Median Income
$77,623
household / year
Median Home Value
$223,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,118
gross / month
Cost of Living
90
national avg = 100

Is Lincoln, ID a Good Place to Live?

Lincoln is a small town of 3,638 in Idaho, with a median household income of $77,623 and a 5.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.

Strengths: Lincoln stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Lincoln is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Lincoln city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 89.9

Lincoln's overall cost of living index is 89.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lincoln costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.

Metric Lincoln, ID National Avg
Median Home Value $223,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,118 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 81.5% 65.9%
Median Household Income $77,623 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Lincoln's violent crime rate is 299.0 per 100,000 residents — 21% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
299.0 /100k
Property Crime
1274.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric Lincoln, ID National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 30.9% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 82.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Lincoln sees average highs of 30.2°F in January and 86.3°F in July, with 13.5 inches of annual precipitation and 65.7 inches of snow per year.

MetricLincoln, ID
Average High — January30.2°F
Average High — July86.3°F
Annual Precipitation13.5"
Annual Snowfall65.7"

Demographics

MetricLincoln, IDNational Avg
Population3,638—
Median Age29.438.9
Unemployment Rate5.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time21.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)80.5%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino14.6%18.9%
Asian0.1%6.3%
Under 1838.5%22.2%
65 and over6.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Iona, ID 2 mi Ammon, ID 3 mi Idaho Falls, ID 4 mi Ucon, ID 5 mi Rigby, ID 11 mi

Lincoln vs Other Cities

Lincoln, ID vs Iona, ID Lincoln, ID vs Ammon, ID Lincoln, ID vs Idaho Falls, ID Lincoln, ID vs Ucon, ID Lincoln, ID vs Rigby, ID

Frequently Asked Questions

Lincoln's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average. That makes Lincoln roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $223,400 and median rent is $1,118/month.
Lincoln's violent crime rate is 299.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1274.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Lincoln, ID has a population of 3,638, a median household income of $77,623, and an unemployment rate of 5.7%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Lincoln averages 30.2°F in January and 86.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 13.5 inches with about 65.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Lincoln, Idaho is 3,638 with a median age of 29.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Lincoln: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $223,400, median household income $77,623, crime index 71 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Lincoln side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.