What is the largest city in Lancaster County, NE?

Lincoln is the largest city or town in Lancaster County, with about 294,856 residents.

How many ZIP codes are in Lancaster County?

Lancaster County includes 36 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 68317, 68336, 68339, 68368, 68372.

What is the population of Lancaster County, NE?

About 326,696 people live in Lancaster County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

What counties border Lancaster County?

Lancaster County borders Cass County, Saunders County, Gage County, Seward County, Otoe County, Saline County, Butler County, Johnson County.

Lancaster County, NE: Cities, ZIP Codes & Local Data

Population

326,696

Land area

838sq mi

People per sq mi

390

ZIP codes

36

Lancaster County at a glance

Lancaster County is about 15 times as dense as Nebraska as a whole.
By population, it ranks 2nd among 93 counties in Nebraska.
The median household income is $74,793, close to the Nebraska median.
A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $275,200 (15% above Nebraska) and median rent is $1,085 a month.
Its largest cities are Lincoln (294,856), Waverly (4,440) and Hickman (3,004).

Local data for Lancaster County, NE

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Lancaster County, NE, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$74,793

Poverty rate

11.9%

Median home value

$275,200

Prices +3.5% in a year

Median rent

$1,085/mo

Homeownership

58.9%

Bachelor's or higher

41.9%

Median age

34.3

Average commute

19.0 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (104,841), Irish Americans (37,079), Mexican Americans (18,117).

Home values and rents Income, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

2.3%

Sep 2026, -0.4 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$61,528

176,943 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$68,273

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$2.6B

FY 2026, $8,185 per person

PPP loans

$751M

10,296 loans, 94,929 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$3.4M

Itemized, 2026 cycle

Economy Federal spending PPP loans

How people get to work

Lancaster County, NE, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

Drove alone74.2%
Carpooled8.4%
Public transit0.8%
Walked3.3%
Bicycle0.8%
Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.9%
Worked from home11.6%

Average one-way commute: 19.0 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Lancaster County, NE, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: strong wind

Storm events since 1996

1,041

Most often hail

Flood insurance policies

753

0.8% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

89° / 14°F

29.3 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm history Check a flood zone 81 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Lancaster County, NE, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

34.4%

U.S. 33.3% +1.1 pts

Diabetes

9.6%

U.S. 12.1% -2.5 pts

Smoking

11.7%

U.S. 12.8% -1.1 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

8.7%

U.S. 11.1% -2.4 pts

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in Lancaster County

Population shown

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Lancaster County, NE?: Lincoln is the largest city or town in Lancaster County, with about 294,856 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Lancaster County?: Lancaster County includes 36 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 68317, 68336, 68339, 68368, 68372.
What is the population of Lancaster County, NE?: About 326,696 people live in Lancaster County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border Lancaster County?: Lancaster County borders Cass County, Saunders County, Gage County, Seward County, Otoe County, Saline County, Butler County, Johnson County.