Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Valentine, Nebraska
A $136,000 home here costs
$1,246per 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 $53,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $741. The real number is $505 higher every month, 68% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Cherry County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Valentine from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,632 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 Cherry 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.
Valentine against Cherry County and Nebraska
| Measure | Valentine | Cherry County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $135,600 | $136,000 |
| Median property tax | $1,295 | $1,373 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.955% | 1.010% |
| Median gross rent | $872 | $873 |
| Population | 2,632 | 5,468 |
The weather behind that power bill
Valentine sits in Cherry County, which averages a high of 90.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.2°F in its coldest, with 20.9" of precipitation a year and 49% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 927 cooling and 6,691 heating degree days, which is what sets the $129 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Cherry County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Cherry County
No other places of this size are published in Cherry County.
Full Cherry County cost breakdown · Every county in Nebraska
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Valentine 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 Valentine every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Valentine I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Valentine?
A $136,000 home in Valentine, Nebraska costs approximately $1,246 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $741 principal and interest, $108 property tax, $86 homeowners insurance, $197 utilities and $113 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Valentine?
Valentine has an effective property tax rate of 0.955%, based on a median home value of $135,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,295. That is lower than the Cherry County average of 1.010%.
What is the average home price in Valentine?
The median owner-occupied home value in Valentine, Nebraska is $135,600, against $136,000 across Cherry County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Valentine?
Median gross rent in Valentine is $872 a month, against $1,246 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 Valentine?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Valentine, Nebraska at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $53,500 a year. That covers the full $1,246 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Valentine, 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.