxes. In our calculator, we take your home value and multiply that by your county's effective property tax rate. This is equal to the median property tax paid as a percentage of the median home value in your county.
- Our Tax Expert
Jennifer Mansfield Tax
Jennifer Mansfield, CPA, JD/LLM-Tax, is a Certified Public Accountant with more than 30 years of experience providing tax advice. SmartAsset’s tax expert has a degree in Accounting and Business/Management from the University of Wyoming, as well as both a Masters in Tax Laws and a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center. Jennifer has mostly worked in public accounting firms, including Ernst & Young and Deloitte. She is passionate about helping provide people and businesses with valuable accounting and tax advice to allow them to prosper financially. Jennifer lives in Arizona and was recently named to the Greater Tucson Leadership Program.
 | Unbeatable rates with our Price Match Guarantee The Ally Home Team is with you every step of the way  | |||
 | Get the right rate and loan for your needs Our Home Loan Experts can help you today. | |||
| Searching for Mortgages...  | ||||
| | Unbeatable rates with our Price Match Guarantee The Ally Home Team is with you every step of the way | |||
| | Get the right rate and loan for your needs Our Home Loan Experts can help you today. | |||
| Searching for Mortgages... | ||||
| | Unbeatable rates with our Price Match Guarantee The Ally Home Team is with you every step of the way | |||
| | Get the right rate and loan for your needs Our Home Loan Experts can help you today. | |||
| Searching for Mortgages... | ||||
We pay $30 for 30 minutes on the phone to hear your thoughts on what we can do better. Please enter your email if you'd like to be contacted to help.
Please enter your name | Please enter a valid email |
Nebraska Property Tax
Thinking about buying a home in Nebraska? Here’s something you might want to keep in mind: Nebraska has some of the highest property tax rates of any U.S. state. The average effective property tax rate in Nebraska is 1.88%, which ranks as the sixth highest rate in the country.
In many of Nebraska’s largest counties, however, the rate is even higher, exceeding 2% in some places. But if you are looking to buy a home in Nebraska, regardless of property taxes, check out our mortgage guide for information about rates and getting a mortgage in the Cornhusker State. Below, we will take a look at those county rates, and review the property tax rules every Nebraska homeowner should know.
Looking to calculate your potential monthly mortgage payment? Check out our mortgage calculator.
How Nebraska Property Taxes Work
Property taxes in Nebraska can be paid in two installments. In most of the state, the first half must be paid by May 1st, the second half by September 1st. In Sarpy, Lancaster and Douglas counties, the dates are April 1st and August 1st.
Taxes are calculated based on the market value of your home. County assessors determine market value annually, as of January 1st of each year. Residential property is assessed to 100% of market value, which means assessed value should equal the amount you could get by selling your home on the market.
Homeowners who disagree with their property assessment can protest to the County Board of Equalization. If that protest does not produce a satisfactory result, they can then file an appeal with the Nebraska Tax Equalization and Review Commission.
Nebraska Property Tax Rates
The state of Nebraska is prohibited by law from levying property taxes. Thus, the entirety of taxes come at the local level. Tax authorities such as school districts and city governments levy taxes and apply rates based on their revenue needs. Thus, rates can vary from one neighborhood to the next, depending on what tax districts cover your home.
The table below shows the average effective tax rate for every Nebraska county. Rates are calculated as median annual property tax payment as a percentage of median property value, and demonstrate the amount a typical homeowner could expect to pay.
