Property tax in Howard County, Nebraska
The median property tax bill in Howard County, Nebraska is $2,429 a year, which is about 1.16% of the county's median home value of $209,100. That effective rate is lower than the typical Nebraska county (1.27%) and higher than the national median (0.81%). These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024); your own bill depends on your home's assessed value and any exemptions.
Estimate the property tax on a home in Howard County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Howard County's average effective rate of 1.16% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $2,426 / year
Property tax in Howard County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $2,429 |
| Median home value | $209,100 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.16% |
| Typical Nebraska county rate | 1.27% |
| National median county rate | 0.81% |
Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
How does Howard County compare in Nebraska?
Among Nebraska's 93 counties, Howard County has the 62nd highest effective property-tax rate: 61 rank higher and 31 rank lower. That is on the lower side for Nebraska. Nationally, it ranks 797th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Nebraska county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Howard County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Howard County's 1,959 owner-occupied homes, 33.8% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 57.8% pay at least $2,000, and 8.5% pay under $800. Another 5% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 167 | 8.5% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 264 | 13.5% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 298 | 15.2% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 471 | 24% |
| $3,000 or more | 662 | 33.8% |
| No property tax paid | 97 | 5% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $2,530 and owners without one pay $2,272. Owners who have paid off a home have usually held it longer, and in states that cap how fast an existing owner's assessment can rise, long-held homes carry lower assessed values. Census table B25103.
How does the Howard County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $2,429 is about 2.8% of the median income of Howard County homeowner households, $86,792 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 78.2% of Howard County's occupied homes are lived in by their owners; renters pay property tax too, just folded into rent.
Have property taxes gone up in Howard County?
Yes. The median bill went from $2,121 in 2015-2019 to $2,429 in 2020-2024, a 14.5% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 40.5%, from $148,800 to $209,100. Bills rose more slowly than values, which is what assessment caps and falling millage rates do: the county is taxing a smaller share of each home's worth.
Two Census ACS 5-year periods with no survey years in common, in each period's own dollars. A change counts only if it exceeds the combined 90% margin of error.
Property tax in counties next to Howard County
Howard County borders 6 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo County, NE | 1.44% | $3,555 | $246,400 |
| Hall County, NE | 1.39% | $3,120 | $224,600 |
| Merrick County, NE | 1.3% | $2,280 | $175,900 |
| Greeley County, NE | 1.29% | $1,544 | $120,000 |
| Sherman County, NE | 1.16% | $1,764 | $152,000 |
| Howard County, NE (this county) | 1.16% | $2,429 | $209,100 |
| Nance County, NE | 1.1% | $1,451 | $132,000 |
How is a home assessed in Howard County?
Nebraska assesses homes at 100% of market value in every county, Howard County included. How Nebraska assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Howard County?
Only for some owners. Nebraska's homestead exemption is limited to owners 65 and older, disabled owners and veterans; every owner gets two credits printed on the county statement. That is the Nebraska rule, and it applies in Howard County. Nebraska's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Howard County?
Nebraska levies a year in arrears, and tax becomes due December 31 following the levy, at which point it also becomes a first lien on the property. You can pay in two halves. In most counties the first half becomes delinquent May 1 and the second September 1; in Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy counties the dates move up to April 1 and August 1.
Nebraska splits the bill into 2 installments. That is the Nebraska rule. Howard County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Howard County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the County Board of Equalization, then the Tax Equalization and Review Commission. The filing deadline is typically June 30. That is the Nebraska rule; Howard County sets the exact dates and forms. The Nebraska appeal process step by step.
Nebraska rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Nebraska page.
Work out your own numbers
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How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Howard County's tax rate to hand.
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Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
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Nebraska income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Nebraska actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Howard County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Howard County, Nebraska: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024), tables B25103, B25077, B25102, B25119 and B25003; the five-year comparison uses the 2015-2019 estimates. Neighboring counties: Census county adjacency file.