Nebraska · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Harlan County, NE

Prices around Harlan County, NE run 9.9% below the U.S. average (BEA, Nebraska). The typical household there earns $70,625 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $961 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $38,440 a year.

Harlan County, NE at a glance

Median household income

$70,625$5,885 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$961HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)90.1-9.9% · BEA, Nebraska
Electricity13.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential NE
Population2,847Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Harlan County, NE?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$961Monthly market rent
Share of gross income16.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$38,440To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,766At 30% of $70,625
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Harlan County, NE? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Harlan County, NE, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Harlan County, NE, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$666$7,992$26,64011.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$752$9,024$30,08012.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$961$11,532$38,44016.3%
3-Bedroom Home$1,268$15,216$50,72021.5%
4-Bedroom Home$1,272$15,264$50,88021.6%

Rent in Harlan County, NE, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Harlan County, NE

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $70,625 a year ($5,885 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,943/moRent ($961 2-BR), utilities (~$119/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,766/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,177/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $70,625 leaves after Nebraska taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Nebraska tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$70,625
$25,000$145,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$70,625
Net 80%
Fed 9%
NE 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$56,181After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,682Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,161Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$6,708 / yr
Nebraska state income tax$2,334 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,403 / yr

Living in Harlan County, NE: common questions

What is the median household income in Harlan County, NE?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Harlan County, NE is $70,625 per year (approximately $5,885 per month).

What is the average rent in Harlan County, NE?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $666 for a studio, $752 for one bedroom, $961 for two, $1,268 for three and $1,272 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Harlan County, NE expensive to live in?

Prices there run 9.9% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Nebraska is 90.1, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Harlan County, NE?

To keep a $961 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $38,440 a year, or $3,203 a month. That is 54% of what the typical household in Harlan County, NE earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Harlan County, NE?

On the local median income of $70,625 ($5,885 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,943 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,766 for everything else and $1,177 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $961 takes 33% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Harlan County, NE?

Homes in Nebraska paid 13.3¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $119. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.