Jobs, pay and daily life in Lincoln, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Lincoln is a city in Nebraska with 294,856 residents. The median household earns $71,867 a year and the median rent is $1,086 a month, which is 18.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Lincoln, NE metropolitan area, where BLS counts 182,620 jobs.
How Lincoln compares. Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, Lincoln is #2 by population, #4 for college degrees (#1 = most), #36 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #7 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Lancaster County, is #6 of 93 counties for average pay ($59,332).
Lincoln has 294,856 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 14.9% of the population of Nebraska. It covers 101 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,916 people per square mile. The median age is 33.4, 10% younger than the state median (33.4 against 37.2).
The median gross rent is $1,086 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($1,086 against $1,072). Over a year that is 18.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $264,000, which is 3.7 times the median household income ($71,867); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 56.1% of households own their home, 16% below the state average (56.1% against 66.5%).
The Lincoln, NE metropolitan area has 182,620 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,800 a year, about the same as the national median ($49,800 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (20,970 jobs, median $45,180); food preparation and serving related (17,370 jobs, median $31,200); sales and related (14,660 jobs, median $36,700). The area is most specialised in personal care and service (1.5 times) and production (1.1 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($104,990) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($85,660). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lancaster County was 2.3%. 69.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lancaster County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.9% drive alone, 0.8% use public transit, 3.5% walk, 11.4% work from home. 6.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 12% below the state average (6.2% against 7.0%).
41.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 21% above the state share (41.8% against 34.6%). 9.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 17% above the state share (9.4% against 8.0%). The poverty rate is 12.7%, 20% above the state rate (12.7% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 78°F (25.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 24°F (-4.2°C). About 751 mm (30 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (126 mm) and Jan the driest (17 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Waverly (10 miles, similar rent); Crete (19 miles, rent 14% lower); Seward (23 miles, rent 6% lower); Wahoo (28 miles, rent 16% lower). Rent differences are against Lincoln; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →State guide: NebraskaCountry guideLancaster CountyNebraska rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 294 federal postings open in Nebraska (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Nebraska →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 5,950 | 1.31 | $28,510 | $28,080 | $36,490 | -9% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 4,530 | 1.87 | $81,790 | $47,950 | $81,790 | +39% |
| Registered Nurses | 4,200 | 1.06 | $87,530 | $64,280 | $104,010 | -10% |
| Retail Salespersons | 4,080 | 0.89 | $30,990 | $28,080 | $45,130 | -12% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,680 | 0.89 | $92,780 | $50,070 | $199,020 | -12% |
| Cashiers | 3,240 | 0.89 | $30,690 | $28,240 | $36,440 | -7% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 2,890 | 1.44 | $47,230 | $37,440 | $60,830 | -1% |
| Nursing Assistants | 2,630 | 1.55 | $38,650 | $37,060 | $48,310 | -9% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 2,620 | 0.79 | $35,820 | $28,360 | $43,700 | -4% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,540 | 0.83 | $41,430 | $31,750 | $58,180 | -7% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,520 | 0.95 | $36,080 | $28,080 | $60,980 | +2% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,420 | 0.48 | $35,500 | $30,160 | $41,900 | -1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,260 | 0.87 | $36,730 | $29,940 | $45,210 | -0% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 2,130 | 1.25 | $65,170 | $46,850 | $108,070 | -22% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 2,070 | 1.26 | $40,100 | $34,450 | $58,760 | -10% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,980 | 0.57 | $40,450 | $31,960 | $52,140 | +1% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,930 | 0.67 | $37,550 | $28,450 | $49,550 | -17% |
| Childcare Workers | 1,920 | 3.15 | $29,860 | $28,080 | $37,220 | -15% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,850 | 1.09 | $61,590 | $45,800 | $85,500 | -11% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 1,660 | 1.03 | $47,930 | $32,240 | $61,440 | -5% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Managers | 1,010 | 1.02 | $131,150 | $81,300 | $221,970 | -21% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,110 | 1.40 | $130,340 | $96,040 | $205,170 | -26% |
| Sales Managers | 560 | 0.75 | $120,430 | $63,700 | $233,710 | -19% |
