68506 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
68521
68506
Opportunity
77 · Top 10%
vs81 · Top 7%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 30%
vs75 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 39%
vs90 · Top 25%
Access
95 · Bottom 49%
vs95 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs64 · Top 43%
Measured values
| Metric | 68521 | 68506 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,050 | 27,531 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,483 | $72,637 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,106 | $43,058 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,814/sq mi | 3,936/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $252,800 | $258,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,231 | $1,180 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.8% | 64.3% | 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 | 33.6% | 47.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 10.9% | 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 | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.3" | 32.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 20.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.0 | 41.3 | 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
68521
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
68506
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
Full profiles: 68521 — Lincoln, NE · 68506 — Lincoln, NE · How this is calculated: methodology