Rent Trends / NE
Rent Trends in Nebraska: 2015 to 2026
Yearly Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for 20 cities in Nebraska. The average across tracked cities is $1,350/month in 2026, up from $816 in 2015 (+65.4%). That sits $612 below (-31.2% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962.
Last updated: September 14, 2026
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Jan snapshots for 2015–2025; 2026 column = June 2026 release · U.S. typical rent $1,962 (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 ($1,962/month in June 2026, up from $1,357 in January 2019 on our national series).
Since 2023, the tracked-city average in Nebraska has risen from about $1,238 to $1,350 (+9.0%). That is the post-spike path — not a full reset to mid-2010s rents. The latest year step (2025 → 2026) is -0.6% ($1,358 → $1,350).
Within the state, long-run winners and losers split by city. The largest percentage increase from the earliest reading to 2026 is Bellevue (+71.7%, $781 → $1,341). 2 of 20 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
- Sidney — $700
- Scottsbluff — $900
- Seward — $1,050
- North Platte — $1,148
- Fremont — $1,209
Highest 2026 rents
- Bennington — $1,964
- Gretna — $1,818
- Papillion — $1,718
- Ralston — $1,578
- Kearney — $1,515
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 | $850 | $877 | $907 | $937 | $966 | $1,009 | $1,047 | $1,143 | $1,241 | $1,298 | $1,358 | $1,428 | +68.0% | |
| Lincoln | — | $846 | $857 | $902 | $923 | $944 | $977 | $1,068 | $1,153 | $1,219 | $1,264 | $1,330 | +57.2% | |
| Bellevue | $781 | $829 | $849 | $859 | $875 | $939 | $956 | $1,061 | $1,173 | $1,223 | $1,280 | $1,341 | +71.7% | |
| Grand Island | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,254 | $1,296 | +3.3% | |
| Papillion | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,318 | $1,445 | $1,519 | $1,614 | $1,718 | +30.3% | |
| Kearney | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,340 | $1,515 | +13.1% | |
| Fremont | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,149 | $1,209 | +5.2% | |
| Norfolk | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,207 | $1,291 | +7.0% | |
| North Platte | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,148 | +0.0% | |
| Columbus | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,458 | +0.0% | |
| Hastings | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,253 | +0.0% | |
| Gretna | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,818 | +0.0% | |
| La Vista | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,066 | $1,179 | $1,202 | $1,274 | $1,359 | +27.5% | |
| Scottsbluff | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $900 | +0.0% | |
| Bennington | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,839 | $1,964 | +6.8% | |
| Plattsmouth | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,341 | +0.0% | |
| Seward | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,050 | +0.0% | |
| Sidney | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $700 | +0.0% | |
| Wayne | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,305 | +0.0% | |
| Ralston | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,578 | +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 20 tracked Nebraska cities is about $1,350/month, which is $612 below (-31.2% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962. 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 $1,962.
What city in Nebraska has the cheapest rent?
Among cities in our ZORI sample, Sidney is the lowest at about $700/month (2026). Other lower-rent cities include Scottsbluff ($900), Seward ($1,050), North Platte ($1,148).
What city in Nebraska has the most expensive rent?
Bennington leads our sample at about $1,964/month in 2026, followed by Gretna ($1,818) and Papillion ($1,718).
How much have rents in Nebraska changed since 2015?
Across tracked cities, the average moved from about $816 in 2015 to $1,350 in 2026 (+65.4%). 2 of 20 cities are higher than their earliest reading in this series; the largest percentage jump is Bellevue (+71.7%).
Are rents in Nebraska still rising year over year?
From 2025 to 2026, the average across tracked Nebraska cities went from about $1,358 to $1,350 (-0.6%). Since 2023 ($1,238), that is +9.0%. Individual cities can diverge — sort by % Chg or compare the '25 and '26 columns.