Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Elm Creek, Nebraska
A $197,000 home here costs
$1,697per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,013. The real number is $684 higher every month — 68% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Elm Creek against Buffalo County and Nebraska
| Measure | Elm Creek | Buffalo County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $197,100 | $236,800 |
| Median property tax | $2,471 | $3,435 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.254% | 1.451% |
| Median gross rent | $767 | $911 |
| Population | 1,146 | 50,323 |
The weather behind that power bill
Elm Creek sits in Buffalo County, which averages a high of 86.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 13.8°F in its coldest, with 25.56" of precipitation a year and 46% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 904 cooling and 6,387 heating degree days, which is what sets the $122 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Buffalo County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Buffalo County
Full Buffalo County cost breakdown · Every county in Nebraska
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Elm Creek?
A $197,000 home in Elm Creek, Nebraska costs approximately $1,697 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,013 principal and interest, $206 property tax, $124 homeowners insurance, $190 utilities and $164 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Elm Creek?
Elm Creek has an effective property tax rate of 1.254%, based on a median home value of $197,100 and median real estate taxes of $2,471. That is lower than the Buffalo County average of 1.451%.
What is the average home price in Elm Creek?
The median owner-occupied home value in Elm Creek, Nebraska is $197,100, against $236,800 across Buffalo County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Elm Creek?
Median gross rent in Elm Creek is $767 a month, against $1,697 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Elm Creek — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Nebraska.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.