Is Albuquerque cheaper than Lincoln?

No. Lincoln is cheaper: typical rent is $1,141 a month versus $1,464 in Albuquerque — 22% lower. Median household income is $61,503 in Albuquerque compared with $67,846 in Lincoln, so Lincoln has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Albuquerque or Lincoln?

Lincoln is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 70 versus 179 in Albuquerque — 61% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Albuquerque or Lincoln?

School composites are close: A- in Albuquerque and A- in Lincoln. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Albuquerque, NM vs Lincoln, NE

Albuquerque, NM versus Lincoln, NE is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,464 a month in Albuquerque and $1,141 in Lincoln, and median household income lands at $61,503 versus $67,846. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Lincoln takes affordability, job market, safety, and weather. The widest gap is crime index, where Lincoln leads by 61% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Albuquerque can feel further apart than Albuquerque and Lincoln do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Albuquerque and Lincoln reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Albuquerque report Full Lincoln report

Albuquerque, NM

Rent: $1,464/mo
Median income: $61,503
Crime index: 179
Schools: A-
Weather: 86°F

Lincoln, NE

Rent: $1,141/mo
Median income: $67,846
Crime index: 70
Schools: A-
Weather: 79°F

Rent

22% cheaper

Lincoln rent is 22% cheaper than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

$1,464/mo

Lincoln

Winner

$1,141/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,141 a month in Lincoln versus $1,464 in Albuquerque, so Lincoln is 22% cheaper. That's roughly $323/month back in your pocket — $3,876/year. Over five years that's $19,380 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Albuquerque, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Lincoln is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

10% higher

Lincoln's median income is 10% higher than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

$61,503

Lincoln

Winner

$67,846

What this means for your life

Median household income is $67,846 in Lincoln versus $61,503 in Albuquerque, so typical pay runs 10% higher in Lincoln — about $6,343 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.

Crime index

61% lower crime

Lincoln's crime index is 61% lower than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

179 (100 = avg)

Lincoln

Winner

70 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Lincoln's crime index is 70 versus 179 in Albuquerque (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 61% lower in Lincoln. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Lincoln is the easier city. Albuquerque can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Albuquerque and Lincoln are about even on school scores.

Albuquerque

A- · 84/100

Lincoln

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Albuquerque, A- in Lincoln). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

30% more comfortable

Lincoln weather is 30% more comfortable than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

86°F typical

Lincoln

Winner

79°F typical

What this means for your life

Lincoln scores 30% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 86°F in Albuquerque and 79°F in Lincoln. Albuquerque reads as hot, long summers; Lincoln reads as warm weather most of the year. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Lincoln is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Albuquerque can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Albuquerque

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Albuquerque

On these five categories Lincoln takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Albuquerque because the stats are kinder — they are not. Choose Albuquerque only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.

Open the Albuquerque report →

Fit check

Who should choose Lincoln

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

Lincoln is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 22% cheaper here at about $1,141 a month. Choose Lincoln if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 10% higher ($67,846), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 79°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Lincoln is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 61% lower than Albuquerque (70 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Lincoln report →

Bottom line

Albuquerque vs Lincoln, called

If safety is your priority, Lincoln is the clear choice.

If weather matters more to you, Lincoln pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Lincoln offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Albuquerque vs Lincoln FAQ

Is Albuquerque cheaper than Lincoln?: No. Lincoln is cheaper: typical rent is $1,141 a month versus $1,464 in Albuquerque — 22% lower. Median household income is $61,503 in Albuquerque compared with $67,846 in Lincoln, so Lincoln has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Albuquerque or Lincoln?: Lincoln is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 70 versus 179 in Albuquerque — 61% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Albuquerque or Lincoln?: School composites are close: A- in Albuquerque and A- in Lincoln. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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