Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Friend, Nebraska
A $171,000 home here costs
$1,595per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $68,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $932. The real number is $663 higher every month, 71% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Saline County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Friend from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,085 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Saline County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Friend against Saline County and Nebraska
| Measure | Friend | Saline County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $171,200 | $180,700 |
| Median property tax | $2,591 | $2,445 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.513% | 1.353% |
| Median gross rent | $808 | $833 |
| Population | 1,085 | 14,642 |
The weather behind that power bill
Friend sits in Saline County, which averages a high of 86.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 15.4°F in its coldest, with 29.5" of precipitation a year and 43% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,055 cooling and 5,946 heating degree days, which is what sets the $129 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Saline County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Saline County
Full Saline County cost breakdown · Every county in Nebraska
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Friend averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Friend every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Friend I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Friend?
A $171,000 home in Friend, Nebraska costs approximately $1,595 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $932 principal and interest, $216 property tax, $108 homeowners insurance, $197 utilities and $143 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Friend?
Friend has an effective property tax rate of 1.513%, based on a median home value of $171,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,591. That is higher than the Saline County average of 1.353%.
What is the average home price in Friend?
The median owner-occupied home value in Friend, Nebraska is $171,200, against $180,700 across Saline County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Friend?
Median gross rent in Friend is $808 a month, against $1,595 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Friend?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Friend, Nebraska at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $68,500 a year. That covers the full $1,595 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Friend, 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.