Lincoln, NE
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
moderate
Price to income
3.52×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Nebraska
- 2.99×
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
18.7%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Nebraska
- 19.8%-1.0
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%-4.6
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
tight
Cap rate proxy
3.46%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Nebraska
- 4.30%
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
shrinking
Net migration
-0.08%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Nebraska
- -0.08%=
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
strong
Permit pipeline
7.07
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Nebraska
- 6.76+0.31
- vs U.S.
- 3.52+3.55
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
very tight labor market
Unemployment
2.8%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Nebraska
- 3.2%-0.4
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%-1.1
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+49.5%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+3.5%
Median home value
$257,500
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $926 | $11,112 | 15.2% |
| 2 BR | $1,141 | $13,692 | 18.7% |
| 3 BR | $1,587 | $19,044 | 26.1% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
2.8%
Median household income
$73,095
What's being built
Total TTM
2,402
+76.0% YoY
Single-family
1,026
2–4 unit
12
5+ unit
1,364
All 2 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County | 322,063 | $258,900 | $72,625 | 2,354 | +78.5% |
| Seward County | 17,644 | $232,400 | $81,122 | 48 |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Lincoln | 339,707 | $73,095 | 3.52× | 3.46% | +49.5% | 7.07 | 2.8% |
| Green Bay, WI | 328,011 | $77,459 | — | — | +65.9% | — | 2.7% |
| Rockford, IL | 338,050 | $66,571 | — | — | +67.4% | — | 6.2% |
| Evansville, IN-KY | 313,961 | $67,671 | — | — | +46.5% | — | 2.6% |
| Roanoke, VA | 314,708 | $67,447 | — | — | +60.9% | — | 3.3% |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 322,949 | $66,210 | — | — | +61.4% | — | 3.7% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
-272
-0.08% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Douglas County, NE | 690 |
| Sarpy County, NE | 222 |
| Seward County, NE | 180 |
| Hall County, NE | 174 |
| Lancaster County, NE | 172 |
| Saline County, NE | 158 |
Who lives in Lincoln
- Median age
- 34
- Bachelor's+
- 40.6%
- Owner-occupancy
- 59.5%
- Vacancy rate
- 4.5%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 43.2%
- Median household income
- $73,095
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.