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MICROPOLITAN AREA

Lincoln Micro

Lincoln, IL · 1 counties · 27,182 residents (2025 est.) · 618 sq mi
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The short version

Lincoln is home to 27,713 people. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. The typical home is worth $134,400, having risen by half since 2000. 1% of residents were born outside the United States. Renters pay $829 a month at the median. Density works out to 45 people per square mile.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

27,713
−11%since 2000
from 31,183 in 2000
27,182 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
45 / sq mi
−11%since 2000
from 50 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
41.1
+11%since 2000
from 37.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
618 sq mi
Population, 19902024
27K28K29K30K32K19902000201020202024Lincoln
202428K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.5%(1,257)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.4%(1,510)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.5%(1,535)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.1%(1,689)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.9%(1,912)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.7%(3,529)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.9%(3,845)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.6%(3,484)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.8%(3,543)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.9%(3,021)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.9%(1,628)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.7%(760)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$66,358
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,389 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
$35,126
+96%since 2000
from $17,953 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
44.0%
+17.1 ptssince 2009
from 26.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
13.1%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
0.422
+4%since 2010
from 0.405 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade11.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services5.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing5.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Wholesale trade5.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Construction5.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration5.1%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical4.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing3.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.6%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$134,400
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $74,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
$829
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $455 in 2000
US average: $1,442
68.5%
−2.8 ptssince 2000
from 71.3% in 2000
31.5% rent
5.9%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.16 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.16 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
12.1%
−5.0 ptssince 2009
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
41.5%
+6.8 ptssince 2009
from 34.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
2.0
+3%since 2009
from 2.0 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.
12
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic90.6%(28,247)
Black6.5%(2,037)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(503)
Asian0.5%(165)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic85.9%(23,807)
Black5.4%(1,483)
Hispanic / Latino3.5%(966)
Asian0.5%(130)
Other4.8%(1,327)
32
+1%since 2009
from 32 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
31
−33%since 2020
from 47 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.9%(538)
Puerto Rican0.4%(123)
Colombian0.4%(103)
Spaniard0.3%(82)
Panamanian0.1%(25)
Cuban0.1%(21)
Dominican0%(11)
Asian origin
Chinese0.2%(57)
Filipino0.1%(39)
Asian Indian0.1%(18)
Korean0%(6)
Burmese0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German26.1%(7,242)
Irish13%(3,615)
English12.2%(3,376)
American5.4%(1,487)
Italian2.2%(620)
Polish2%(547)
Scottish1.6%(445)
Swedish1.4%(379)
French1%(283)
Dutch1%(282)
Greek0.8%(215)
Norwegian0.6%(162)
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.5%(152)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(145)
Welsh0.4%(104)
Lithuanian0.3%(90)
British0.3%(79)
Swiss0.2%(42)
Czech0.1%(32)
Armenian0.1%(25)
Russian0.1%(25)
Croatian0.1%(17)
Belgian0.1%(16)
Slovene0.1%(16)
Arab0.1%(15)
Danish0.1%(15)
Austrian0%(10)
Israeli0%(8)
Iranian0%(7)
Serbian0%(7)
Slovak0%(5)
Haitian0%(5)
Section 05

Education

20.9%
+6.7 ptssince 2000
from 14.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.7%
+12.3 ptssince 2000
from 80.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
7.0%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 4.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

21.0 min
+41%since 2000
from 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
79.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 79.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
7.4%
−3.3 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
0.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
8.7%
+3.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
2.6%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
0.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
6.8%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

4.0%
−1.7 ptssince 2011
from 5.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
54.8%
+2.9 ptssince 2011
from 51.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
61.0%
−3.2 ptssince 2020
from 64.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
15.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
34.1%
+5.1 ptssince 2009
from 29.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

48.7%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
51.3%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
1.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
6.3%
−3.8 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
14.7%
+1.5 ptssince 2012
from 13.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
2.6%
−5.7 ptssince 2013
from 8.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
89.5%
+14.5 ptssince 2017
from 75.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.1%
+4.7 ptssince 2020
from 89.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
85.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 84.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
97.0%
+2.5 ptssince 2016
from 94.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
2.0%
−1.7 ptssince 2016
from 3.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.6%(3,995)
Married50.8%(5,704)
Widowed3.8%(422)
Divorced9.8%(1,102)
Women 15+
Never married30.3%(3,698)
Married45.4%(5,536)
Widowed10.5%(1,284)
Divorced13.7%(1,670)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

2.6%
−5.7 ptssince 2013
from 8.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
62.2%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 61.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.2%
−4.2 ptssince 2020
from 18.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
22.8%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 21.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
21.4%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 19.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.8%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
72.2%
−3.2 ptssince 2020
from 75.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
41.7%
+4.2 ptssince 2020
from 37.5% 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)23.5%(332)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)24.6%(347)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.8%(477)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.8%(96)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.3%(19)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,410 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, IL?

Lincoln, IL has about 27,713 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Lincoln, IL?

The typical household in Lincoln, IL earns about $66,358 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lincoln, IL expensive?

In Lincoln, IL, the median home is worth about $134,400, and the typical rent is about $829 a month.

How educated are people in Lincoln, IL?

About 20.9% of adults age 25 and over in Lincoln, IL hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lincoln, IL?

About 13.1% of people in Lincoln, IL live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lincoln, IL grown since 1990?

Yes, Lincoln, IL has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,085 residents, a change of about -10 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

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