Lincoln is a growing community. In the past decade, Lincoln’s overall population has grown by 51,284 residents, or 23%. Since 2005, Lincoln’s growth rate of the youngest and oldest populations has outpaced that of the working age population. Lincoln is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse: Lincoln’s White-only (non-Hispanic/Latino) population has dropped from comprising 87% of Lincoln’s overall population in 2005 to now comprising 81%. Compared to other cities across the United States, Lincoln is in the top third for overall well-being.
Lincoln Has Grown 23% Since 2005
Lincoln’s Oldest and Youngest Populations Have Had the Highest Growth Rates
As of 2013, the majority of Lincoln’s population identifies as White-alone (non-Hispanic/Latino) (82%). The proportion of the White-alone population has been steadily declining over many years (Figure 3). The past six years have seen dramatic changes as Lincoln is rapidly becoming a more ethnically and racially diverse community. From 2005 to 2013, Lincoln’s White-alone population increased only 12%, but the non-White population has increased 68%. Since 2005, Lincoln’s Hispanic/Latino population has nearly doubled (from 9,672 persons to 18,702 persons).
Figure 3 . Population by race/ethnicity

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey
Note: Groups that make up less than one percent of the population do not appear on the graph
Lincoln’s diversity will increase as the 18 Years of Age and Under population grows into adulthood. Lincoln’s growing diversity is even more striking when considering the newest generation (Table 2). Within the age group of 18 years of age or younger, the White-alone population comprised less than three-quarters of the population in 2013 (73.6%).
Table 2 . Race/ethnicity by age group
Age Group |
White
Non-Hispanic/Latino |
Hispanic/ Latino |
African American |
Asian |
Native American |
Two or More Races |
18 Years of Age or Younger |
73.0% |
10.8% |
6.1% |
4.5% |
0.9% |
6.8% |
Over 18 Years of Age |
85.7% |
5.2% |
3.6% |
3.9% |
0.7% |
1.4% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey
Note: /Latino category has some overlap with other categories
Lincoln’s Growth is Attributable to People Moving to Lincoln
Lincoln Newcomers are Young, White Adults with Higher Rates of Poverty
Lincoln’s Non-White Population Has Increased 87% Since 2005
Lincoln Ranks in the Top Third of Cities in the U.S. for Well-Being
Lincoln’s peer themed cities identified by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
- denotes cities Lincoln is like in four areas
Footnotes
1. In 2015, the poverty threshold was $24,036 for a family of four that included two related children less than 18 years of age.
2. The specific dimensions on which communities and states are ranked changed in 2014. There are no community-level data for Lincoln in 2014. For more information about the Gallup Well-Being Index®, go to: http://www.well-beingindex.com/about
3. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago developed the Peer City Identification Tool ( https://www.chicagofed.org/region/community-development/data/pcit) to compare 300 U.S. communities on the themes of Equity (inclusion, access, and diversity), Resilience (economic diversification), Outlook (signals of population and economic future), and Housing (affordability, quality, availability).
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