Nebraska · GEOID 31101

Keith County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 8,219 · 5,435 housing units

Median household income

$60,645

State $77,562

Median home value

$168,000

State $236,250

Median gross rent

$771

State $1,067

Homeownership rate

71.1%

State 66.5%

Renter cost-burden rate

38.5%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

17.8%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

0.0%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

1.3%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

25.5%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

2.77

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Keith County	Nebraska
Population	8,219	1,978,707
Population density (per sq. mi.)	7.74	—
Median household income	$60,645	$77,562
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$83,600	—
Households	4,051	—
Average household size	2.01 people	—
Owner-occupied	71.1%	66.5%
Renter-occupied	28.9%	33.5%
Race	87.5% White · 1.1% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Keith County compared with Nebraska.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

22.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 34.6%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	17.0%	$55,357	$1,384	$175,038
1 earner	28.6%	$63,750	$1,594	$206,280
2 earners	48.6%	$99,607	$2,490	$339,752
3+ earners	5.9%	$110,652	$2,766	$380,865

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

4,051

Average size: 2.01 people

Households with children

801

19.8% of households

Per-capita income

$36,684

Poverty rate: 10.7%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

71.1% owner-occupied vs. state average 66.5%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 72.4% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 7.5%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

70.4% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,973.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $168,000.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $771.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 1,384 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 0.0% · For rent 1.1% · Seasonal 78.7% · Other 19.8%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

1.5% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 98.5% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

20.0%

1,089 units of 5,435 total

⚑ Above the 10% threshold — meaningful pressure on year-round residents from second-home / short-term-rental demand.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

5.0%

274 units of 5,435 total

⚑ Above the 5% threshold — possible indicator of disinvestment, abandonment, or condemned stock.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$48,516

100% MHI$60,645

120% MHI$72,774

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Keith County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$52,750	$60,250	$75,300
100% AMI	$58,520	$66,880	$83,600
120% AMI	$70,200	$80,250	$100,300

HUD FMR Area: Keith County, NE. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

38.5% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (16.9% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

17.8% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Keith County.

Covered employment

2,815

Across 18 sectors

Establishments

362

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$42,922

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	637	$31,518	$86,301	−$81,699	$788
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	508	$22,271	$51,881	−$116,119	$557
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	257	$41,377	$123,000	−$45,000	$1,034
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	252	$50,479	$156,880	−$11,120	$1,262
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	248	$42,058	$125,535	−$42,465	$1,051
NAICS 42 Wholesale trade NAICS 42	242	$70,361	$230,888	+$62,888	$1,759
NAICS 52 Finance and insurance NAICS 52	148	$80,853	$269,943	+$101,943	$2,021
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	100	$37,249	$107,634	−$60,366	$931
NAICS 54 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 54	99	$60,281	$193,367	+$25,367	$1,507
NAICS 56 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services NAICS 56	76	$42,759	$128,144	−$39,856	$1,069
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	66	$39,554	$116,214	−$51,786	$989
NAICS 22 Utilities NAICS 22	37	$114,497	$395,177	+$227,177	$2,862
NAICS 55 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 55	35	$80,012	$266,812	+$98,812	$2,000
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	30	$17,322	$33,459	−$134,541	$433
NAICS 53 Real estate and rental and leasing NAICS 53	28	$29,831	$80,022	−$87,978	$746
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	23	$43,539	$131,047	−$36,953	$1,088
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	18	$60,176	$192,976	+$24,976	$1,504
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	11	$56,904	$180,796	+$12,796	$1,423

