Most expensive cities for renters in Nebraska
Cities in Nebraska ranked by highest median rent. Cities with 15,000+ residents. Updated monthly.
Key findings
- Kearney ranks first, with a median rent of $1,686/mo.
- Across all 10 cities on this list, the median rent is $1,389/mo.
Data as of September 2026. Median rent from RentDataNow's monthly city data (Zillow's rent index where Zillow covers the city). Rank a year ago compares the same cities' rent 12 months earlier. Updated monthly. Download this list (CSV)
Best value (RRS)Overheated (RRS)Most affordableMost expensiveRent fallingRent risingBest rent/incomeMost rent-burdenedRecord-high rentSeasonal swingsRent vs. income
10 cities
| Rank | City | Median rent | 1-yr change | 5-yr change | Rent/income | Vs. a year ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | KearneyNE | $1,686/mo | +5.5% | -- | 29.0% | ↑1 from #2 |
| 02 | PapillionNE | $1,659/mo | -0.7% | +27.8% | 17.8% | ↓1 from #1 |
| 03 | ColumbusNE | $1,406/mo | 0.0% | -- | 26.1% | -- |
| 04 | BellevueNE | $1,401/mo | -1.1% | +26.7% | 19.7% | ↓1 from #3 |
| 05 | OmahaNE | $1,389/mo | +2.2% | +27.4% | 22.8% | ↓1 from #4 |
| 06 | La VistaNE | $1,378/mo | +2.1% | -- | 20.2% | ↓1 from #5 |
| 07 | Grand IslandNE | $1,342/mo | +2.2% | -- | 25.2% | ↓1 from #6 |
| 08 | LincolnNE | $1,278/mo | +1.5% | +25.2% | 21.3% | ↓1 from #7 |
| 09 | NorfolkNE | $1,247/mo | +2.6% | -- | 25.4% | ↓1 from #8 |
| 10 | FremontNE | $1,213/mo | +3.1% | -- | 20.5% | ↓1 from #9 |