68502 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
68502
68521
Opportunity
79 · Top 9%
vs77 · Top 10%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 30%
vs75 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 13%
vs83 · Top 39%
Access
95 · Bottom 49%
vs95 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
62 · Top 46%
vs67 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 68502 | 68521 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,846 | 37,050 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,523 | $67,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,066 | $35,106 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,874/sq mi | 2,814/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $227,300 | $252,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $850 | $1,231 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.6% | 57.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.4% | 33.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 13.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,911 | 1,911 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 6.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.2% | -12.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.3" | 29.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 20.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.4 | 33.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
68502
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
68521
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
Full profiles: 68502 — Lincoln, NE · 68521 — Lincoln, NE · How this is calculated: methodology