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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Lincoln, NE has a Safety Score of 23/100 — higher crime than 77% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 2,795.1 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,279 of 2,957 US cities and #13 of 16 in Nebraska.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Lincoln, NE?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Lincoln, Nebraska Safe?
Lincoln, Nebraska, the state capital, is home to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, known for its Cornhuskers football. This city of over 290,000 residents lies in the southeastern part of the state.
Lincoln has a safety score of 23/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 2,795.1 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Lincoln ranks #13 out of 16 cities in Nebraska and #2279 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 23rd percentile for safety — with higher crime than 77% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Lincoln is rape, at 63.6 per 100K — 1.5x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.4x the national rate.
Year over year, Lincoln's total crime rate decreased by 8.4%, with violent crime declining 4.6%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Lincoln Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 1,033 | 349.2 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 8 | 2.7 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 188 | 63.6 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 120 | 40.6 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 713 | 241.0 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 7,235 | 2,445.8 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 776 | 262.3 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 5,513 | 1,863.7 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 946 | 319.8 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Lincoln vs Nebraska Average
How does Lincoln's crime rate compare to the Nebraska state average?
| Metric | Lincoln | Nebraska Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 349.2 | 312.5 | +11.7% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,445.8 | 2,466.0 | -0.8% |
| Murder Rate | 2.7 | 2.6 | +3.1% |
| Total Crime Rate | 2,795.1 | 2,778.5 | +0.6% |
Lincoln Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Lincoln, Nebraska.
Between 2019 and 2024, Lincoln's total crime rate is down 11% (3,134 → 2,795 per 100,000). Violent crime is down 9% and property crime down 11% over the same period; the worst year in this window was 2022 at 3,245 per 100,000.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 295,808 | 2,795.1 | 349.2 | 2,445.8 |
| 2023 | 293,155 | 3,052.3 | 366.0 | 2,686.3 |
| 2022 | 293,937 | 3,245.3 | 394.6 | 2,850.6 |
| 2021 | 293,808 | 3,168.7 | 429.5 | 2,739.2 |
| 2020 | 292,600 | 2,815.8 | 373.2 | 2,442.6 |
| 2019 | 291,128 | 3,133.7 | 383.0 | 2,750.7 |
Lincoln Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Lincoln and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Nebraska crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lincoln, Nebraska safe?
Lincoln has a safety score of 23/100, meaning it has less crime than about 23% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 2,795.1 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Lincoln is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Lincoln, Nebraska?
According to FBI data for 2024, Lincoln has a violent crime rate of 349.2 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,445.8 per 100,000 residents.
How does Lincoln compare to the national average?
Lincoln's total crime rate of 2,795.1 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 295,808 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Lincoln?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Lincoln are larceny-theft (5,513 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (946 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 7.0x in the city.
How many murders were reported in Lincoln in 2024?
8 murders were reported to the FBI for Lincoln in 2024 — a homicide rate of 2.7 per 100,000 residents.
Is crime in Lincoln going up or down?
Lincoln's total crime rate is falling: 11% lower in 2024 than in 2019 (2,795 vs 3,134 per 100,000, FBI data).
Is Lincoln safe to visit?
Like any city, Lincoln has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 23/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.