Buffalo County, NE Average Home Price (2026)

The average home price in Buffalo County, Nebraska is about $288,000 (the 2026 median across 10 ZIP codes, at ~$150/sq ft) — 23% more expensive than the Nebraska median and about the same as the typical U.S. home.

$288,000
Median home value
$150
Median price / sq ft
10
ZIP codes with data
+23%
vs Nebraska median

How Buffalo County compares

Buffalo County is about average for housing nationally: its typical home costs $288,000 against $234,000 for Nebraska and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $226,000 to $407,000.

AreaTypical value$ / sq ft
Buffalo County$288,000$150
Nebraska$234,000$139
United States$289,000$193

Buffalo County home prices by ZIP code

The 10 most valuable ZIP codes in Buffalo County (of 10 with data):

ZIP codeTypical value$ / sq ftvs county
68812 Amherst$407,000$188+41%
68866 Pleasanton$378,000$161+31%
68845 Kearney$347,000$169+20%
68870 Riverdale$345,000$182+20%
68847 Kearney$291,000$150+1%
68858 Miller$285,000$150-1%
68836 Elm Creek$276,000$88-4%
68840 Gibbon$263,000$106-9%
68876 Shelton$243,000$114-16%
68869 Ravenna$226,000$102-22%

Home value appreciation in Buffalo County

Home prices in Buffalo County have risen about 62% over the last 10 years (≈5.0% a year) and +112.2% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +2.0% — still rising. A home worth $288,000 today was worth roughly $177,559 ten years ago.

+2.0%
1-year change
+40.0%
5-year change
+62.2%
10-year change
+112.2%
20-year change

See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, Nebraska is +87.0% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.

Calculators for Buffalo County

Run the numbers for Buffalo County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.

Salary needed to buy a home in Buffalo County

To buy the typical $288,000 home in Buffalo County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $78,000 a year (about $1,830 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $93,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.

Down paymentCash downMonthly paymentIncome needed
5% (+PMI)$14,400$2,270/mo$97,000/yr
10% (+PMI)$28,800$2,170/mo$93,000/yr
20%$57,600$1,830/mo$78,000/yr

Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.

What your budget buys in Buffalo County

At about $150 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Buffalo County:

BudgetApprox. sizeWhat that looks like locally
$150k1000 sq ftbelow the local median — condos, smaller or older homes
$200k1330 sq ftbelow the local median — condos, smaller or older homes
$250k1670 sq ftaround the typical home here
$300k2000 sq ftaround the typical home here
$400k2670 sq ftabove the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs

Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to Nebraska.

Estimate a specific home in Buffalo County

Enter your ZIP and size for an instant estimate tailored to your exact area:

Buffalo County home prices: frequently asked

What is the average home price in Buffalo County, NE? +
The typical home in Buffalo County, Nebraska is worth about $288,000 as of 2026 (the median across its 10 ZIP codes with data), at roughly $150 per square foot — 23% more expensive than the Nebraska median of $234,000 and about the same as the U.S. median.
What salary do you need to buy a house in Buffalo County? +
For the typical $288,000 home in Buffalo County, a household income of about $78,000 a year covers the payment with 20% down (a 30-year fixed at 6.5%, plus taxes and insurance, under the 28% rule). With 10% down you need roughly $93,000; with 5% down about $97,000.
Which part of Buffalo County is most expensive? +
Among the ZIP codes we track, 68812 (Amherst) is the priciest at about $407,000 and 68869 (Ravenna) the most affordable at about $226,000 — a 1.8× spread inside one county.
Are home values in Buffalo County going up? +
Over the last 10 years home prices in Buffalo County changed about +62.2% (≈5.0% a year), and +2.0% in the latest year, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. Over 20 years: +112.2%. Past gains are not a guarantee of future ones.

Browse all Nebraska cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.

Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.