| County | Median Home Value | Median Annual Property Tax Payment | Average Effective Property Tax Rate |
| Adams | $98,000 | $1,896 | 1.93% |
| Antelope | $74,300 | $1,291 | 1.74% |
| Arthur | $76,400 | $920 | 1.20% |
| Banner | $85,000 | $1,242 | 1.46% |
| Blaine | $57,200 | $727 | 1.27% |
| Boone | $85,000 | $1,276 | 1.50% |
| Box Butte | $90,000 | $1,483 | 1.65% |
| Boyd | $54,500 | $853 | 1.57% |
| Brown | $58,900 | $1,028 | 1.75% |
| Buffalo | $139,800 | $2,201 | 1.57% |
| Burt | $85,700 | $1,460 | 1.70% |
| Butler | $99,200 | $1,490 | 1.50% |
| Cass | $146,700 | $2,836 | 1.93% |
| Cedar | $89,100 | $1,388 | 1.56% |
| Chase | $86,000 | $1,412 | 1.64% |
| Cherry | $95,500 | $1,619 | 1.70% |
| Cheyenne | $104,100 | $1,860 | 1.79% |
| Clay | $76,100 | $1,443 | 1.90% |
| Colfax | $87,900 | $1,608 | 1.83% |
| Cuming | $88,300 | $1,455 | 1.65% |
| Custer | $81,600 | $1,283 | 1.57% |
| Dakota | $103,300 | $1,954 | 1.89% |
| Dawes | $100,700 | $1,625 | 1.61% |
| Dawson | $88,200 | $1,769 | 2.01% |
| Deuel | $67,400 | $1,031 | 1.53% |
| Dixon | $76,300 | $1,475 | 1.93% |
| Dodge | $109,200 | $1,932 | 1.77% |
| Douglas | $143,300 | $2,968 | 2.07% |
| Dundy | $69,100 | $1,046 | 1.51% |
| Fillmore | $73,300 | $1,248 | 1.70% |
| Franklin | $56,200 | $958 | 1.70% |
| Frontier | $74,200 | $1,243 | 1.68% |
| Furnas | $56,400 | $992 | 1.76% |
| Gage | $101,600 | $1,928 | 1.90% |
| Garden | $61,800 | $940 | 1.52% |
| Garfield | $86,100 | $1,419 | 1.65% |
| Gosper | $104,100 | $1,586 | 1.52% |
| Grant | $45,600 | $870 | 1.91% |
| Greeley | $57,500 | $1,103 | 1.92% |
| Hall | $113,200 | $2,138 | 1.89% |
| Hamilton | $113,300 | $1,827 | 1.61% |
| Harlan | $75,100 | $1,311 | 1.75% |
| Hayes | $66,100 | $1,192 | 1.80% |
| Hitchcock | $62,300 | $1,057 | 1.70% |
| Holt | $90,500 | $1,452 | 1.60% |
| Hooker | $63,300 | $936 | 1.48% |
| Howard | $101,200 | $1,743 | 1.72% |
| Jefferson | $70,400 | $1,164 | 1.65% |
| Johnson | $75,300 | $1,318 | 1.75% |
| Kearney | $96,400 | $1,660 | 1.72% |
| Keith | $91,500 | $1,583 | 1.73% |
| Keya Paha | $80,000 | $1,326 | 1.66% |
| Kimball | $77,900 | $1,547 | 1.99% |
| Knox | $74,000 | $1,167 | 1.58% |
| Lancaster | $148,600 | $2,813 | 1.89% |
| Lincoln | $112,800 | $2,089 | 1.85% |
| Logan | $101,700 | $1,355 | 1.33% |
| Loup | $71,100 | $918 | 1.29% |
| Madison | $109,000 | $1,925 | 1.77% |
| McPherson | $142,300 | $1,202 | 0.84% |
| Merrick | $85,300 | $1,452 | 1.70% |
| Morrill | $76,300 | $1,214 | 1.59% |
| Nance | $67,000 | $1,217 | 1.82% |
| Nemaha | $84,400 | $1,439 | 1.70% |
| Nuckolls | $52,300 | $893 | 1.71% |
| Otoe | $118,000 | $2,209 | 1.87% |
| Pawnee | $57,200 | $988 | 1.73% |
| Perkins | $88,500 | $1,335 | 1.51% |
| Phelps | $100,700 | $1,618 | 1.61% |
| Pierce | $97,000 | $1,684 | 1.74% |
| Platte | $115,400 | $1,796 | 1.56% |
| Polk | $95,200 | $1,613 | 1.69% |
| Red Willow | $84,200 | $1,319 | 1.57% |
| Richardson | $62,600 | $992 | 1.58% |
| Rock | $65,200 | $1,084 | 1.66% |
| Saline | $94,400 | $1,708 | 1.81% |
| Sarpy | $162,400 | $3,439 | 2.12% |
| Saunders | $147,600 | $2,687 | 1.82% |
| Scotts Bluff | $102,600 | $1,740 | 1.70% |
| Seward | $142,600 | $2,414 | 1.69% |
| Sheridan | $65,800 | $1,149 | 1.75% |
| Sherman, | $82,000 | $1,320 | 1.61% |
| Sioux | $86,500 | $1,171 | 1.35% |
| Stanton | $98,900 | $1,733 | 1.75% |
| Thayer | $61,200 | $1,054 | 1.72% |
| Thomas | $79,200 | $983 | 1.24% |
| Thurston | $68,500 | $1,168 | 1.71% |
| Valley | $78,100 | $1,451 | 1.86% |
| Washington | $169,700 | $2,979 | 1.76% |
| Wayne | $103,200 | $1,739 | 1.69% |
| Webster | $67,300 | $1,239 | 1.84% |
| Wheeler | $87,100 | $900 | 1.03% |
| York | $108,500 | $1,679 | 1.55% |
Douglas County
Nebraska’s largest county by population, Douglas County also has some the highest property tax rates. The average effective tax rate in the county is 2.07%, nearly double the national average. The single largest recipient of property tax dollars in Douglas County are local school districts, including the Omaha Public School District. Over 50% of the property tax goes to schools in Douglas County.
