M. B. Quivey House · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0Measured against area pay, Mitchell costs less to live in than 68% of U.S. towns
Up 5.1% in a year, 23% below the Nebraska typical home.
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of the Scottsbluff, NE micro area ($64K). How TownRatings grades cost of living
Only 1 sale in September 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value is the steadier guide.
The grade compares costs with what households across the Scottsbluff-area micro earn ($64K, Census 2020–24). The typical home costs 1.9 years of area income, and 41% of renters pay 30% or more of income for housing.
In dollars
- $215Ktypical home, 23% below the Nebraska typical homeZillow, September 2026
- $1,080a month for a two-bedroom, utilities includedHUD Fair Market Rent, 2026
In paychecks the grade
- 1.9 yrsof area income buys the typical home; the typical U.S. town: 3.3$64K, Scottsbluff-area income
- 18%of area income goes to the median rent; the typical U.S. town: 18%Census 2020–24
- 41%of renters pay 30%+ of income for housing; across Nebraska: 45%Census 2020–24
- 20%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
What stands out about housing in Mitchell
What’s behind Mitchell’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Mitchell is more affordable than 68% of U.S. towns. The share of households paying 30%+ for housing pulls the grade down most; home prices hold it up.
Values have outpaced Nebraska: the typical Mitchell home is up 36.5% in five years, against 26.1% statewide (Zillow).
Up 36.5% in five years
Faster than Nebraska (26.1%).
Show as a table
| January | Mitchell | Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $115,000 | $155,000 |
| 2018 | $121,000 | $165,000 |
| 2019 | $124,000 | $174,000 |
| 2020 | $134,000 | $185,000 |
| 2021 | $145,000 | $203,000 |
| 2022 | $160,000 | $225,000 |
| 2023 | $176,000 | $245,000 |
| 2024 | $184,000 | $257,000 |
| 2025 | $196,000 | $267,000 |
| 2026 | $210,000 | $275,000 |
| September 2026 | $215,000 | $278,000 |
A typical Mitchell home worth $115K in October 2016 is worth about $215K today.
Zillow Home Value Index: the typical value of all homes (middle third), smoothed and seasonally adjusted, through September 2026.
A typical home costs 1.9 years of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Mitchell’s own median, or type yours.
That covers a typical Mitchell home, with $18K to spare.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,080 a month here, $300 less than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, Mitchell’s typical property tax (1.39% of value a year, from the Census) and insurance of about 0.35%. Mortgage insurance, HOA fees and other debts aren’t included.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,080
Renters already here pay a median of $953, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Fair Market Rent a month, utilities included
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (Scotts Bluff County, NE): the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent and renters: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
No new homes permitted in 2025
No permits for new homes were issued in Mitchell in 2025. The last year with any was 2015 (1 new home).
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Mitchell's population fell by 154 even though 1 new home was permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. Across Nebraska: 1.8 new residents per new home.
Every year as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $160,000 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $134,000 |
| 2008 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $145,000 |
| 2007 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $853,000 |
| 2006 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $319,000 |
| 2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $185,000 |
| 2002 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $210,000 |
| 2001 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $233,000 |
| 2000 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $237,000 |
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey.
Property tax runs below the Nebraska norm
The median bill is $1,703 (Nebraska: $3,549), 1.39% of a home’s value a year, against 1.49% statewide.
Census American Community Survey 2020–24: the median real-estate tax bill homeowners report, and that bill ÷ the median home value. Bills include town, school and county taxes. The Census reports bills over $10,000 only as “$10,000+”.
Mitchell and its neighbors
One source per column.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, September 2026 | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell | B+ | $215K | $122K | 1.39% | $1,080 |
Questions about the cost of living in Mitchell
Is Mitchell expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Mitchell costs less than 68% of U.S. towns: a B+ for cost of living. The typical home costs 1.9 years of the median household income of the Scottsbluff, NE micro area ($64K).
How much does a house cost in Mitchell?
About $215K, Zillow’s typical value for September 2026, up 5.1% in a year. The Nebraska typical home is $278K.
What salary do you need to live in Mitchell?
To buy the typical home with 20% down at 6.3%, about $59,000 a year, keeping the payment (about $1,380 a month with tax and insurance) at 28% of income. To rent a two-bedroom at 30% of income, about $43,000.
How much is rent in Mitchell?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $1,080 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already here pay a median of $953 (Census 2020–24).
What are property taxes in Mitchell?
The median bill is $1,703 a year, 1.39% of the median home value (Nebraska: $3,549, 1.49%), from the Census 2020–24.
Are home prices in Mitchell going up?
Yes: up 5.1% in the past year and 36.5% in five years, against 26.1% across Nebraska (Zillow).
Neighbors talk housing
What Mitchell buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, September 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, September 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The calculator is an estimate, not a loan offer. Regional price levels: BEA; electricity: EIA. How TownRatings grades cost of living.