Rent Trends / NE
Rent Trends in Nebraska: 2015 to 2026
Yearly Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for 16 cities in Nebraska. The average across tracked cities is $1,424/month in 2026, up from $833 in 2015 (+70.9%). That sits $541 below (-27.5% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,965.
Last updated: July 19, 2026
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Jan snapshots for 2015–2025; 2026 column = June 2026 release · U.S. typical rent $1,965 (June 2026)
What the Nebraska rent trend shows
This page follows market rents in Nebraska from 2015 through mid-2026 using the same Zillow ZORI vintage for every city in the table. State figures below are simple averages of the tracked cities — useful for comparing places inside Nebraska and stacking the state against the published U.S. typical rent ($1,965/month in June 2026, up from $1,362 in January 2019 on our national series).
Since 2023, the tracked-city average in Nebraska has risen from about $1,249 to $1,424 (+14.0%). That is the post-spike path — not a full reset to mid-2010s rents. The latest year step (2025 → 2026) is +4.5% ($1,363 → $1,424).
Within the state, long-run winners and losers split by city. The largest percentage increase from the earliest reading to 2026 is Bellevue (+71.9%, $805 → $1,384). 2 of 16 tracked cities are higher than their 2015 (or earliest) level.
For the national rent story, see the Rent Index. Statewide maps live on Rent by State. Full city database: Rent by City.
City-level breakdown in Nebraska
Lowest 2026 rents
- North Platte — $1,178
- Fremont — $1,244
- Plattsmouth — $1,276
- Norfolk — $1,286
- La Vista — $1,315
Highest 2026 rents
- Bennington — $1,914
- Gretna — $1,807
- Papillion — $1,693
- Omaha — $1,453 (+68.8% since 2015)
- Kearney — $1,451
Full list with every year from 2015–2026 is in the sortable table below.
All Nebraska cities — yearly rent table
| City | Metro | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25 | '26 | % Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | $861 | $889 | $920 | $948 | $979 | $1,022 | $1,061 | $1,158 | $1,258 | $1,316 | $1,376 | $1,453 | +68.8% | |
| Lincoln | — | $856 | $868 | $914 | $935 | $956 | $989 | $1,082 | $1,167 | $1,235 | $1,280 | $1,345 | +57.1% | |
| Bellevue | $805 | $854 | $874 | $885 | $901 | $967 | $984 | $1,091 | $1,205 | $1,257 | $1,317 | $1,384 | +71.9% | |
| Grand Island | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,306 | $1,337 | +2.4% | |
| Papillion | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,346 | $1,470 | $1,539 | $1,627 | $1,693 | +25.8% | |
| Kearney | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,273 | $1,451 | +14.0% | |
| Fremont | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,185 | $1,244 | +5.0% | |
| Norfolk | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,219 | $1,286 | +5.5% | |
| North Platte | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,178 | +0.0% | |
| Columbus | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,447 | +0.0% | |
| Gretna | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,807 | +0.0% | |
| La Vista | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,037 | $1,147 | $1,170 | $1,237 | $1,315 | +26.8% | |
| Bennington | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,809 | $1,914 | +5.8% | |
| Lexington | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,319 | +0.0% | |
| Plattsmouth | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,276 | +0.0% | |
| Roca | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,338 | +0.0% |
Click any column header to sort · % Chg uses earliest available year → 2026
Frequently asked questions — Nebraska rent
Is Nebraska cheap to rent in 2026?
Yes — relative to the national market. The average rent across 16 tracked Nebraska cities is about $1,424/month, which is $541 below (-27.5% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,965. That is a city-average in our sample, not a single statewide ZORI print, but it is a clear signal that Nebraska screens cheaper than the U.S. typical $1,965.
What city in Nebraska has the cheapest rent?
Among cities in our ZORI sample, North Platte is the lowest at about $1,178/month (2026). Other lower-rent cities include Fremont ($1,244), Plattsmouth ($1,276), Norfolk ($1,286).
What city in Nebraska has the most expensive rent?
Bennington leads our sample at about $1,914/month in 2026, followed by Gretna ($1,807) and Papillion ($1,693).
How much have rents in Nebraska changed since 2015?
Across tracked cities, the average moved from about $833 in 2015 to $1,424 in 2026 (+70.9%). 2 of 16 cities are higher than their earliest reading in this series; the largest percentage jump is Bellevue (+71.9%).
Are rents in Nebraska still rising year over year?
From 2025 to 2026, the average across tracked Nebraska cities went from about $1,363 to $1,424 (+4.5%). Since 2023 ($1,249), that is +14.0%. Individual cities can diverge — sort by % Chg or compare the '25 and '26 columns.