Overview of Nebraska Taxes
At 1.51%, Nebraska has the eighth-highest average effective property tax rate in the U.S. The typical homeowner in Nebraska can expect to pay $3,091 annually towards their property tax bill.
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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.
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.
In Nebraska’s largest counties, however, rates can occasionally exceed 2%. 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.
A financial advisor can help you understand how homeownership fits into your overall financial goals. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
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 1 and the second half by September 1. In Sarpy, Lancaster and Douglas counties, though, the dates are April 1 and August 1.
Taxes are calculated based on the market value of your home. County assessors determine market value annually, as of January 1 of each year. Residential property is assessed to at or near 100% of market value, which means assessed value should just about 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 taxes are collected entirely 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 in the form of median annual property tax payment as a percentage of median home value, which demonstrates the amount a typical homeowner can expect to pay.
Looking to calculate your potential monthly mortgage payment? Check out our mortgage calculator.
Douglas County
Nebraska’s largest county by population, Douglas County also has some of the highest property tax rates. The average effective tax rate in the county is 2.16%, close to 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.
If you have questions about how property taxes can affect your overall financial plans, a financial advisor in Omaha can help you out.
Lancaster County
Located in eastern Nebraska, Lancaster County contains the state capital, Lincoln. Property tax rates in the county are well above the state average (1.99% in the county versus 1.51% in the state). Lancaster County has some of the highest home values in the state, and so the total taxes that residents pay are also above average on a statewide basis. The median property tax paid in Lancaster County is $3,780, while the state median is just $3,091.
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 2.18%. At that rate, a homeowner with a home worth $200,000 would pay $4,320 annually in property taxes.
Hall County
This central Nebraska county has an average effective property tax rate of 1.63%, above the state average. The county's $2,507 median property tax payment is one of the highest in the state.
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 1.53%, which ranks in the middle of all Nebraska counties. It's also lower than the rate in nearby Hall County.
Scotts Bluff County
Situated along the Wyoming border in western Nebraska, Scotts Bluff County has a property tax rate of 1.53%. The median annual property tax payment in Scotts Bluff County is $1,996.
Dodge County
Dodge County is located in eastern Nebraska and is just northwest of Omaha, the largest city in the state. Property tax rates in Dodge County are at 1.58%. Similar to Douglas County, the majority of property tax revenue in Dodge County goes to school districts.
Lincoln County
The average effective property tax rate in Lincoln County is 1.62%. That's slightly above the state average, but is significantly higher than the national average of 0.99%%. Annual property taxes on a home worth $135,700 (the median home value in the county) would be $2,187.
Madison County
The ninth-most populous county in Nebraska, Madison County has a below average effective property tax rate at 1.42%. A typical homeowner in Madison County pays $2,203 annually in property taxes.
Platte County
Property tax rates in Platte County rank in the bottom half of Nebraska’s 93 counties. The average effective property tax rate in Platte County is 1.45%.