Kansas City and Lincoln receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Kansas City
Lincoln
Opportunity
79 · Top 9%
vs83 · Top 4%
Growth
60 · Top 35%
vs60 · Top 34%
Climate
66 · Bottom 36%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 23%
vs75 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 16%
vs92 · Top 5%
Access
94 · Bottom 28%
vs95 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
55 · Top 48%
vs64 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Kansas City | Lincoln | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 510,612 | 294,856 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,166 | $71,867 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,393 | $39,672 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,623/sq mi | 2,916/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $242,900 | $264,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,238 | $1,086 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.4% | 56.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.5% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.4% | 41.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.6% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,341 | 1,911 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.6 | 6.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 8.8% | -12.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.1" | 29.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 20.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 33.4 | 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
Kansas City
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Lincoln
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Kansas City
74
Your Score
75
Area Score
Lincoln
75
Your Score
76
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Kansas City, MO · Lincoln, NE · How this is calculated: methodology