Lincoln and Columbus 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
Lincoln
Columbus
Opportunity
83 · Top 4%
vs79 · Top 10%
Growth
60 · Top 34%
vs64 · Top 23%
Climate
57 · Bottom 9%
vs68 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 23%
vs77 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 5%
vs78 · Top 31%
Access
95 · Bottom 30%
vs99 · Top 22%
Economic stability
64 · Top 17%
vs54 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Lincoln | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 294,856 | 914,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,867 | $66,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,672 | $37,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,916/sq mi | 4,129/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $264,000 | $252,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,086 | $1,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.1% | 44.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.8% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,911 | 6,848 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 7.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.2% | -21.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.3" | 41.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.4 | 33.2 | 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
Lincoln
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, tornado.
Columbus
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Lincoln, NE · Columbus, OH · How this is calculated: methodology