Best Places to Buy Rental Property in Nebraska (2026)

We ranked all 14 Nebraska counties that have both a median home price and a median rent, ordered by the cap rate a median-priced rental would produce. Dawson County leads at 4.9%, with a median price of $208,658.

Nebraska counties ranked by cap rate

#MarketCap rateMedian priceMedian rentCash flowAnalyze
1Dawson County, NE4.9%$208,658$1,308-$306Run numbers
2Hall County, NE4.1%$255,979$1,342-$545Run numbers
3Gage County, NE4.0%$205,531$1,063-$448Run numbers
4Buffalo County, NE4.0%$305,204$1,574-$667Run numbers
5Platte County, NE4.0%$280,084$1,441-$615Run numbers
6Adams County, NE3.9%$215,136$1,088-$485Run numbers
7Dodge County, NE3.9%$240,410$1,203-$550Run numbers
8Madison County, NE3.8%$254,172$1,230-$608Run numbers
9Scotts Bluff County, NE3.7%$196,514$943-$475Run numbers
10Lincoln County, NE3.7%$225,085$1,063-$556Run numbers
11Douglas County, NE3.7%$294,051$1,381-$731Run numbers
12Lancaster County, NE3.4%$299,768$1,287-$824Run numbers
13Sarpy County, NE3.3%$356,669$1,489-$1,008Run numbers
14Cass County, NE3.1%$316,387$1,276-$923Run numbers

Looking for every county in the state, including those without rent data? Browse the full Nebraska market directory.

How this ranking is calculated

We scored 14 counties in Nebraska and ranked them by capitalization rate, calculated as annual net operating income divided by median home price. Markets without both a median home price and a median rent are excluded, because cash flow cannot be estimated without both.

Every figure assumes a median-priced home rented at the local median rent, financed with 20 percent down on a 30-year loan at 7.40%, with closing costs at 3 percent of price and operating costs at 35 percent of rent. Operating costs cover taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and management.

These are modeled estimates for comparing markets, not quotes on a specific property. A real deal turns on the individual property, its condition, and the actual rent it can command. Run any market that interests you through the calculator with real numbers before you make an offer.

National rankings

Compare Nebraska against the rest of the country.

Other states

States with fewer than 5 counties reporting both price and rent are omitted, because a ranking that short would not be meaningful.

Run the numbers on a Nebraska property

Start from Dawson County median values and replace them with a real listing price and rent to see whether the deal actually works.