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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Lincoln, NE

Population: 290,531 (2022) · Large Cities (250K+)

C
52/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$3.2B
Per Capita
$11,125
Total Revenue
$234.3M
Total Debt
$229.0M

Spending Breakdown

Other
27.6%$892.3M
Housing & Community Development
17.3%$559.4M
Utilities
14.7%$474.1M
Public Welfare
11.1%$360.1M
Parks & Recreation
8.5%$276.0M
Sewerage
4.7%$153.4M
Interest on Debt
4.7%$151.3M
Fire Protection
4.5%$144.9M
Health
2.8%$92.0M
Hospitals
2.1%$67.8M
Highways & Roads
1.9%$60.7M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
78.8%$184.6M
Income Tax
30.2%$70.8M
Intergovernmental
332.9%$780.1M
Charges & Fees
154.9%$362.9M
Other
219.9%$515.2M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$499/person
Highways & Roads$209/person
Parks & Recreation$950/person
Health$317/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)5/100
Debt Burden (20%)78/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$229.0M
Long-Term Debt$624.3M
Debt Per Capita$788
Cash & Securities$9.4M

Compare Cities

See how Lincoln stacks up against another city.

vs Omaha, NEvs Bellevue, NEvs Grand Island, NE
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Nebraska

Omaha, NE

Pop. 489K

A
Total Spending
$5.5B
Per Capita
$11,180

Bellevue, NE

Pop. 63K

A
Total Spending
$22.0M
Per Capita
$347

Grand Island, NE

Pop. 53K

A
Total Spending
$629.7M
Per Capita
$11,921

Compare Lincoln With

Omaha, NE

Spending: $11,180/person · Grade: A

Bellevue, NE

Spending: $347/person · Grade: A

Grand Island, NE

Spending: $11,921/person · Grade: A

Frequently Asked Questions

Lincoln, NE spends $11,125 per resident, based on total expenditures of $3.2B for a population of 290,531. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (52/100).

Lincoln, NE has total expenditures of $3.2B and total revenue of $234.3M. The city carries $229.0M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Lincoln, NE employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Lincoln, NE has a Fiscal Health Score of C (52/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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