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Lincoln, NE

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US location · verified

Neighborhood intelligence

Your Lincoln relocation brief

Safety, noise, air quality, true cost, hazard, and commute intelligence for Lincoln.

Median rent

$1,086/mo

ACS 2024 5-year

Median household income

$71,867

ACS 2024 5-year

Median home value

$264,000

ACS 2024 5-year

Safety score

55/100

FBI CDE

Weather

62°F (H 70° / L 54°)

Open-Meteo

Buying in Lincoln? Check current mortgage rates early — before you fall in love with a ZIP.

Safety & Crime Index

55/100

FBI CDE

Typical urban safety profile — 16% above average FBI data, 2023–2024

Good

Noise Level

48 dB — Quiet Suburb

Open-Meteo

Open-Meteo 16-day avg 62°F

Quiet — Low environmental index

Environmental / Air Quality

AQI 35 — Good

Open-Meteo

Low pollen & dust baseline · wind index 79 (100 = avg)

Good / Low Pollen

Neighborhood guide

Living in Lincoln NE

Lincoln is one of the more affordable options in its region at $1,086/month typical rent. Safety scores 55/100.

Lincoln has about 294,856 residents. Scores below are citywide. Your ZIP can land better or worse on rent and crime.

Is Lincoln NE Safe?

Lincoln NE scores 55/100 on safety (below average). Crime is about 16% above the national average. Expect more property crime (car break-ins, package theft) than a quiet suburb.

Detail: overall crime index 116 (100 = avg); violent crime index 98; property crime index 133. Indexes near 100 track a typical U.S. load. Higher means more crime pressure on that category.

Schools in Lincoln NE

School quality varies by neighborhood in Lincoln. Check GreatSchools.org or your local district for current ratings before you choose a ZIP.

Cost of Living in Lincoln NE

Typical rent in Lincoln is about $1,086/month (affordable). At $1,086/month for a typical unit, you need about $39,096+ in household income to rent comfortably without stretching (3× rent × 12). Typical home value: $264,000.

Median household income is $71,867, property taxes run about 1.45%, and homes typically sell in around 28 days. Local median income ($71,867) clears the $39,096 comfort line for that rent.

Walk Score 68 (Somewhat Walkable); transit score 42 (Some Transit).

Weather and Climate in Lincoln NE

Average temperature is about 62°F (highs near 70°F, lows near 54°F).

You can be outside most of the year without extreme gear. Heating and cooling costs are usually moderate compared with hotter or colder metros. If you visit, go in winter or midsummer (not only in spring) to see the extremes.

Who Should Move to Lincoln NE?

Who tends to thrive in Lincoln: (1) Renters who want $1,086/month housing without coastal prices (comfort income is about $39,096) (2) Households earning $39,096+ who can clear the 3× rent rule at $1,086/month (3) Movers with a locked job offer in Lincoln who already priced rent and commute (4) Buyers comparing mid-size metros who will tour multiple ZIPs before signing

Who should look elsewhere: (1) People with young kids who want to let them roam freely (crime pressure is real here; safety 55/100) (2) Households expecting top marks on rent and safety at once (Lincoln does not clear every bar) (3) People who will not research ZIP-level crime maps before leasing

Income sniff test: clear about $39,096 household income for $1,086/month rent. Under that, pick a cheaper ZIP or a different city.

Bottom Line

Lincoln scores 55/100 on safety with $1,086/month typical rent. Run the numbers against your income before committing.

Next steps

Tools for your move

Quotes and listings for Lincoln when you're ready to act.

Relocation deep-dive

Before you sign anything

True ownership costs, insurance hazards, and commute math for Lincoln.

True Cost Matrix

Property tax trajectories and climate-adjusted utility estimates

Monthly carrying cost

$1,843

Mortgage + tax + insurance + HOA

Annual property tax

$3,828

Annual est. $5,580

Est. monthly utilities

$592

Climate-adjusted electric, gas & water

Median home price

$264,000

ACS 2024 5-year

Home price trend

5-year median sale price

+11.2% · 5 yr
$237k
2022
$244k
2023
$250k
2024
$257k
2025
$264k
2026

Modeled from +14.2% cumulative appreciation · median sale price by year

Rent vs buy index

Estimated monthly cost comparison

Renting saves ~$757/mo vs buying
$1,086ACS 2024 5-year
Rent
$1,843
Buy

Mortgage

$1,335

Property tax

$319

Insurance

$94

HOA

$95

Buy estimate: 20% down, 30-yr fixed at 6.5% APR · taxes, insurance & HOA included

Property tax trajectory

Effective rate and estimated annual bill on median home

2023

1.33%

$3,503/yr

2024

1.37%

$3,608/yr

2025

1.41%

$3,717/yr

2026

1.45%

$3,828/yr

Buying in Lincoln? See current mortgage rates in minutes.

Disaster & Insurance Risk

Flood zone exposure and average insurance premium impacts

Flood zone

Zone X — minimal flood risk

moderate exposure

Wildfire hazard index

102 (100 = avg)

moderate exposure

Est. annual homeowners insurance

$1,131/yr

moderate exposure
Wind hazard index79 (100 = avg)
Tornado index—
Earthquake index—
Insurance trendTypical near-term temperature around 62°F

Flood and wind exposure can materially affect premiums — verify FEMA maps and carrier quotes before closing. Estimated annual homeowners insurance: $1,131.

Custom Commute Calculator

Work address, MPG, and toll footprint estimates

Work commute & expense calculator

Monthly gas and toll footprint from Lincoln to your workplace

One-way drive

~24 min

At ~30 mph average

Monthly fuel

$66

18.9 gal · 22 days

Monthly tolls

$0

Round-trip toll estimate

Monthly total

$66

Gas + tolls · 48 min/day

Annual footprint

$792

Commute-only estimate

✓ Data sourced from U.S. Census Bureau, HUD, FBI & Open-Meteo