| Managers, All Other | 680 | 0.93 | $111,440 | $62,860 | $171,430 | -21% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 600 | 0.86 | $106,640 | $73,640 | $173,990 | -14% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 550 | 1.77 | $104,860 | $68,250 | $172,560 | -8% |
| Software Developers | 1,530 | 0.77 | $101,690 | $66,870 | $157,780 | -25% |
| Lawyers | 820 | 0.92 | $101,300 | $65,970 | $175,470 | -37% |
| Construction Managers | 600 | 1.35 | $99,060 | $63,160 | $160,540 | -14% |
| Civil Engineers | 530 | 1.22 | $95,560 | $64,240 | $135,760 | -5% |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 510 | 0.65 | $93,680 | $62,660 | $95,030 | +23% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,680 | 0.89 | $92,780 | $50,070 | $199,020 | -12% |
| Registered Nurses | 4,200 | 1.06 | $87,530 | $64,280 | $104,010 | -10% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 650 | 1.07 | $87,500 | $57,280 | $126,360 | -17% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 4,530 | 1.87 | $81,790 | $47,950 | $81,790 | +39% |
| Compliance Officers | 1,400 | 2.85 | $78,850 | $49,940 | $122,530 | -2% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 1,020 | 1.07 | $77,270 | $51,730 | $102,310 | -3% |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | 700 | 1.84 | $76,970 | $55,650 | $103,260 | -1% |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | 560 | 0.97 | $76,480 | $41,650 | $113,740 | +29% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 1,080 | 1.36 | $75,310 | $50,890 | $104,790 | +1% |
These figures are for the whole Lincoln, NE metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,800 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.2% |
| Retail trade | 10.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.1% |
| Manufacturing | 9.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 8.0% |
| Public administration | 6.5% |
| Construction | 5.6% |
| Other services | 4.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Information | 1.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.1% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Lincoln lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County | 326,696 | $28,815 million | $88,202 | 175,346 | 9,853 | $59,332 | +1.1% | 2.3% | 189,580 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 26,116 | 18.5% | $61,143 | 1.04 |
| Retail trade | 17,451 | 12.4% | $37,345 | 1.00 |
| Accommodation and food services | 15,108 | 10.7% | $22,096 | 0.95 |
| Manufacturing | 13,995 | 9.9% | $68,664 | 0.97 |
| Construction | 10,229 | 7.3% | $67,855 | 1.11 |
| Professional and technical services | 10,152 | 7.2% | $81,514 | 0.83 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8,874 | 6.3% | $65,260 | 1.20 |
| Administrative and waste services | 7,594 | 5.4% | $47,210 | 0.74 |
| Finance and insurance | 7,208 | 5.1% | $90,393 | 1.01 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5,433 | 3.9% | $46,175 | 1.03 |
| Wholesale trade | 3,996 | 2.8% | $77,289 | 0.58 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 3,902 | 2.8% | $20,200 | 1.32 |
| Information | 3,739 | 2.7% | $90,406 | 1.14 |
| Management of companies | 2,742 | 1.9% | $98,054 | 0.93 |
| Educational services | 2,136 | 1.5% | $36,427 | 0.59 |
| Real estate and rental | 2,010 | 1.4% | $56,226 | 0.74 |
| Utilities | 142 | 0.1% | $102,826 | 0.21 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 73.9% |
| Public transit | 0.8% |
| Walk | 3.5% |
| Work from home | 11.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,867 |
| Income per person | $39,672 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,086 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.1% |
| Median home value | $264,000 |
| Homeowners | 56.1% |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 91.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $49,800 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 4.55%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 33.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 41.8% |
| Born abroad | 9.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 69.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.2 | 24 | 17 |
| Feb | -2.7 | 27 | 22 |
| Mar | 4.3 | 40 | 38 |
| Apr | 10.8 | 51 | 72 |
| May | 16.9 | 62 | 126 |
| Jun | 22.9 | 73 | 116 |
| Jul | 25.8 | 78 | 73 |
| Aug | 24.2 | 76 | 97 |
| Sep | 19.5 | 67 | 74 |
| Oct | 11.1 | 52 | 59 |
| Nov | 4.1 | 39 | 27 |
| Dec | -2.5 | 28 | 30 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waverly | NE | 10 mi | 4,440 | $111,632 | $1,076 |
| Crete | NE | 19 mi | 7,527 | $77,209 | $936 |
| Seward | NE | 23 mi | 7,678 | $72,564 | $1,018 |
| Wahoo | NE | 28 mi | 4,929 | $89,457 | $907 |
| Gretna | NE | 33 mi | 9,193 | $123,992 | $1,540 |
| Beatrice | NE | 37 mi | 12,225 | $57,264 | $758 |
| Chalco | NE | 38 mi | 10,595 | $85,672 | $1,195 |
| Papillion | NE | 39 mi | 25,244 | $111,679 | $1,269 |
| La Vista | NE | 41 mi | 16,563 | $81,961 | $1,317 |
| Ralston | NE | 43 mi | 6,472 | $69,403 | $1,215 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
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294,856 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,086 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.1% of the median household income.
$71,867 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.3% (BLS county, Lancaster County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nebraska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.