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Lincoln, NE

College town · College teaching jobs 1.9x the U.S. shareGovernment town · 19.5% of jobs are government, including public universities (U.S. 12.1%)

Seward is part of the Lincoln area. This page covers the whole metro.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Lincoln

USCNeb Memorial Stadium
USCNeb Memorial Stadium · Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
and O facing east
and O facing east · Photo: Stack, Public domain
Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska · Photo: NASA Astronaut, Public domain
Aerial view of the old Haymarket and West Haymarket, Lincoln, Nebraska,
Aerial view of the old Haymarket and West Haymarket, Lincoln, Nebraska, · Photo: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0
Arrow Sport, Lincoln Airport, Lincoln, Nebraska,
Arrow Sport, Lincoln Airport, Lincoln, Nebraska, · Photo: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bryan Medical Center East, Lincoln, Nebraska,
Bryan Medical Center East, Lincoln, Nebraska, · Photo: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0
Health St. Elizabeth, Lincoln, Nebraska,
Health St. Elizabeth, Lincoln, Nebraska, · Photo: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0
County City Building, Lincoln, Nebraska,
County City Building, Lincoln, Nebraska, · Photo: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0
Government Square, Lincoln, Nebraska,
Government Square, Lincoln, Nebraska, · Photo: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0
Linc
Lincoln Airport New Terminal
Lincoln Airport New Terminal · Photo: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lincoln Public School District Office , Lincoln, Nebraska,
Lincoln Public School District Office , Lincoln, Nebraska, · Photo: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Where it is
Lincoln
Lincoln in Nebraska
Nebraska in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Lincoln area.

31
grocery stores
198
restaurants
70
coffee shops
200+
parks
200+
playgrounds
15
libraries
6
movie theaters
6
live theaters
12
museums
25
bookstores
1
comic shop
22
gyms
66
bars
22
pharmacies
14
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Lincoln area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
108 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
160 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 54,643 rented homes in the Lincoln area, 95% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 46%
$1,000 to $1,499: 37%
$1,500 to $1,999: 12%
$2,000 to $2,499: 3%
$2,500 to $2,999: 1%
$3,000 or more: 1%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Lincoln area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $2,000 to $2,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Nebraska

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Nebraska DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Nebraska voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

Lincoln Public School District Office , Lincoln, Nebraska,
Lincoln Public School District Office , Lincoln, Nebraska, · Photo: Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0

5 public school districts in this county, with about 47,884 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Lincoln Public Schools · Lincoln
41,850 students · 13.8 students per teacher · 76 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Norris School Dist 160 · Firth
2,483 students · 16.2 students per teacher · 4 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Waverly School District 145 · Waverly
2,165 students · 14.9 students per teacher · 5 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Raymond Central Public Schools · Raymond
742 students · 13.7 students per teacher · 5 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Malcolm Public Schools · Malcolm
644 students · 15 students per teacher · 2 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Nebraska keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$244/week
about $12,700 a year
$150/week
about $7,800 a year
Toddler (2)$226/week
about $11,800 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$205/week
about $10,700 a year
$150/week
about $7,800 a year
School-age$177/week
about $9,200 a year

For an infant at a center: $244/week here, $220 across NE, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 13% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Nebraska →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

6 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Lincoln. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln · Lincoln
Public, 4-year · 23,986 students · $10,108 in-state, $27,748 out-of-state
Southeast Community College Area · Lincoln
Public, 2-year (community college) · 9,799 students · $3,388 in-state, $3,976 out-of-state
Nebraska Wesleyan University · Lincoln
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,690 students · $41,712 a year
Bryan College of Health Sciences · Lincoln
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 746 students · $18,473 a year
Union Adventist University · Lincoln
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 635 students · $27,990 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$302,685
What a typical home sells for across the Lincoln area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 8% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $92 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 91.6 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 3 hr 3 min at rush hour
To downtown Kansas City, MO, 194 miles. About 3 hr 2 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
19 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Homeowners insurance
About $4,553 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in NE. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively High
Hail is a real cost here: roof claims are common and some insurers charge a separate, higher deductible for wind and hail. Covered parking helps protect a car.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
14 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
10.5 per 100,000 people a year
35 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. NE average: 7.8 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 16.3 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 542 people without housing in the Lincoln area: 492 in shelters and 50 outside, up from 499 in 2024. NE: 13.2 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$72,625
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.57% of home value a year
About $1,570 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 4.55%
NE's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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