Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lincoln, NE
VS
Reading, PA
🏆 Lincoln leads 16 of 23 categories
Lincoln
Nebraska
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,846 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
290,531 ✓ Larger
Reading
Pennsylvania
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.5
Median Household Income
$42,852
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
94,601
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lincoln, NE
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 8.0 pts lower (3.3%)
Households earn $24,994 more per year on average
More college-educated — 40.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.0)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Reading, PA
Pros
Homes cost $134k less ($96,900 vs $230,400)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.5)
Cons
Median income trails Lincoln by $24,994/yr
Higher unemployment (11.3% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Lincoln
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 92.0 vs 92.5 (100 = US avg)
Lincoln
Median Income
$24,994
$67,846 vs $42,852/yr
Lincoln
Unemployment
8.0 pp lower
3.3% vs 11.3% unemployment
Reading
Violent Crime
3% lower
337.2 vs 347.9 per 100k
Reading
Median Home Value
$134k less
$96,900 vs $230,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lincoln, NE | Reading, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.0 ✓ Cheaper | 92.5 |
| Median Home Value | $230,400 | $96,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $998 | $942 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $67,846 ✓ Higher | $42,852 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 11.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 24.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.9% ✓ Higher | 4.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 102⚠ High | 81 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 92 | 89 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 116⚠ High | 68 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | C (80) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.9% ✓ Higher | 11.7% |
| High School or Higher | 92.9% ✓ Higher | 71.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS | Reading SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.6°F | 38.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.4°F ✓ Warmer | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 30.9" ✓ Drier | 49.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.0" ✓ Less | 27.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 290,531 ✓ Larger | 94,601 |
| Median Age | 33.1 ✓ Older | 31.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.3% ✓ Higher | 39.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | 28.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.0% ✓ More | 10.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lincoln's cost of living index is 92.0 vs Reading's 92.5 (US average = 100).
Lincoln is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lincoln leads 16 of 23 categories. Lincoln wins 16 and Reading wins 7. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Lincoln to Reading or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($230,400 vs $96,900 median home), income ($67,846 vs $42,852), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lincoln, NE and Reading, PA are about 1,087 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.