Metro area profile · Nebraska
Lincoln, NE metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Lincoln metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- Population, 2025
- 352,081
- +3.3% since 2020
- Households
- 140,914
- Median household income
- $75,049
- +23.0% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $273,500
- Jobs located here
- 186,541
- Highest market score
- 79
- Convenience stores, #22 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Lincoln metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Lincoln metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 352,081 people live in the Lincoln metro area, in 140,914 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Lincoln metro area from 2020 to 2025 at +3.3%, in step with the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Lincoln metro area is $75,049 a year, 7% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 23.0% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Lincoln metro area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 112, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (70).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Lincoln metro area are for convenience stores (79), grocery and convenience stores (77) and primary care and pediatric clinics (75). The Lincoln metro area ranks #22 of 387 scored metro areas for convenience stores.
The Lincoln metro area takes in 2 counties: Lancaster County and Seward County. For its number of households, the Lincoln metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for roofing and gutter companies (67% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for pet stores (45% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Lincoln metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Lincoln metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convenience stores | 79 | #22 of 387 | 75 | 5.3 | $11.3M | 144 | 8 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 77 | #23 of 387 | 179 | 12.7 | $4.8M | 140 | 62 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 75 | #37 of 387 | 71 | 5.0 | $2.8M | 158 | 178 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 74 | #30 of 387 | 674 | 47.8 | $812K | 122 | 215 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 70 | #26 of 197 | 5 | 0.4 | $39.9M | 162 | 12 |
| Pet stores | 68 | #65 of 382 | 15 | 1.1 | $7.9M | 175 | 11 |
| Grocery stores | 67 | #76 of 387 | 64 | 4.5 | $13.3M | 143 | 54 |
| Dry cleaners | 65 | #49 of 272 | 14 | 1.0 | $19.8M | 126 | 8 |
| Car washes and detailing | 65 | #82 of 387 | 65 | 4.6 | $2.3M | 93 | 15 |
| Nail salons | 63 | #77 of 387 | 80 | 5.7 | $1.7M | 104 | 13 |
| Barbershops | 63 | #90 of 387 | 50 | 3.5 | $2.8M | 148 | 9 |
| Laundromats | 62 | #107 of 364 | 14 | 1.0 | $19.8M | 158 | 12 |
| Gas stations | 62 | #113 of 387 | 131 | 9.3 | $2.9M | 123 | 111 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 61 | #108 of 387 | 1,094 | 77.6 | $182K | 119 | 534 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 60 | #92 of 290 | 9 | 0.6 | $16.9M | 123 | 14 |
| Funeral homes | 60 | #119 of 377 | 20 | 1.4 | $843K | 124 | 10 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 59 | #125 of 387 | 101 | 7.2 | $5.4M | 131 | 116 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 59 | #135 of 387 | 1,366 | 96.9 | $401K | 108 | 627 |
| Property management | 58 | #111 of 374 | 27 | 1.9 | Index only | 132 | 58 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 58 | #142 of 387 | 279 | 19.8 | $995K | 113 | 126 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 58 | #151 of 387 | 200 | 14.2 | $1.4M | 109 | 106 |
| Pet businesses | 56 | #149 of 387 | 134 | 9.5 | $886K | 101 | 81 |
| Pest control | 55 | #136 of 345 | 15 | 1.1 | $11.6M | 113 | 16 |
| Auto repair and car care | 55 | #160 of 387 | 520 | 36.9 | $292K | 109 | 243 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 54 | #143 of 387 | 51 | 3.6 | $2.5M | 122 | 63 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 54 | #154 of 373 | 43 | 3.1 | Index only | 118 | 15 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 54 | #159 of 387 | 181 | 12.8 | $1.1M | 112 | 152 |
| Tire shops | 54 | #186 of 386 | 54 | 3.8 | $2.8M | 112 | 29 |
| Hair salons | 53 | #147 of 387 | 285 | 20.2 | $490K | 114 | 132 |
| Auto repair shops | 53 | #180 of 387 | 310 | 22.0 | $490K | 110 | 182 |
| Home inspectors | 52 | #116 of 243 | 9 | 0.6 | Index only | 84 | 6 |
| Veterinarians | 51 | #192 of 384 | 50 | 3.5 | $2.4M | 87 | 35 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 50 | #192 of 387 | 585 | 41.5 | $239K | 112 | 223 |
| Pizza | 49 | #205 of 387 | 112 | 7.9 | $4.9M | 96 | 300 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 48 | #215 of 386 | 49 | 3.5 | $2.4M | 95 | 35 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 47 | #212 of 387 | 84 | 6.0 | $4.6M | 96 | 129 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 47 | #219 of 387 | 208 | 14.8 | $2.6M | 86 | 300 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 47 | #232 of 386 | 64 | 4.5 | $3.1M | 99 | 35 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 45 | #240 of 387 | 198 | 14.1 | $635K | 96 | 120 |
