Population 6,279 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Lincoln
Household size in Downtown Lincoln
| Period | Downtown Lincoln | Lincoln | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.59 | 2.41 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.69 | 2.44 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.10 | 2.45 | 2.51 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.84 | 2.41 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.25 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Downtown Lincoln is a place of small households, averaging 1.84 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has climbed from 1.59 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Downtown Lincoln has the smallest households of any Lincoln neighborhood.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Downtown Lincoln
| Period | Downtown Lincoln | Lincoln | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.6 | 34.6 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 28.7 | 34.8 | 37.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 23.2 | 35.3 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 28.0 | 35.9 | 38.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.5 | +1.3 | +0.9 | +2.3 |
Downtown Lincoln is young: half of its residents are under 28.0, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has edged down from 28.6 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Downtown Lincoln
| Period | Downtown Lincoln | Lincoln | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 9.5% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 10.9% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 9.4% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 9.4% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −0.1 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Downtown Lincoln: 6.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 4.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Downtown Lincoln
Renters in Downtown Lincoln
| Period | Downtown Lincoln | Lincoln | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.6% | 39.7% | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 88.6% | 42.3% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 89.7% | 42.2% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 93.1% | 43.1% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +3.4 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown Lincoln: 93.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About nine in ten owners (88.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.5 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. No other Lincoln neighborhood has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Downtown Lincoln
| Period | Downtown Lincoln | Lincoln | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.6% | 7.2% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 5.9% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.7% | 6.4% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 5.4% | 7.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.3 pts | −1.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Downtown Lincoln than nationally: 11.3%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Downtown Lincoln has the highest vacancy rate of any Lincoln neighborhood.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Downtown Lincoln
| Period | Downtown Lincoln | Lincoln | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1952 | 1976 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1951 | 1976 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1978 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1982 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +29 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Downtown Lincoln are the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1952 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Downtown Lincoln
| Period | Downtown Lincoln | Lincoln | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $590 | $788 | $730 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $534 | $815 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $836 | $982 | $911 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $801 | $1,226 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$211 | +$438 | +$429 | +$606 |
Rent in Downtown Lincoln runs $801 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $211 a month since 2006–10, up 36%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 35.0% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Only one other Lincoln neighborhood has lower rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Downtown Lincoln
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Lincoln
| Period | Downtown Lincoln | Lincoln | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.7% | 36.0% | 29.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.6% | 37.2% | 30.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.9% | 39.4% | 32.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.3% | 41.4% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.6 pts | +5.3 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a third of adults 25 and older in Downtown Lincoln (35.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in Lincoln as a whole (41.4%). The share with a degree is up 10.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Downtown Lincoln
| Period | Downtown Lincoln | Lincoln | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.5% | 93.0% | 90.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.8% | 93.4% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.1% | 93.4% | 91.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.3% | 93.1% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +0.1 pts | +1.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Downtown Lincoln have finished high school as nationally: 90.3%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Lincoln overall (93.1%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.8 points, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Downtown Lincoln
| Period | Downtown Lincoln | Lincoln | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 5.4% | 5.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 6.0% | 5.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 3.3% | 3.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 3.2% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Downtown Lincoln runs well above the national rate: 7.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Of Lincoln's 26 neighborhoods, only two have higher unemployment. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Downtown Lincoln compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Lincoln | 1.84 | 28.0 | 6.2% | 93.1% | 11.3% | 1980 | $801 | 35.3% | 90.3% | 7.7% |
| Malone | 2.29 | 26.3 | 4.8% | 80.3% | 5.9% | 1995 | $797 | 62.5% | 89.3% | 2.5% |
| Everett | 2.31 | 30.9 | 14.8% | 82.0% | 9.9% | 1952 | $828 | 28.7% | 84.9% | 5.7% |
| Near South | 2.04 | 32.6 | 12.2% | 71.4% | 8.7% | 1953 | $862 | 36.7% | 91.0% | 5.0% |
| South Salt Creek | 2.27 | 29.4 | 15.1% | 57.0% | 9.8% | 1946 | $873 | 19.2% | 84.8% | 4.0% |
| Woods Park | 2.03 | 32.9 | 14.6% | 62.3% | 11.1% | 1952 | $998 | 36.1% | 91.9% | 4.3% |
| Clinton | 2.74 | 25.5 | 16.4% | 57.1% | 6.3% | 1966 | $1,024 | 27.3% | 77.3% | 7.6% |
| Hartley | 2.55 | 28.2 | 18.0% | 58.1% | 8.9% | 1954 | $1,374 | 36.3% | 86.3% | 9.4% |
| 40th and A | 1.99 | 40.4 | 9.5% | 34.9% | 5.9% | 1951 | $880 | 50.2% | 97.3% | 1.9% |
| East Campus | 2.24 | 26.8 | 5.3% | 55.3% | 10.1% | 1956 | $1,143 | 60.5% | 92.0% | 5.8% |
| Country Club | 2.37 | 42.8 | 5.4% | 11.5% | 3.7% | 1944 | $893 | 65.6% | 98.6% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Southwest Village, Wichita, KS · Terra Linda, San Rafael, CA · Fairmeadow, Palo Alto, CA · Fairmont Park, Des Moines, IA · Tarrytown, Austin, TX · Firthtown, Phillipsburg, NJ · Sunshine Gardens, South San Francisco, CA · Five Mile Creek, Dallas, TX · Five Points, Great Lakes, IL · Southwestern Hills, Des Moines, IA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Downtown Lincoln. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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