Lincoln, NE
Census place 3128000 · pop 294,856
Nebraska's capital and home to the University of Nebraska's Cornhuskers and their sold-out Memorial Stadium.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2484 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.52% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
362 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
56.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.45 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
93/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
12.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$71,867 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
35.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
9.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$264,000 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+3.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
92.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
41 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
41.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
21.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
15.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,348/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
18 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Frequently asked
- Is Lincoln, NE a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Lincoln scores 56/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is property crime rate. Nebraska overall ranks #12 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Lincoln, NE?
- Lincoln reports 362 violent crimes per 100k and 2484 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Lincoln, NE expensive to live in?
- Lincoln has a median home value of $264,000 and typical rent around $1,348/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Lincoln, NE?
- Its weakest measured area is property crime rate (2484/100k) — 19/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Lincoln, NE best at?
- Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.4%) — 96/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Nebraska's capital and home to the University of Nebraska's Cornhuskers and their sold-out Memorial Stadium.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.