| Physical therapy | 44 | #237 of 386 | 103 | 7.3 | $1.9M | 81 | 64 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 44 | #238 of 381 | 47 | 3.3 | $3.2M | 105 | 56 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 43 | #232 of 347 | 30 | 2.1 | $4.2M | 103 | 57 |
| Electricians | 42 | #255 of 383 | 36 | 2.6 | $10.6M | 89 | 108 |
| Real estate | 40 | #276 of 387 | 419 | 29.7 | Index only | 109 | 355 |
| Gyms | 40 | #280 of 387 | 117 | 8.3 | $1.1M | 83 | 57 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 39 | #285 of 387 | 173 | 12.3 | $3.2M | 85 | 106 |
| Spas and skin care | 39 | #295 of 387 | 160 | 11.4 | $872K | 100 | 62 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 37 | #308 of 387 | 340 | 24.1 | Index only | 107 | 248 |
| Home repair trades | 35 | #318 of 387 | 205 | 14.5 | $1.9M | 77 | 284 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 33 | #299 of 385 | 86 | 6.1 | $2M | 69 | 149 |
| Chiropractors | 33 | #337 of 386 | 125 | 8.9 | $1.6M | 67 | 93 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 32 | #323 of 387 | 133 | 9.4 | $1.3M | 78 | 293 |
| House cleaning | 31 | #325 of 375 | 32 | 2.3 | $5.4M | 85 | 128 |
| Child care and preschools | 30 | #328 of 387 | 78 | 5.5 | $735K | 73 | 110 |
| Roofing and gutters | 25 | #363 of 381 | 85 | 6.0 | $4.5M | 53 | 47 |
| Insurance agencies | 21 | #362 of 387 | 255 | 18.1 | $912K | 73 | 232 |
Household spending in the Lincoln metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $151.8M | $1,077 | 112 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $383.6M | $2,722 | 105 |
| Food away from home | $547.6M | $3,886 | 95 |
| Groceries | $850.6M | $6,037 | 96 |
| Personal care products and services | $139.6M | $990 | 99 |
| Child care and other personal services | $57.4M | $407 | 70 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $125.8M | $893 | 91 |
| Medical and dental services | $199.3M | $1,415 | 110 |
| Pets | $118.7M | $843 | 93 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $277.5M | $1,969 | 96 |
| Vehicle insurance | $232.7M | $1,651 | 84 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $382.8M | $2,716 | 90 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $173.6M | $1,232 | 87 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $2B | $14,022 | 84 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Lincoln metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 352,081+3.3% since 2020
- Households
- 140,914
- Median age
- 36.3
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 60%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 1,409 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 244
- Median household income
- $75,049+23.0% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $99,431
- Median home value
- $273,500
- Jobs located here
- 186,541
- Daytime population
- 361,853Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Lincoln metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Lincoln metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Lincoln metro area 2
- Lancaster County, NE326,696 people
- Seward County, NE17,641 people
Other markets based in Nebraska 11
- Omaha, NE-IA metro area982,064 people
- Grand Island, NE metro area76,794 people
- Kearney, NE area57,292 people
- Norfolk, NE area48,653 people
- Columbus, NE area45,357 people
- Hastings, NE area40,507 people
- Fremont, NE area37,351 people
- Scottsbluff, NE area36,585 people
- North Platte, NE area34,575 people
- Lexington, NE area26,242 people
- Beatrice, NE area21,629 people
Questions
How fast is the Lincoln, NE metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Lincoln metro area at 352,081 people in 2025, up 3.3% since 2020, in step with the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 140,914 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 23.0%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Lincoln, NE metro area spend?
Households in the Lincoln metro area spend about $2B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $850.6M on groceries and $547.6M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Lincoln metro area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 112, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (70).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Lincoln, NE metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Lincoln metro area, convenience stores (79), grocery and convenience stores (77) and primary care and pediatric clinics (75) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For convenience stores, that ranks #22 of 387 scored metro areas.
How does the Lincoln, NE metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Lincoln metro area is $75,049, 7% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 3.3% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $273,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for roofing and gutter companies (67% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for pet stores (45% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in the Lincoln metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Lincoln metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Lincoln metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Lincoln metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.