Lincoln, IL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Lincoln, IL Summary

Cost of living in Lincoln research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Lincoln is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Lincoln is 84, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Lincoln is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Lincoln ranks as the #38 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Lincoln ranks as the #406 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Lincoln is $128,180.

  • The median income in Lincoln is $54,390.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
84
Lincoln's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Lincoln, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lincoln has an overall cost of living index of 84, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Lincoln has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Lincoln ranks as #38 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Lincoln ranks as the #298 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Lincoln, check out:

38 out of 336
In Illinois
406 out of 6,489
In America

Lincoln Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Lincoln. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Lincoln is 89.

  • The Groceries index in Lincoln is 96.

  • The Health index in Lincoln is 93.

  • The Housing index in Lincoln is 58.

  • The Transportation index in Lincoln is 111.

  • The Utilities index in Lincoln is 97.

Living Expense Lincoln Illinois National Average
Overall 84 97 100
Services 89 95 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 93 93 100
Housing 58 95 100
Transportation 111 102 100
Utilities 97 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Lincoln Cost of Living Vs. IL

Lincoln, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Lincoln is $128,180.

  • The Median Rent in Lincoln is $804.

  • The Median Income in Lincoln is $54,390.

  • The Home Value To Income in Lincoln is 2.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Lincoln is 0.18x.

Statistic Lincoln Illinois United States
Median Home Value $128,180 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $804 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $54,390 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.4x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.18x 0.21x
$128,180
Median Home Value
$804
Median Rent
$54,390
Median Income

Lincoln, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Lincoln Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Lincoln Illinois
Shampoo $1.2 $1.28
Movie $10.96 $12.13
Bowling $20.0 $18
Haircut $15.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $30.0 $45.56

Detailed Lincoln Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Lincoln Illinois
Ground Beef $5.77 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.35 $1.57
Milk $4.63 $4.67
Potatoes $5.1 $4.93
Pizza $14.32 $12.09
Beer $9.43 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.76 $3.7

Detailed Lincoln Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Lincoln Illinois
Optometrist $120.83 $125.68
Doctor $121.67 $135.78
Dentist $100.0 $113.29

Detailed Lincoln Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Lincoln Illinois
Gasoline $3.6 $3.46
Tire Balancing $72.5 $59.92

Detailed Lincoln Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Lincoln Illinois
All Electricity $181.08 $193.99
Phone $195.03 $192.25

Lincoln SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
5
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
6
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lincoln

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Lincoln. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Springfield, IL has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x Lincoln.

  • Bloomington, IL has a cost of living index of 98, 1.2x Lincoln.

  • Normal, IL has a cost of living index of 101, 1.2x Lincoln.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Lincoln
Springfield, IL 113,714 87 1.0x
Bloomington, IL 78,703 98 1.2x
Normal, IL 52,908 101 1.2x
East Peoria, IL 22,485 90 1.1x
Morton, IL 16,503 96 1.1x
Washington, IL 15,946 95 1.1x
Chatham, IL 14,740 98 1.2x
Middletown, KY 9,622 105 1.2x
Monticello, IL 6,332 99 1.2x
Mount Zion, IL 6,076 84 1.0x

Articles About Illinois

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