Lancaster County
Located in eastern Nebraska, Lancaster County contains the city of Lincoln, and has property taxes well above both state and national averages. The median annual property tax payment in Lancaster County is $2,813. That’s about $400 higher than the state median, and $700 higher than the national median.
Sarpy County
Sarpy County is part of the Omaha metropolitan area, and has the highest property tax rates of any Nebraska county. The average effective property tax rate in Sarpy County is 2.12%. At that rate, a homeowner with a home worth $200,000 would pay $4,240 annually in property taxes.
Hall County
This central Nebraska county has an average effective property tax rate of 1.89%, slightly higher than the state average. In Grand Island, the county’s largest city, the rate is higher. The total rate in Grand Island is over 2.2% (as of 2012).
Buffalo County
Buffalo County is the fifth most populous county in Nebraska and sits adjacent to Hall County. The average effective property tax rate in Buffalo County is 1.57%, which ranks as the 24th lowest rate in the state (out of 93 counties). It is also significantly lower than the rate in nearby Hall County.
Scotts Bluff County
Situated along the Wyoming border in western Nebraska, Scotts Bluff County has relatively low property taxes in comparison to the rest of the state. The median annual property tax payment in Scotts Bluff County is just $1,740. That is over $600 less than the state median.
Dodge County
Dodge County is located northeast of Omaha, and has property tax rates close to the state averages. Over 63% of property tax revenue in Dodge County goes to school districts. The next largest recipient is the county government which receives around 14% of revenue.
Lincoln County
The average effective property tax rate in Lincoln County is 1.85%. That is slightly lower than the state average, but still significantly higher than the national average. Annual taxes on a home worth $120,000 would be $2,220.
Madison County
The ninth most populous county in Nebraska, Madison County has below average property taxes. A typical homeowner in Madison County pays $1,925 annually in property taxes, nearly $500 less than in the rest of the state.
Platte County
Property tax rates in Platte County rank among the 20 lowest of Nebraska’s 93 counties. The average effective property tax rate in Platte County is 1.56%.
Property Tax: Which Counties are Getting the Best Bang for Their Buck
SmartAsset’s interactive map highlights the places across the country where property tax dollars are being spent most effectively. Zoom between states and the national map to see the counties getting the biggest bang for their property tax buck.
Methodology
Our study aims to find the places in the United States where people are getting the most for their property tax dollars. To do this we looked at school rankings, crime rates and property taxes for every county.
As a way to measure the quality of schools, we calculated the average math and reading/language arts proficiencies for all the school districts in the country. Within each state, these schools were then ranked between 1 and 10 (with 10 being the best) based on those average scores.
For each county, we calculated the violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents.
Using the school and crime numbers, we calculated a community score. This is the ratio of the school rank to the combined crime rate per 100,000 residents.
We used the number of households, median home value and average property tax rate to calculate a per capita property tax collected for each county.
Finally, we calculated a tax value by creating a ratio of the community score to the per capita property tax paid. This shows us the counties in the country where people are getting the most bang for their buck, or where their property tax dollars are going the furthest.
Sources: US Census Bureau 2016 American Community Survey, Department of Education, Federal Bureau of Investigation, State Police or Justice Department websites
