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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Merrick County, Nebraska

Merrick County has an effective property tax rate of 1.30%. On the median home value of $175,900, that's roughly $2,280 per year. Median household income is $68,354.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
1.30%
median tax $2,280 ÷ median home $175,900
Median Home Value1
$175,900
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$68,354
per-capita $37,170
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$2,280
at 1.30% effective rate

What you'll pay, at a glance

Property taxes are the largest local tax most homeowners pay. The effective rate measures the real tax bill as a share of home value — a more useful number than the nominal “mill rate,” because assessment practices vary county to county.

MetricMerrick CountyNebraska (state context)
Effective property tax rate11.30%1.27%
Median home value1$175,900—
State income tax3top rate 4.55%top rate 4.55%
State sales tax36.98% combined6.98% combined

How this is calculated

The effective property tax rate is the median real-estate tax bill divided by the median home value — both for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-year estimates)1. Median income is also from the ACS1. Federal and state income-tax figures use IRS2 and Tax Foundation3 data.

About Merrick County, NE

In Merrick County, Nebraska, where Central City is the largest community, a median home value of $175,900 comes with an annual property tax bill of about $2,280. That works out to an effective rate of 1.296%, which sits above Nebraska's statewide median of 1.267% and places the county 40th among the state's 93 counties. Buyers comparing costs against the national median rate of 0.794% will find taxes here steeper than the country as a whole, though the lower home prices offset some of that difference. Household income in the county averages $68,354, and per-capita income reaches $37,170, giving a sense of what residents can absorb alongside a mortgage. For anyone weighing a move to Silver Creek, Archer, or Central City, the combination of affordable home values and somewhat elevated rates shapes the overall cost of owning property here.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Merrick County, NE?
The effective rate is 1.30% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 1.30% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($175,900), the estimated annual bill is about $2,280.
Is Merrick County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 1.27% and the national average near 1.1%.
How does the effective rate differ from my mill rate?
A mill rate is the nominal levy per $1,000 of assessed value. The effective rate reflects what you actually pay after exemptions and assessments — it's the median tax bill as a share of median home value, so it better predicts your real cost.
Will a reassessment raise my tax bill?
Not necessarily. If your home's assessed value rises, your bill can go up, but only if the mill rate and exemptions stay flat. Contact the Merrick County assessor's office to review your current assessment.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment?
Yes. Most counties allow an appeal when you believe the assessed value exceeds the market value. File with the Merrick County assessor within the local deadline, typically with comparable sales as evidence.
Sources
[1] U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2023) — Median home value (B25077), median real-estate taxes (B25103), median household income (B19013), per-capita income (B19301).
[2] IRS — Statistics of Income — County income, AGI, and real-estate taxes paid.
[3] Tax Foundation — State income, sales, corporate, and estate/inheritance tax rates.