Lincoln, NE housing market
The typical Lincoln home is worth about $294,000, up 3% in a year, close to the Nebraska typical home. Homes typically sell in 19 days, a little above asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Lincoln compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Lincoln at a glance
A strong seller's market
Homes are selling faster than new ones are listed: less than two months of supply. Well-priced homes can draw several offers.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Lincoln | Nebraska |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $171,000 | $157,000 |
| 2018 | $180,000 | $167,000 |
| 2019 | $190,000 | $176,000 |
| 2020 | $199,000 | $187,000 |
| 2021 | $216,000 | $205,000 |
| 2022 | $242,000 | $227,000 |
| 2023 | $261,000 | $248,000 |
| 2024 | $272,000 | $259,000 |
| 2025 | $281,000 | $270,000 |
| 2026 | $292,000 | $278,000 |
| August 2026 | $294,000 | $281,000 |
2,215 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 2,215 new homes in Lincoln in 2025: 859 single-family houses and 1,356 in buildings with two or more homes, worth about $475.7 million to build. That's 7.5 per 1,000 residents, faster than across Nebraska (5.7). Over the past 10 years, Lincoln has permitted 20,760 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Lincoln gained 32,703 residents while 16,018 new homes were permitted: about 2 new residents per new home. Building and growth moved roughly in step. Across Nebraska: 1.8 new residents per new home.
How Lincoln ranks on housing keeping up with growth →
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 1,205 | 646 | 559 | $286.7 million |
| 2025 | 2,215 | 859 | 1,356 | $475.7 million |
| 2024 | 1,730 | 937 | 793 | $399.7 million |
| 2023 | 1,981 | 699 | 1,282 | $437.6 million |
| 2022 | 3,122 | 943 | 2,179 | $518.6 million |
| 2021 | 2,320 | 1,093 | 1,227 | $499.4 million |
| 2020 | 1,742 | 964 | 778 | $303.1 million |
| 2019 | 1,727 | 863 | 864 | $287.6 million |
| 2018 | 1,532 | 859 | 673 | $278.8 million |
| 2017 | 2,225 | 994 | 1,231 | $335.9 million |
| 2016 | 2,166 | 928 | 1,238 | $323.3 million |
| 2015 | 2,353 | 895 | 1,458 | $337.5 million |
| 2014 | 1,792 | 854 | 938 | $251.6 million |
| 2013 | 1,375 | 844 | 531 | $180.4 million |
| 2012 | 1,092 | 704 | 388 | $148 million |
| 2011 | 923 | 544 | 379 | $112.2 million |
| 2010 | 833 | 501 | 332 | $108.2 million |
| 2009 | 604 | 558 | 46 | $91 million |
| 2008 | 666 | 539 | 127 | $102.7 million |
| 2007 | 1,107 | 829 | 278 | $157.6 million |
| 2006 | 1,175 | 958 | 217 | $179 million |
| 2005 | 1,453 | 1,232 | 221 | $211.7 million |
| 2004 | 2,153 | 1,688 | 465 | $290.8 million |
| 2003 | 2,271 | 1,870 | 401 | $280.9 million |
| 2002 | 1,773 | 1,407 | 366 | $216.4 million |
| 2001 | 1,636 | 1,305 | 331 | $196.9 million |
| 2000 | 1,585 | 1,202 | 383 | $174.2 million |
How Lincoln ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Lincoln and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | $294K | +3% | $1,200 | 2,215 | $71,867 |
| Yankee Hill | — | +3.9%† | $1,240 | — | $71,597 |
| Walton | $694K | +6.6% | $1,570 | — | $48,088 |
| Cheney | — | — | $1,440 | — | — |
† FHFA price index change, where Zillow has no home value for the town.
4.1 years of income
The typical Lincoln home costs about 4.1 years of the town's median household income, more than across Nebraska (3.7 years).
How Lincoln ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,200
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Lincoln is $1,200 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Lincoln pay a median of $1,086, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 20% of the town's median household income.
Studio $900 · 4 bedrooms $1,800
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (68502, 68503, 68504, 68505, 68506, 68507 and 9 more; Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.