68506 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
68506
68521
Opportunity
81 · Top 7%
vs77 · Top 11%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
59 · Bottom 10%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 30%
vs75 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs83 · Top 46%
Schools
77 · Top 17%
vs46 · Bottom 42%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
64 · Top 43%
vs67 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 68506 | 68521 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,531 | 37,050 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,637 | $67,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,058 | $35,106 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,936/sq mi | 2,814/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $258,600 | $252,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,180 | $1,231 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.3% | 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 | 47.0% | 33.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 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 | 87°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.3" | 29.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 20.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.3 | 33.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.81 | 13.80 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 57.4% | 39.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 64.0% | 46.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.5% | 45.4% | 2024-25 school 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
68506
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
68521
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
Full profiles: 68506 — Lincoln, NE · 68521 — Lincoln, NE · How this is calculated: methodology