Lincoln’s neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You’ve got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there’s a neighborhood for everyone in Lincoln.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in Nebraska thanks in part to tons of entertainment and jobs, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine in Lincoln. Some neighborhoods aren’t as safe as others.
So the question arises, which Lincoln neighborhoods are the most dangerous and which are the safest?
Today, we’ll use Saturday Night Science to determine which Lincoln hoods need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Lincoln area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Family Acres ranks way above the rest.
We examined 35 of Lincoln’s neighborhoods to find out the most dangerous places to live. These places don’t quite measure up to Lincoln’s reputation.
Table Of Contents: Top 10 | Methodology | Summary | Table
So what’s the worst neighborhood to live in Lincoln for 2025? According to the most recent census data, North Bottoms looks to be the worst neighborhood in Lincoln.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Lincoln that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.
For more Nebraska reading, check out:
The 10 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In Lincoln For 2025
/10
Population: 1,222
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 947
Property Crime Per 100k: 6,715
Median Home Value: $89,450 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $31,203 (2nd worst)
More on North Bottoms: Data
/10
Population: 961
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 3,525
Property Crime Per 100k: 7,419
Median Home Value: $139,100 (14th worst)
Median Income: $53,282 (14th worst)
More on Arnold Heights: Data
/10
Population: 3,078
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,029
Property Crime Per 100k: 7,255
Median Home Value: $105,000 (5th worst)
Median Income: $32,164 (3rd worst)
More on Malone: Data
/10
Population: 4,049
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 986
Property Crime Per 100k: 11,794
Median Home Value: $94,975 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $38,687 (6th worst)
More on Hartley: Data
/10
Population: 5,746
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 963
Property Crime Per 100k: 7,211
Median Home Value: $99,350 (4th worst)
Median Income: $35,363 (4th worst)
More on Clinton: Data
/10
Population: 1,875
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,014
Property Crime Per 100k: 7,246
Median Home Value: $135,267 (13th worst)
Median Income: $53,784 (15th worst)
More on East Campus: Data
/10
Population: 180
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,683
Property Crime Per 100k: 9,716
Median Home Value: $179,300 (26th worst)
Median Income: $86,125 (27th worst)
More on Salt Valley View: Data
/10
Population: 3,308
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 2,065
Property Crime Per 100k: 11,346
Median Home Value: $112,333 (7th worst)
Median Income: $35,902 (5th worst)
More on Everett: Data
/10
Population: 5,854
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 487
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,576
Median Home Value: $132,357 (12th worst)
Median Income: $29,614 (worst)
More on Downtown: Data
/10
Population: 3,898
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,074
Property Crime Per 100k: 6,695
Median Home Value: $86,867 (worst)
Median Income: $44,516 (10th worst)
More on South Salt Creek: Data
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous Lincoln neighborhoods in 2025
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We plugged the following criteria into Saturday Night Science to get the worst neighborhoods in Lincoln:
- High crime (Estimated)
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one’s willing to pay to live here)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Lincoln, Nebraska for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criterion into a “Worst Score.”
The neighborhood with the lowest “Worst Score” ranks as the most dangerous neighborhood of Lincoln.
The article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2025. This report is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Lincoln.
Skip to the end to see the list of all 35 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Lincoln
Well, there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in Lincoln with North Bottoms landing at the bottom of the pack.
The worst neighborhoods in Lincoln are North Bottoms, Arnold Heights, Malone, Hartley, Clinton, East Campus, Salt Valley View, Everett, Downtown, and South Salt Creek.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Lincoln aren’t all bad. Family Acres takes the cake as the best place to live in Lincoln.
The best neighborhoods in Lincoln are Family Acres, Porter Ridge, Yankee Ridge, Southern Hills, and Crown Pointe.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Nebraska reading, check out:
Most Dangerous Neighborhoods To Live In Lincoln For 2025?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Bottoms | 1,222 | $89,450 | $31,203 |
| 2 | Arnold Heights | 961 | $139,100 | $53,282 |
| 3 | Malone | 3,078 | $105,000 | $32,164 |
| 4 | Hartley | 4,049 | $94,975 | $38,687 |
| 5 | Clinton | 5,746 | $99,350 | $35,363 |
| 6 | East Campus | 1,875 | $135,267 | $53,784 |
| 7 | Salt Valley View | 180 | $179,300 | $86,125 |
| 8 | Everett | 3,308 | $112,333 | $35,902 |
| 9 | Downtown | 5,854 | $132,357 | $29,614 |
| 10 | South Salt Creek | 3,898 | $86,867 | $44,516 |
| 11 | Belmont | 5,797 | $109,180 | $52,129 |
| 12 | Landons | 552 | $148,800 | $42,917 |
| 13 | University Place | 11,359 | $126,690 | $48,097 |
| 14 | Capitol Beach | 759 | $130,800 | $58,870 |
| 15 | South 48th Street | 5,319 | $148,817 | $50,911 |
| 16 | Woods Park | 3,701 | $119,200 | $38,838 |
| 17 | Near South | 9,926 | $154,643 | $42,556 |
| 18 | Far South | 164 | $174,900 | $59,330 |
| 19 | West A | 10,307 | $154,500 | $70,361 |
| 20 | 40th And A | 4,085 | $129,900 | $56,031 |
| 21 | Greater South | 3,287 | $142,750 | $67,737 |
| 22 | High Ridge-Cushman | 1,742 | $143,800 | $71,654 |
| 23 | Meadowlane | 5,012 | $158,800 | $75,475 |
| 24 | Indian Village | 2,822 | $149,467 | $63,241 |
| 25 | Highlands | 5,605 | $174,150 | $88,394 |
| 26 | Amber Hills | 152 | $249,300 | $107,756 |
| 27 | Bicentennial Estates | 782 | $166,000 | $80,441 |
| 28 | Country Club | 6,101 | $208,875 | $86,161 |
| 29 | Taylor Park | 481 | $202,500 | $70,764 |
| 30 | Maple Village-Wedgewood | 805 | $200,000 | $79,478 |
| 31 | Crown Pointe | 637 | $288,300 | $112,165 |
| 32 | Southern Hills | 495 | $252,300 | $86,850 |
| 33 | Yankee Ridge | 133 | $339,200 | $125,612 |
| 34 | Porter Ridge | 1,223 | $270,400 | $101,066 |
| 35 | Family Acres | 8,801 | $300,620 | $104,415 |