Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Ralston, Nebraska
A $216,000 home here costs
$2,025per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $87,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,196. The real number is $829 higher every month, 69% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Douglas County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Ralston against Douglas County and Nebraska
| Measure | Ralston | Douglas County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $215,800 | $245,800 |
| Median property tax | $3,752 | $4,295 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.739% | 1.747% |
| Median gross rent | $1,178 | $1,162 |
| Population | 6,445 | 585,461 |
The weather behind that power bill
Ralston sits in Douglas County, which averages a high of 85.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 14.0°F in its coldest, with 33.17" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,044 cooling and 6,209 heating degree days, which is what sets the $132 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Douglas County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Douglas County
Full Douglas County cost breakdown · Every county in Nebraska
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Ralston 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 Ralston every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Ralston I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Ralston?
A $216,000 home in Ralston, Nebraska costs approximately $2,025 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $1,196 principal and interest, $313 property tax, $136 homeowners insurance, $200 utilities and $180 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Ralston?
Ralston has an effective property tax rate of 1.739%, based on a median home value of $215,800 and median real estate taxes of $3,752. That is in line with the Douglas County average of 1.747%.
What is the average home price in Ralston?
The median owner-occupied home value in Ralston, Nebraska is $215,800, against $245,800 across Douglas County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Ralston?
Median gross rent in Ralston is $1,178 a month, against $2,025 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 Ralston?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Ralston, Nebraska at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $87,000 a year. That covers the full $2,025 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Ralston, 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.