Is Howard County, NE good for real estate investing?

Howard County has an investment score of 70/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #149 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the median home price in Howard?

The median home price in Howard County is $292,236. This ranks #683 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Howard?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Howard County would generate positive cash flow of $0/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Howard County

NebraskaPopulation: 6,476

/100

Buy

#149 of 1,000 counties

#36 in Nebraska (90 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated July 28, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$292,236

Median Home Price

27% above national median

$17,657/mo

Est. Rent

Based on regional data

6.04%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Estimated from price data

+$0

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

70/100

Cash Flow(30%)

0/100

Rent data not available for cash flow calculation.

Appreciation(25%)

87/100

Based on 5.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

67/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Strong price appreciation (+5.2% YoY)

Challenges

-Negative leverage (cap rate 0.0% < mortgage rate 6.9%)
-Limited rent data (estimates used)

Economic Indicators

Population

6,476

Median Income

—

Data pending

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

—

Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average

Skip if

−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
DakotaNE	72	$228,365	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CedarNE	71	$232,478	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CurrentHowardNE	70	$292,236	Est. pending	—	Buy
KeithNE	70	$227,997	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
AdamsNE	69	$216,561	$1,146	6.35%	Buy	View
CusterNE	69	$166,108	Est. pending	—	Buy	View

Section 8 in Howard County: payment standards by ZIP, PHA waitlist status, and voucher counts are on VoucherMatch, the same HUD dataset with the tenant demand side attached.

The Bottom Line

BuyHoward offers solid investment potential with roughly break-even cash flow at typical financing.

Howard County in Nebraska scores 70/100, ranking #149 of 1,000 US counties (top 19%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental roughly breaks even on cash flow. The deal works on appreciation or with better terms, not on month-one cash flow.

Monthly Cash Flow

+$0/mo

Cap Rate

0.0%

Cash-on-Cash

0.0%