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Nebraska: homes, climate zones and who licenses the work

Nebraska has 863,000 housing units. 57.2% were built before 1980, and the median year built is 1975. 66.5% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners.

How old the homes are

Nebraska housing units, by year built

Layers drawn to scale

Nebraska housing units by year built 57.2% of Nebraska housing units were built before 1980 and 42.8% in 1980 or later. 2020 or later: 1.8%; 2010–2019: 9.5%; 2000–2009: 11.6%; 1990–1999: 10.4%; 1980–1989: 9.5%; 1970–1979: 14.9%; 1960–1969: 10.3%; 1950–1959: 9.0%; 1940–1949: 4.3%; 1939 or earlier: 18.7%. Before 1980 57.2% 1980 or later 42.8% 2020 or later 1.8% 2010–2019 9.5% 2000–2009 11.6% 1990–1999 10.4% 1980–1989 9.5% 1970–1979 14.9% 1960–1969 10.3% 1950–1959 9.0% 1940–1949 4.3% 1939 or earlier 18.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25034, B25035 and B25003; heating fuel below from B25040.

Age changes what applies to a house. In general, anyone paid to do work that disturbs painted surfaces in a home built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices under the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, which the EPA administers directly in Nebraska.

How homes are heated

How homes in Nebraska are heated

Main heating fuel, share of about 798,000 occupied homes

  • Utility gas 59.2%
  • Electricity 31.5%
  • Propane or other tank gas 7.0%
  • Wood 0.8%
  • Other fuel 0.6%
  • No fuel used 0.4%
  • Fuel oil or kerosene 0.3%
  • Solar energy <0.1%
  • Coal or coke <0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table B25040 (occupied housing units).

Climate and building zones

The 2021 International Energy Conservation Code assigns every county a climate zone from 1 to 8 and a moisture regime: A for moist, B for dry, C for marine. Zones 7 and 8 have no letter. Here is how Nebraska's residents divide among them, by the county they live in.

IECC 2021 zoneShare of residentsCounties
5A100%93

ENERGY STAR rates windows, doors and skylights for four climate zones of its own. All of Nebraska falls in the Northern zone.

By NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, counties here average 143 days a year with a low of 32°F or colder, weighted by where people live. The range runs from 131 days in the mildest county to 208 in the coldest.

Flood risk and flood insurance

0.7% of residential structures in Nebraska carry a National Flood Insurance Program policy: 5,587 policies, in FEMA's count as of August 3, 2026.

In FEMA's National Risk Index, 1 of 93 counties rates high or very high for riverine flooding.

Fire ants and termites

No county in Nebraska is inside the federal imported fire ant quarantine.

Who licenses the work in Nebraska

Before anyone starts work, check the license with the agency below. Where the state does not license a trade, cities and counties may; ask the one where the house is.

Checked 2026-09-29. Licensing rules change; the agency's own page is the authority.

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25034, B25035, B25040 and B25003 data.census.gov
  2. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Guide to Determining Climate Zone by County: Building America and IECC 2021 Updates basc.pnnl.gov
  3. U.S. Department of Energy Prototype Building Models (climate zones 1–8 and moisture regimes A, B, C) energycodes.gov
  4. ENERGY STAR Climate zones by county for windows, doors and skylights energystar.gov
  5. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual and seasonal ncei.noaa.gov
  6. Federal Emergency Management Agency OpenFEMA NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (as of 2026-08-03) fema.gov
  7. Federal Emergency Management Agency National Risk Index, county ratings fema.gov
  8. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Imported fire ant quarantine map aphis.usda.gov
  9. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations 7 CFR part 301, subpart P, Imported Fire Ant ecfr.gov
  10. Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Program nda.nebraska.gov nda.nebraska.gov
  11. Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Program nda.nebraska.gov nda.nebraska.gov
  12. Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Program npic.orst.edu npic.orst.edu
  13. Nebraska Department of Labor onestop.nebraska.gov onestop.nebraska.gov
  14. Nebraska Department of Labor nebraskalegislature.gov nebraskalegislature.gov
  15. Nebraska Department of Labor dol.nebraska.gov dol.nebraska.gov
  16. dhhs.ne.gov dhhs.ne.gov dhhs.ne.gov
  17. epa.gov epa.gov epa.gov