Should I Move To
Lincoln, Nebraska is a population of 290,531 . Cost of living is affordable — 12% below the national average, with median rent around $998/month and median household income of $67,846. Overall it earns an UrbRank Score of 59/100 (grade C), ranking #177 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Lincoln's composite cost-of-living index sits at 88 (US average = 100), placing it in the affordable tier. At $998/month median rent against $67,846 median household income, residents spend about 18% of household income on rent — well within the 30% rule of thumb. Median home value is $230,400.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Lincoln has a varied climate — summer highs average 87°F and winter lows average 17°F, with 29 inches of precipitation annually. Somewhat walkable — many neighborhoods support daily errands without a car. Crime rates run somewhat higher than the typical US city. Air quality is good (AQI 34).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Lincoln is a moderate fit for families. It earns a Score of 57/100 (grade C) on the families profile. Especially strong on environmental quality (92/100), weakest on climate (15/100).
Lincoln is a less obvious fit for retirees. It earns a Score of 54/100 (grade C-) on the retirees profile. Especially strong on environmental quality (92/100), weakest on climate (15/100).
Lincoln is a moderate fit for remote workers. It earns a Score of 62/100 (grade C+) on the remote workers profile. Especially strong on environmental quality (92/100), weakest on climate (15/100).
Lincoln is a moderate fit for young professionals. It earns a Score of 57/100 (grade C) on the young professionals profile. Especially strong on environmental quality (92/100), weakest on climate (15/100).
Lincoln, Nebraska has an overall UrbRank Score of 59/100 (grade C), ranked #177 nationally. The score is a weighted average across affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Lincoln's cost-of-living index is 88 (US average = 100), so it's affordable — 12% below the national average. Median rent is $998/month.
Lincoln has a varied climate. Summer highs average 87°F and winter lows average 17°F, with 29 inches of annual precipitation.
Lincoln has a Walk Score of 63/100. Somewhat walkable — many neighborhoods support daily errands without a car.
Lincoln has a population of 290,531, with 41% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher and a median age of 33.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Lincoln side-by-side with any other US city — housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality of life metrics displayed together. The leaderboard pages also show how Lincoln ranks for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Lincoln with other Nebraska cities scored on UrbRank.
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