Schuyler is home to the best residential real estate investment market in Nebraska.
The 68661 zip code in Schuyler presents the greatest opportunity for the best real estate investments among the 2,464 individual real estate markets in Nebraska we evaluated. We looked at property values, population trends, and six other metrics for each market. We used that data to calculate each market's InvestScore.
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Data sources
Most of the data in this article comes from the Zillow Home Value Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey.
We update our data when the original sources update their data, usually monthly. Sometimes we'll update data more frequently.
Clever also performs regular quality checks to identify outdated data, broken data connections, and other data issues that may arise.
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5 best places to invest in Nebraska
| Rank | City | InvestScore | Affordability | Property value appreciation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schuyler | 100 | 2.6 | 58% |
| 2 | Sidney | 98.6 | 2.7 | 52% |
| 3 | Nebraska City | 93.5 | 2.7 | 41% |
| 4 | Cozad | 87.3 | 2.7 | 39% |
| 5 | Omaha | 87.1 | 2.8 | 39% |
🚨 This article is for informational purposes only. It isn't intended to convey financial or legal advice. We recommend you talk to a real estate agent or real estate attorney when buying a home in Nebraska.
1. Schuyler
We've identified the 68661 zip code in Schuyler as Nebraska's best real estate investment market. Here's why.
🔎 Key data about Schuyler (68661)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,464 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 100 | Highest |
| Typical property value | $219,963[1] | 30th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 58%[2] | highest |
| Household income | $83,279[3] | 28th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.6 | 3rd most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 1.2%[4] | 34th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2%[5] | lowest |
| Property taxes | $1,798[6] | 2nd lowest |
| Educational attainment | 12%[7] | 79th highest |
Schuyler (zip code 68661) is the best residential real estate investment market in Nebraska. It has the highest property value appreciation among markets we evaluated, with a 58% appreciation of the typical property over the last five years.
Schuyler is the 3rd most affordable market among the 2,464 Nebraska markets we evaluated, with an affordability ratio of 2.6.
2. Sidney
The 69162 zip code in Sidney is the runner-up spot for the best real estate investments in Nebraska.
🔎 Key data about Sidney (69162)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,464 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 98.6 | 2nd highest |
| Typical property value | $160,878[1] | 3rd lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 52%[2] | 2nd highest |
| Household income | $60,050[3] | 73rd highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.7 | 6th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 1.5%[4] | 30th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2%[5] | lowest |
| Property taxes | $2,600[6] | 19th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 21%[7] | 71st highest |
The 69162 zip code in Sidney features a typical property value of $160,878, the 3rd lowest in the state.
Property values have appreciated 52% over the past five years, the 2nd highest increase among evaluated markets in the state. Sidney homes have an affordability ratio of 2.7, the 6th most affordable in the state.
3. Nebraska City
The 68410 zip code in Nebraska City comes in at No. 3 in our ranking of the best residential real estate investment markets in Nebraska.
🔎 Key data about Nebraska City (68410)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,464 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 93.5 | 3rd highest |
| Typical property value | $192,241[1] | 14th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 41%[2] | 12th highest |
| Household income | $71,640[3] | 44th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.7 | 7th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 0.4%[4] | 43rd highest |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2%[5] | lowest |
| Property taxes | $2,642[6] | 22nd lowest |
| Educational attainment | 28%[7] | 56th highest |
With a typical property value of $192,241, Nebraska City's 68410 zip code features the 14th lowest property values in the state.
Nebraska City homes have an affordability ratio of 2.7, the 7th most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
4. Cozad
The 69130 zip code in Cozad ranks No. 4 among Nebraska's residential real estate investment markets.
🔎 Key data about Cozad (69130)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,464 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 87.3 | 4th highest |
| Typical property value | $168,045[1] | 6th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 39%[2] | 18th highest |
| Household income | $63,388[3] | 18th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.7 | 4th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | -1%[4] | 66th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2%[5] | lowest |
| Property taxes | $2,121[6] | 6th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 14%[7] | 77th highest |
Property values in Cozad's 69130 zip code have seen the 18th highest increase among evaluated markets in the state, with an appreciation of 39% over the past five years.
Cozad's affordability ratio of 2.7 makes it the 4th most affordable among the 2,464 markets we evaluated.
5. Omaha
The 68107 zip code in Omaha rounds out our top five residential real estate investment markets in Nebraska.
🔎 Key data about Omaha (68107)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,464 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 87.1 | 5th highest |
| Typical property value | $177,818[1] | 11th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 39%[2] | 20th highest |
| Household income | $62,560[3] | 20th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.8 | 13th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 1.8%[4] | 22nd highest |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2%[5] | 3rd lowest |
| Property taxes | $2,592[6] | 16th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 9.5%[7] | 80th highest |
Property values in Omaha's 68107 zip code rose 39% over the last five years, ranking the city 20th highest among evaluated markets in Nebraska.
Omaha homes have an affordability ratio of 2.8, the 13th most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
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Frequently asked questions
See our article Steps to Buying Your First Rental Property to learn the basics of real estate investing for beginners.
You'll learn the importance of setting goals, picking the right market, and more.
Cash investors often use what's called the 70% rule, which suggests they should pay around 70% of a house's after-repair value minus the cost of renovations.
By buying for about 70% of the after-repair value, they're positioning themselves to pay for repairs and other costs, and to lock in a profit.
The 70% rule isn’t a hard-and-fast formula, but a quick guideline investors use to evaluate potential deals.
Investing in residential real estate can be one of the best passive real estate investments in Nebraska.
Residential real estate offers accessible passive income and the potential to compound your original investment.
Renting out residential units is the top way to invest in real estate. House hacking also offers a great opportunity for passive real estate investment income.
How we rank residential real estate markets in Nebraska
To determine the best real estate investments in Nebraska we evaluated 2,464 markets on eight metrics, and then assigned an InvestScore based on a proprietary weighting framework. Each market corresponds to a specific zip code in Nebraska.
What is InvestScore?
InvestScore is a score on a scale of 0 (worst in state) to 100 (best in state) that estimates the residential real estate investment potential of a given market. It takes into account a suite of key data points for each city.
- Typical property value: This measures the typical home value in this zip code, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. It reflects the typical value for homes in the 35th to 65th percentile range, including all homes, with the numbers smoothed and seasonally adjusted. We prefer lower property values, which indicate both more room for growth and a greater ease of purchase.
- Property value appreciation: This measures how much property values have increased in the area over the past five years, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. We prefer a higher appreciation, as it indicates better returns on housing. However, past performance isn't indicative of future results.
- Median household income: This is the inflation-adjusted median household income in the zip code, according to U.S. Census American Community Survey data. We prefer a higher household income, as it indicates local residents have more income to spend on housing.
- Affordability ratio: This is the ratio of the typical home value to the median household income in the area. A lower ratio is better because it means more households can afford a home, which indicates higher demand.
- Population growth: This is how much the area's population has grown over the past five years, according to U.S. Census estimates. Higher is better, as it indicates residents are moving into the area at a rapid clip.
- Unemployment rate: This is the unemployment rate in the area, according to U.S. Census data. We prefer a lower rate, as it indicates the availability of steady employment in the area, meaning residents will find it much easier to afford homes.
- Property tax: This is the median real estate property tax paid in the area, according to U.S. Census estimates.
- Educational attainment: This is the percentage of residents in the area that have obtained a bachelor's degree or better, according to U.S. Census estimates. We prefer a higher rate because it indicates local residents who have higher earning potential and thus should be able to afford homes.
