Map the Block › Places › Nebraska › Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Nebraska in numbers: crime, income, hazards
FBI reports put Lancaster County at 3.6 violent crimes per 1,000 people a year over 2021-2025, 45% higher than the rate for Nebraska (2.5). Households here have a median income of $74,793 and the unemployment rate was 2.6% in August 2026. It is home to roughly 326,696 residents.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Lancaster County?
Police agencies in Lancaster County reported an average of 1,192 violent crimes and 7,648 property crimes a year from 2021 to 2025. Per 1,000 residents, the violent-crime rate works out to 3.6: 45% higher than the Nebraska rate (2.5), and close to the national rate (3.7). Property crime ran at 23.2 per 1,000, against 17.4 statewide. Most violent crimes here are aggravated assaults (65%). CDC death records show about 8 homicide deaths a year in the county (2.4 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Lancaster County | Per 1,000 | Nebraska per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 1,192 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 8 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 271 | 0.82 | 0.52 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 141 | 0.43 | 0.25 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 772 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 7,648 | 23.2 | 17.4 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 816 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 6,001 | 18.2 | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 831 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (2 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Lancaster County?
Median household income is $74,793, close to the statewide figure ($76,475). The typical owner-occupied home is valued at $275,200 by its owners; renters pay a median $1,085. 8.4% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 8.2%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 2.6% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 4,971 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Lancaster County | Nebraska | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 326,696 | 1,978,707 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $74,793 | $76,475 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $275,200 | $238,600 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,085 | $1,072 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 3.2% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 11.9% | 10.6% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 8.4% | 8.2% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 41.9% | 34.6% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 58.9% | 66.5% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 34.3 | 37.2 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 92.8% | 90.6% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 5.9% | 7.2% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Lancaster County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Lancaster County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively Moderate”. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: tornadoes (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
No active Superfund site is listed in Lancaster County. 1 former site has finished cleanup and been taken off EPA's National Priorities List: Waverly Ground Water Contamination. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
Lancaster County has 22 dams classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. None is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory; 13 are rated Satisfactory or Fair. The two tallest are Branched Oak Dam (80 ft) and Pawnee Dam (71 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
25 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 1,240,386 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Lancaster County was covered by 4 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Severe Storm 2, Winter Storm 1, Flood 1), not counting COVID-19. In 2024, 0 of 283 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 22 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest). NHTSA counted 24 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 5 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Lancaster County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 16 highway work zones in Lancaster County (all active that day). Listed roads include I-180, I-80 and US 6. 10 are on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Lancaster County?
Federal school lists show 97 public and 23 private schools in the county. 14 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 31 fire or EMS stations and 2 police or sheriff stations. 7 state parks or recreation areas: Bluestem State Recreation Area, Branched Oak State Recreation Area, Conestoga Lake State Recreation Area, Olive Creek State Recreation Area and Pawnee Lake State Recreation Area and 2 more.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Lancaster County
Gun shops
16 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Lancaster County (15 from the ATF licensee list, 1 from OpenStreetMap), plus 17 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). 5 of them are pawnshops licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Aaa Ultimate Pawn (2 in Lincoln), Bigshots Indoor Range (Lincoln), Countryside Gunsmithing LLC (Lincoln), Crosslinc Firearm Coatings LLC (Lincoln), Express Pawn (Lincoln), Moore Pawn (Lincoln), Nebraska Gun (Lincoln), Randolph Jewelry & Loan (Lincoln) and 6 more.
Liquor stores
14 liquor stores are on the map in Lancaster County: A Street Market (Lincoln), Cheapest Damn Butts & Booze (Lincoln), Cornhusker Bottle Shop (Lincoln), Etos (Lincoln), Jimmy's Liquor & Tobacco (Lincoln), Ken's Liquor (Lincoln), Kongs Liquor Selama LLC (Lincoln), Kwik Shop 650 (Lincoln) and 6 more.
Planned Parenthood
One Planned Parenthood health center is on the map in Lancaster County: Planned Parenthood of the Heartland (Lincoln).
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores · Planned Parenthood →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Lancaster County?
Lancaster County averaged 1,192 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 3.6 per 1,000 residents, 45% higher than the Nebraska rate (2.5). The property-crime rate was 23.2 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Lancaster County?
$74,793 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $76,475 for Nebraska and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Lancaster County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 2.6% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 4,971 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Lancaster County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Lancaster County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively Moderate”. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: tornadoes (Relatively High).
Are there Superfund sites in Lancaster County?
No active Superfund site is listed in Lancaster County. 1 former site has finished cleanup and been taken off EPA's National Priorities List: Waverly Ground Water Contamination.
Is there road construction in Lancaster County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 16 highway work zones in Lancaster County (all active that day). Listed roads include I-180, I-80 and US 6. 10 are on interstates.
How many nursing homes are in Lancaster County?
14 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Lancaster County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butler County | 8,424 | 0.71 | $79,268 |
| Cass County | 27,161 | 0.70 | $91,836 |
| Gage County | 21,629 | 1.7 | $67,247 |
| Johnson County | 5,261 | 0.67 | $57,632 |
| Otoe County | 16,241 | 1.1 | $82,188 |
| Saline County | 14,650 | 2.6 | $79,910 |
| Saunders County | 23,048 | 0.46 | $94,066 |
| Seward County | 17,641 | 0.85 | $82,444 |
Cities in Lancaster County with their own page: Lincoln.
More: Nebraska statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
Home · Open the map · All places · About the data · Privacy · Terms