Lincoln appears affordable relative to its own citywide benchmarks: median gross rent ($1,086) represents about 18% of median monthly household income ($5,989), well below the 30% affordability threshold. Median home value ($264,000) is roughly 3.7 times median annual income, within a range often considered manageable. However, the uniform non-housing calculator baseline of $1,250 per month exceeds median gross rent, suggesting other costs may affect overall affordability.
Lincoln at a glance
What the default budget models
A one-person renting household begins with a modeled annual core-cost baseline of $28,032. It combines the ACS median gross-rent estimate with a uniform $1,250 monthly non-housing baseline. State income tax is excluded until a current official reference is approved; the calculator labels that limitation instead of guessing.
| 2024 ACS population estimate | 294,856 |
| 2024 ACS median household income | $71,867 |
| 2024 ACS median gross rent | $1,086 |
| 2024 ACS median owner-occupied home value | $264,000 |
| Derived one-way commute estimate | 20 minutes |
| State-tax treatment | Excluded — official reference pending |
| Rent-to-income reference | 18% |
The trade-off
Relative strength: Rent-to-income ratio is favorable at ~18%.. Watch closely: lower housing costs may reflect tradeoffs in job quality or amenities not captured in acs data..
Compare Lincoln
Frequently asked questions
Is Lincoln Nebraska affordable for renters?
Based on 2024 ACS data, median gross rent of $1,086 per month is about 18% of median monthly household income ($5,989), indicating favorable rent affordability relative to income. This is below the common 30% benchmark for housing cost burden.
How does Lincoln's home value compare to income?
The median owner-occupied home value of $264,000 is approximately 3.7 times the median annual household income of $71,867. This ratio suggests homeownership may be accessible for many residents, though individual circumstances vary and the ACS does not assess mortgage qualification or lending standards.
Source ledger
Every production input below is retained with its publisher and dataset. The ACS figures are five-year estimates, not live listings or guarantees.
- PopulationU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B01003
- Median household incomeU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B19013
- Median gross rentU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B25064
- Median owner-occupied home valueU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B25077
- Commute-time distributionU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B08303
Interpretation: The ACS 2024 five-year estimates generally summarize observations across 2020–2024. The commute number is a weighted midpoint estimate from table B08303. State income tax is not included in the modeled take-home result. Verify a current address, quote, commute, and tax situation before making a decision.