City profile · Nebraska · Census ACS 2023

Lincoln, NE

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lincoln - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

291,932
Residents
$69,991
Median income
$248,200
Median home
$1,141
Median rent (state)

Lincoln - the verdict

Lincoln ranks in the 49th percentile for household income and the 18th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

49th
percentile, household income
55th
percentile, home value
32nd
percentile, median rent
18th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lincoln, NE

291,932 people live in Lincoln, Nebraska - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Lincoln households earn a median of $69,991 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.3%. Typical homes in Lincoln are valued around $248,200, and the median resident age is 33.4 years. 41.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 67.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 1,730 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier. Lincoln's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2793.7 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 51.5°F with 29.5 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Nebraska run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Nebraska at 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,141 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $207 across Nebraska, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Lincoln report an average commute of 16.5 minutes, with 75.7% driving alone and 10.0% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 90.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

291,932 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Nebraska

Median Household Income

$69,991 /yr

Poverty 7.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Nebraska average

How does Lincoln compare to other US cities?

Lincoln measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 49% higher than other cities
Home value 55% pricier than other cities
Median rent 32% pricier than other cities
Safety 18% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Nebraska and the picture shifts: Lincoln ranks #41 of 44 Nebraska cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Lincoln's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Nebraska, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

49thIncome percentile
18thSafety percentile

49th percentile nationally for median household income · 18th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lincoln's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lincoln's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 41 Avg. percentile National median
Lincoln's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Lincoln's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$248,200 45th percentile more affordable than 45% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lincoln $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lincoln, NE Lincoln, NE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lincoln, NE-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lincoln, NE median $69,991/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lincoln, NE's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lincoln, NE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 41.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
291,932
Median Income
$69,991
Median Home Value
$248,200
Median Age
33.4
Poverty Rate
7.3%
Labor force participation
67.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
41.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2793.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
347.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2445.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
51.5°F
Annual Precipitation
29.5"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
66
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
290,000 residents295,000 residents300,000 residents305,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 291,852 residents 301,522 residents ▲ +3.3%
Lincoln's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
1,730
housing units authorized
Single-Family
937
detached homes
Multifamily
793
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,727
2020 1,742
2021 2,320
2022 3,122
2023 1,981
2024 1,730

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.5 minutes
Drive Alone
75.7%
Carpool
8.6%
Public Transit
0.9%
Walk
3.2%
Work from Home
10.0%
Other
1.6%

Based on 156,772 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Nebraska - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$207
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Nebraska state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Nebraska state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lincoln sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,141/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
90.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Nebraska

Omaha
488,197 people
Bellevue
64,355 people
Grand Island
52,761 people
Kearney
34,024 people
Fremont
27,321 people
Norfolk
25,962 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lincoln's 291,932 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

St. Louis, MO
293,109 people
Jersey City, NJ
289,691 people
Anchorage, AK
289,069 people
Durham, NC
288,465 people
Plano, TX
287,339 people
Greensboro, NC
298,564 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lincoln's $69,991 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Swanton, OH
$69,985 median income
Steele, AL
$70,000 median income
Kasigluk, AK
$70,000 median income
Crawfordsville, AR
$70,000 median income
Norman, AR
$70,000 median income
Bethlehem, GA
$70,000 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lincoln, NE Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lincoln, NE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.9% 7.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.8% White 80.9% Black or African American 4.2% Asian 4.5% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 2.3% Two or more races 7.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lincoln compares to nearby Nebraska cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lincoln (this city) 291,932 $69,991
Omaha 488,197 $72,708
Bellevue 64,355 $87,343
Grand Island 52,761 $62,439
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NE FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lincoln, NE?

What is the population of Lincoln, NE? +

The population of Lincoln, NE stands at 291,932 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lincoln, NE? +

In Lincoln, the typical household earns $69,991 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lincoln? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lincoln; the closest available measure is the Nebraska state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Nebraska vary by metro area.

Is Lincoln, NE safe? +

Lincoln has a total crime rate of 2793.7 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Lincoln, NE? +

The median home value in Lincoln is $248,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Lincoln? +

Lincoln has an average annual temperature of 51.5°F, 29.5 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.