Real Estate Investing in Lincoln, Nebraska (68520)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Lancaster County • Population: 2,491 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 68520 (Lincoln, NE)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (57/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 32.4 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

What’s happening in Lincoln, NE (68520)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $624,493
Avg Monthly Rent $1,607
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $96,094
% Renters 20.4%

Market Analysis: 68520 Lincoln

The 68520 ZIP covers a section of Lincoln that demands careful diligence. Prices near $624K look accessible, but the work to make a deal cash flow is real.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 68520 comes in at the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

Within NE, ZIP 68520 trails on several market indicators that neighboring Lancaster County submarkets outperform. The gap is real and impressive enough to shape underwriting.

Employment concentration in 68520 leans toward sectors with higher volatility. The demographic consequence is income fluctuation that investors need to factor into their pro forma.

Distressed ZIPs reward experience. robust returns are possible in 68520, but they flow to investors who already understand how to operate in soft markets.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Lincoln:

C Below Average
Buy Confidence Score: 57/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 6.5× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+8.6%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,607/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: This market may be challenging for buyers. Consider your timing and budget carefully.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
Lincoln, NE Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
31 days
Average time to sell
Average
12.0%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Lincoln, NE metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 68520

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
3.6% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
3BR
+6.8% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$152,810/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $551,636 $1,660 2.2% +5.9% $275,818
3BR $458,430 $2,310 3.6% +6.8% $152,810
4BR $634,955 $2,490 2.8% +6.0% $158,739

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$651K$575K$499K$423K$348K$272KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,624$1,575$1,527$1,479$1,430$1,382Dec 2025Apr 2026Jul 2026

📊 How Does 68520 Compare?

Metric 68520 Lincoln Lincoln, NE Nebraska
Home Value $624,493 $275,140 N/A $269,423
5-Year CAGR 5.5% 5.0% N/A 6.7%
Avg Rent $1,607 $1,312 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.0% 3.2% - -
💡 Why Invest in 68520? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 68520 (Lincoln, NE). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Lancaster County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Kabredlo's Property offers apartment homes for rent in Nebraska and Iowa. summary from their website

Small multifamily
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Four Corners Property Management, LLC welcomes you home. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.0%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.5%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Lincoln, NE metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
45%
Days Pending
0/2
31 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $624,493
Monthly Rent $1,607
Price-to-Rent 32.4:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.1%
Cap Rate 2.0%
5-Year IRR 7.5%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +8.6% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.7% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.5% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.9% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.0%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.0%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
2.0%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.5%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 68520

Population: 2,491

💰 Median Household Income
$96,094
This area
$96,094
State
$70,851
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
20.4%
This area
20.4%
State
22.7%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
0.5%
This area
0.5%
State
-5.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
52.5%
This area
52.5%
State
15.7%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
60.5 years
This area
60.5 years
State
33.1 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
2.0%
This area
2.0%
State
15.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 95.6%
Hispanic/Latino 2.5%
Other/Mixed 2.5%
Asian 1.6%
Black/African American 0.3%
👶 Under 18
16.0%
This area
16.0%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
29.1%
This area
29.1%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
0.0%
This area
0.0%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 2,763 Off-Campus Students
F
Myotherapy Institute
10 students · 3.0 mi
C
Joseph's College Cosmetology
98 students · 4.0 mi
C
Southeast Community College Area
9,799 students · 4.0 mi
C+
College of Hair Design-East Campus
116 students · 5.0 mi
C
Bryan College of Health Sciences
746 students · 5.1 mi
C
Union Adventist University
635 students · 5.4 mi
D
Entourage Institute of Beauty and Esthetics
49 students · 5.5 mi
C
Nebraska Wesleyan University
1,690 students · 5.7 mi

Investor Insight: With 2,763 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is NE a landlord-friendly state?

Landlord-friendliness in Lincoln, NE is landlord-friendly. Eviction timelines and lease enforcement are considered reasonable by most property managers.

What investment strategy works best in Lincoln, NE?

In Lincoln, NE the substantial play is typically careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. The combination of $624K prices and $1,607/mo rents suits that approach.

What is the renter demographic in Lincoln, NE?

Tenant quality in Lincoln, NE ranks as solid. Landlords generally report even-keeled occupancy at market rents of $1,607/mo.

Should investors consider Lincoln, NE?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Lincoln, NE ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $624K and rents of $1,607/mo drive the underlying numbers.

Where do home prices stand in Lincoln, NE?

Lincoln, NE median home values land near $624K. That is reasonable territory for investors looking at $1,607/mo-per-month rentals.

You know 68520 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 68520 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 68520 ranks in Lincoln, NE

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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