Lincoln receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Omaha
Lincoln
Opportunity
85 · Top 2%
vs83 · Top 4%
Growth
60 · Top 37%
vs60 · Top 34%
Climate
59 · Bottom 17%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 38%
vs75 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 3%
vs92 · Top 5%
Access
97 · Bottom 49%
vs95 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
62 · Top 24%
vs64 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Omaha | Lincoln | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 488,837 | 294,856 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,201 | $71,867 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,638 | $39,672 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,420/sq mi | 2,916/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $245,500 | $264,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,187 | $1,086 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 56.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.1% | 41.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,487 | 1,911 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.1 | 6.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -11.5% | -12.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 20.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 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
Omaha
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, heat wave.
Lincoln
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Omaha, NE · Lincoln, NE · How this is calculated: methodology