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CITY

Lincoln

Illinois · 12,981 residents (2025 est.) · 6.25 sq mi
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The short version

Lincoln is home to 13,281 people in Illinois. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 20% of adults. The typical home is worth $124,300, having risen by half since 2000. 1% of locals were born outside the United States. That trails the Illinois median by roughly 31%. Density works out to 2,126 people per square mile.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 5%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

13,281
−14%since 2000
from 15,369 in 2000
12,981 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
2,126 / sq mi
−4%since 2009
from 2,208 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
39.2
+7%since 2000
from 36.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
6.25 sq mi
Population, 19902024
13K14K14K15K16K19902000201020202024Lincoln
202413K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54%(536)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.7%(625)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.2%(817)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.2%(962)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 249.9%(1,315)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.7%(1,693)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.3%(1,633)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 549.6%(1,278)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.1%(1,477)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.4%(1,642)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.2%(818)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.7%(485)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$57,340
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,435 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
$33,380
+94%since 2000
from $17,207 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
35.6%
+17.0 ptssince 2009
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
17.0%
+6.3 ptssince 2000
from 10.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
0.432
+5%since 2010
from 0.413 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade13.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services5%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade4.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Public administration4.1%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance3.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Construction3.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Professional, scientific, technical3.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing0.6%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services0.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.2%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$124,300
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $72,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
$828
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $451 in 2000
US average: $1,442
56.9%
−7.9 ptssince 2000
from 64.8% in 2000
43.1% rent
4.0%
−5.9 ptssince 2009
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.01 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.02 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
11.8%
−7.6 ptssince 2009
from 19.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
47.7%
+9.4 ptssince 2009
from 38.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
2.2
−3%since 2009
from 2.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
35
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic94.1%(14,466)
Black2.8%(434)
Hispanic / Latino1.2%(183)
Asian0.9%(131)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic87.8%(11,657)
Black4.8%(643)
Hispanic / Latino2.3%(301)
Asian0.7%(88)
Other4.5%(592)
28
−1%since 2009
from 29 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.6%(84)
Puerto Rican0.5%(68)
Spaniard0.4%(58)
Colombian0.4%(57)
Panamanian0.2%(25)
Salvadoran0.1%(9)
Asian origin
Chinese0.4%(53)
Filipino0.2%(21)
Korean0%(6)
Burmese0%(1)
Ancestry
German21.4%(2,836)
English13.1%(1,739)
Irish12.5%(1,656)
American6.4%(844)
Italian2.2%(298)
Scottish1.3%(177)
Greek1.3%(167)
Polish1.3%(167)
Swedish1.1%(151)
Dutch1.1%(149)
French1%(139)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(90)
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.5%(67)
Norwegian0.5%(61)
British0.2%(32)
Welsh0.2%(22)
Czech0.2%(21)
Swiss0.2%(21)
Russian0.1%(19)
Arab0.1%(15)
Belgian0.1%(15)
Lithuanian0.1%(12)
Armenian0.1%(10)
Austrian0.1%(10)
Jordanian0.1%(8)
Danish0.1%(8)
Egyptian0.1%(7)
Serbian0.1%(7)
Slovene0.1%(7)
Israeli0%(6)
Haitian0%(5)
Section 05

Education

20.3%
+6.6 ptssince 2000
from 13.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
95.0%
+12.6 ptssince 2000
from 82.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
8.3%
+3.9 ptssince 2000
from 4.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

18.2 min
+34%since 2000
from 13.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
78.9%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 76.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
8.2%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
0.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
6.9%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
3.0%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
0.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
10.8%
+3.3 ptssince 2009
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

2.9%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 6.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
59.7%
−0.5 ptssince 2011
from 60.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
74.8%
−2.8 ptssince 2020
from 77.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
14.7%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
29.1%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 27.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

50.9%
+3.8 ptssince 2009
from 47.0% in 2009
49.1%
−3.8 ptssince 2009
from 53.0% in 2009
1.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
6.8%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
17.4%
+1.9 ptssince 2012
from 15.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
3.3%
−5.8 ptssince 2013
from 9.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
89.6%
+17.0 ptssince 2017
from 72.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.4%
+5.4 ptssince 2020
from 89.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
83.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 84.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
97.6%
+1.7 ptssince 2016
from 95.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
1.0%
−1.0 ptssince 2016
from 2.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married43.2%(2,422)
Married43.1%(2,419)
Widowed4.1%(230)
Divorced9.6%(540)
Women 15+
Never married34.2%(1,949)
Married42.1%(2,395)
Widowed10.6%(606)
Divorced13%(742)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

3.3%
−5.8 ptssince 2013
from 9.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
59.0%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 56.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.6%
−6.8 ptssince 2020
from 20.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
23.5%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 22.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
26.1%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 24.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 2.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
67.4%
−2.9 ptssince 2020
from 70.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
46.0%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
from 42.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)25.6%(188)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.3%(156)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.1%(250)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War8.5%(62)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.9%(14)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 733 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Lincoln, Illinois?

Lincoln, Illinois has about 13,281 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Lincoln, Illinois?

The typical household in Lincoln, Illinois earns about $57,340 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lincoln, Illinois expensive?

In Lincoln, Illinois, the median home is worth about $124,300, and the typical rent is about $828 a month.

How educated are people in Lincoln, Illinois?

About 20.3% of adults age 25 and over in Lincoln, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lincoln, Illinois?

About 17.0% of people in Lincoln, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lincoln, Illinois grown since 1990?

Yes, Lincoln, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,137 residents, a change of about -14 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →