Population 4,828 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lincoln
Household size in Lincoln
| Period | Lincoln | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.27 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.38 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.29 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Lincoln is a place of small households, averaging 2.38 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.66 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
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 Lincoln
| Period | Lincoln | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.2 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.4 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 54.3 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 53.3 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.2 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 53.3, Lincoln is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the northeast. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only ten are older.
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 Lincoln
| Period | Lincoln | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.0% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Lincoln: 6.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Lincoln has a lower share of single-parent households than most Massachusetts cities.
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 Lincoln
Renters in Lincoln
| Period | Lincoln | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.9% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.0% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Lincoln is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than four in ten owners (43.8%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the south.
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 Lincoln
| Period | Lincoln | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.0% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Lincoln is close to the national rate: 8.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Boston area as a whole (6.7%).
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 Lincoln
| Period | Lincoln | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Lincoln leans older: the median home dates to 1973, against 1980 nationally. Even so, homes here are newer than in the Boston area overall, where the median home dates to 1964. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the south has the oldest housing.
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 Lincoln
| Period | Lincoln | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,427 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,679 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,105 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,797 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,370 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Lincoln costs $2,797 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 35.5% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the south and lowest in the northeast. Only seven of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have higher 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 Lincoln
Bachelor's degrees in Lincoln
| Period | Lincoln | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.1% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 81.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 80.3% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 89.0% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Lincoln is highly educated: about nine in ten adults 25 and older (89.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the north. Only two of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Lincoln
| Period | Lincoln | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 99.8% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.6% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 99.0% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.4% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Lincoln: 97.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Lincoln has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Massachusetts cities.
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 Lincoln
| Period | Lincoln | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.6% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 2.5% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Lincoln has been strong: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Lincoln has lower unemployment than the great majority of Massachusetts cities. 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).
Lincoln compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | 2.38 | 53.3 | 6.4% | 23.0% | 8.9% | 1973 | $2,797 | 89.0% | 97.4% | 2.8% |
| Hanscom Afb | 2.92 | 27.6 | 16.0% | 95.5% | 5.9% | 1975 | $3,326 | 41.1% | 99.8% | 0.8% |
| Concord | 2.76 | 48.3 | 7.1% | 18.1% | 7.3% | 1964 | $2,071 | 84.3% | 98.4% | 4.0% |
| Wayland | 2.85 | 46.4 | 3.9% | 9.2% | 3.4% | 1968 | $1,635 | 80.3% | 98.8% | 4.2% |
| Weston | 2.87 | 45.7 | 3.5% | 12.5% | 6.6% | 1967 | $2,023 | 84.4% | 98.4% | 2.2% |
| Lexington | 2.76 | 47.5 | 7.1% | 19.4% | 3.3% | 1966 | $2,896 | 83.8% | 96.8% | 2.8% |
| Waltham | 2.25 | 37.4 | 7.4% | 50.3% | 5.6% | 1964 | $2,231 | 58.5% | 92.6% | 3.9% |
| West Concord | 2.57 | 47.2 | 8.2% | 36.2% | 9.3% | 1975 | $2,624 | 73.8% | 94.9% | 3.8% |
| Bedford | 2.51 | 45.0 | 4.1% | 31.3% | 2.8% | 1973 | $2,394 | 68.7% | 96.1% | 5.1% |
| Auburndale | 2.56 | 37.2 | 5.9% | 36.8% | 9.7% | 1953 | $2,265 | 77.6% | 95.3% | 2.8% |
| Sudbury | 3.06 | 42.6 | 6.9% | 10.0% | 4.6% | 1977 | $1,526 | 83.4% | 98.7% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Englewood Cliffs, NJ · Eighty Four, PA · El Dorado Springs, MO · Elba, AL · Elberta, AL · Ellenville, NY · Ellerslie, GA · Ellsworth, WI · Elmendorf Afb, AK · Versailles, MO
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 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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