Lincoln Is the 102nd-Most Affordable U.S. City for Homebuyers in 2026

Lincoln, Nebr., ranks 102nd in the country for the affordability of buying a home, according to a new WalletHub study that analyzed 300 U.S. cities using 10 key metrics. Those metrics range from home purchase and maintenance costs to taxes and vacancy rates.

Home prices have surged in recent years, with the median sales price in the U.S. rising from $355,000 in Q1 2021 to $403,200 in Q1 2026. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has also increased sharply from a historic low of 2.65% in January 2021 to 6.37% in May 2026. With both elevated home prices and higher interest rates, many consumers may question whether homeownership is still within reach. Buying real estate remains more affordable in certain cities than others, though.

“When deciding where to buy, home prices alone aren't a good enough indicator of how affordable things will be,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “You also have to consider how prices compare to incomes in the area, plus factor in things like the cost of living, maintenance expenses and taxes.”

In-Depth Look at Lincoln

Lincoln has the 46th-most affordable housing payments in the U.S., based on the median house price divided by the median annual income. Plus, it has the 59th-lowest cost of living. That means homeowners won't have to stretch their budgets just to make mortgage payments and afford everything else.

Lincoln is less attractive to homebuyers in other areas, though. For example, it has the 52nd-highest median real estate tax rate in the nation. It also has the 79th-lowest home vacancy rate. In other words, it may be difficult to find a home in the first place, and tax time will take a big bite out of your income.

When you combine all 10 of the metrics, Lincoln ends up in 102nd place overall out of the 300 cities included in WalletHub's study.

Most Affordable Cities for Home Buyers

The methodology can be found on the full version of the article on WalletHub.