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	409	$22,228	$51,721	−$116,279	$556
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	257	$41,377	$123,000	−$45,000	$1,034
NAICS 455 General merchandise retailers NAICS 455	211	$29,212	$77,717	−$90,283	$730
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	178	$39,463	$115,875	−$52,125	$987
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	174	$27,385	$70,917	−$97,083	$685
NAICS 424 Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods NAICS 424	141	$71,931	$236,732	+$68,732	$1,798
NAICS 423 Merchant wholesalers, durable goods NAICS 423	101	$68,169	$222,729	+$54,729	$1,704
NAICS 541 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 541	99	$60,281	$193,367	+$25,367	$1,507
NAICS 721 Accommodation NAICS 721	99	$22,450	$52,547	−$115,453	$561
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	84	$73,684	$243,257	+$75,257	$1,842
NAICS 111 Crop production NAICS 111	79	$52,334	$163,785	−$4,215	$1,308
NAICS 112 Animal production and aquaculture NAICS 112	73	$45,925	$139,929	−$28,071	$1,148
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	70	$40,485	$119,679	−$48,321	$1,012
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	65	$75,711	$250,803	+$82,803	$1,893
NAICS 484 Truck transportation NAICS 484	62	$75,172	$248,796	+$80,796	$1,879
NAICS 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers NAICS 444	54	$33,154	$92,391	−$75,609	$829
NAICS 524 Insurance carriers and related activities NAICS 524	53	$68,731	$224,821	+$56,821	$1,718
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	49	$34,395	$97,010	−$70,990	$860
NAICS 624 Social assistance NAICS 624	46	$36,219	$103,800	−$64,200	$905
NAICS 811 Repair and maintenance NAICS 811	41	$43,474	$130,805	−$37,195	$1,087
NAICS 221 Utilities NAICS 221	37	$114,497	$395,177	+$227,177	$2,862
NAICS 551 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 551	35	$80,012	$266,812	+$98,812	$2,000
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	33	$57,198	$181,891	+$13,891	$1,430
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	23	$40,339	$119,136	−$48,864	$1,008
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	23	$35,840	$102,389	−$65,611	$896
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	18	$60,176	$192,976	+$24,976	$1,504
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	18	$33,790	$94,758	−$73,242	$845
NAICS 449 Furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance retailers NAICS 449	16	$39,913	$117,550	−$50,450	$998
NAICS 332 Fabricated metal product manufacturing NAICS 332	15	$45,452	$138,168	−$29,832	$1,136
NAICS 531 Real estate NAICS 531	15	$29,310	$78,082	−$89,918	$733
NAICS 532 Rental and leasing services NAICS 532	13	$30,431	$82,255	−$85,745	$761
NAICS 523 Securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities NAICS 523	12	$177,836	$630,946	+$462,946	$4,446
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	9	$53,444	$167,917	−$83	$1,336
NAICS 925 Administration of housing programs, urban planning, and community development NAICS 925	4	$27,406	$70,995	−$97,005	$685

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023	4,510	—	—	$14.65	$30,460	$82,363	$762
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	4,550	—	—	$14.70	$30,580	$82,810	$765
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	1,340	—	—	$15.12	$31,450	$86,048	$786
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	3,380	—	—	$17.10	$35,570	$101,384	$889
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	2,030	—	—	$17.29	$35,960	$102,836	$899
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	1,930	—	—	$18.14	$37,720	$109,387	$943
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	1,640	—	—	$18.68	$38,860	$113,631	$972
Tellers SOC 43-3071	1,030	—	—	$19.25	$40,040	$118,023	$1,001
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131	2,920	—	—	$20.11	$41,820	$124,649	$1,046
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	1,200	—	—	$22.98	$47,800	$146,908	$1,195
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	570	—	—	$23.87	$49,650	$153,795	$1,241
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	1,920	—	—	$24.17	$50,270	$156,102	$1,257
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	3,040	—	—	$25.02	$52,040	$162,691	$1,301
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	80	—	—	$25.25	$52,520	$164,478	$1,313
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	570	—	—	$27.94	$58,110	$185,286	$1,453
Electricians SOC 47-2111	760	—	—	$28.70	$59,690	$191,167	$1,492
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	1,980	—	—	—	$61,280	$197,085	$1,532
Paramedics SOC 29-2043	100	—	—	$29.80	$61,990	$199,728	$1,550
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	710	—	—	$31.59	$65,700	$213,538	$1,643
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	3,790	—	—	$41.05	$85,380	$286,794	$2,135

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 31101 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.