Living in Auburn, NE
Nemaha County
Auburn is the Nemaha County seat in real, genuinely southeastern Nebraska, formed in 1882 by the merger of the railroad towns of Calvert and Sheridan and carrying a real, disclosed local nickname -- 'the Pacemaker City' -- with a population running approximately 3,468 as of a 2026 estimate. Auburn's own housing runs genuinely affordable, with figures ranging from approximately $105,000 to $150,000 depending on measure, both well below Nebraska's own statewide figures, even as Auburn runs as the relatively priciest city within Nemaha County itself. Auburn's own 1.87% effective property tax rate (Ownwell) runs above both the national median and Nebraska's own statewide anchor, and above Nemaha County's own broader average, producing a $1,522 median annual tax bill. Auburn's economy is anchored by a real, disclosed manufacturing base (its largest employment sector by headcount) alongside its historical identity as a railroad town, though Auburn's own median household income and poverty-rate figures run notably below and above, respectively, Nebraska's own statewide figures -- a genuine cost-of-living trade-off this record discloses honestly.
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Learn moreHousing
Taxes
Not independently sourced at the Nemaha County level this session. Nebraska's top state income tax rate is 4.55%. See the Nebraska hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Auburn-specific.
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Get local guidanceThe tradeoffs
Pros
Genuinely affordable housing well below Nebraska's own statewide figures; a real, disclosed manufacturing-anchored local economy; a distinct railroad-town history and local identity as 'the Pacemaker City'; and Nebraska's comparatively moderate, currently phasing-down income tax with full Social Security and military-retirement exemptions.
Cons
Auburn's own 1.87% effective property tax rate runs above both the national and Nebraska statewide medians, and above Nemaha County's own broader average; Auburn's own median household income runs notably below Nebraska's statewide figure with a real, disclosed comparatively high poverty rate; and a complete current named-employer list and the current status of several historically named manufacturers were not confirmed this pass.
Who this fits
Best for: Best fits budget-conscious movers drawn to a small, manufacturing-anchored southeastern Nebraska county seat with genuinely low home prices, comfortable weighing an above-average local property tax rate and confirming current employer specifics directly.
Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for movers prioritizing a low property tax bill specifically -- Auburn's own rate runs above both the national and Nebraska statewide medians -- or anyone needing a large, diversified local job market or reliable nearby major-airport access.
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