2-Bedroom Rent · July 2026

2-Bedroom Apartment Rent in Lincoln, NE

$1,206/mo

Median asking rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Lincoln, Nebraska as of July 2026. That's +10% lower than the citywide median of $1,345 and +27% below the national 2-bedroom median of $1,655.

2-Bedroom median
$1,206
July 2026
vs city overall
-10%
$1,345 city median
vs national
-27%
$1,655 US median
Nebraska rank
#8
of 14 cities

Income needed for a 2-bedroom in Lincoln

Using the standard 30% rent-to-income guideline (the threshold above which households are considered rent-burdened), here's what you need to earn to comfortably afford a 2-bedroom at the current median rent.

Annual income
$48,240
Monthly gross
$4,020
Hourly (full-time)
$23.19

Rent by apartment size in Lincoln

Compare Lincoln's median rent across every apartment size.

Studio
$872
1-Bedroom
$975
2-Bedroom (current)
$1,206
3-Bedroom
$1,691
4+ Bedroom
$1,811

Cheapest cities for a 2-bedroom in Nebraska

#City2-Bedroom rent
1Columbus$940
2Kearney$950
3Lexington$960
4Norfolk$960
5Fremont$1,060
6Grand Island$1,130
7Plattsmouth$1,140
8Lincoln (this page)$1,206
9Bellevue$1,255
10La Vista$1,350
11Omaha$1,380
12Papillion$1,480
13Gretna$1,520
14Bennington$1,570

Most expensive cities for a 2-bedroom in Nebraska

#City2-Bedroom rent
1Bennington$1,570
2Gretna$1,520
3Papillion$1,480
4Omaha$1,380
5La Vista$1,350
6Bellevue$1,255
7Lincoln (this page)$1,206
8Plattsmouth$1,140
9Grand Island$1,130
10Fremont$1,060
11Norfolk$960
12Lexington$960
13Kearney$950
14Columbus$940

Nearby cities — 2-bedroom rent

Considering nearby alternatives? 5 of these cities have cheaper 2-bedroom rents than Lincoln.

CityDistance2-Bedroom rentvs Lincoln
Gretna, NE35.2 mi$1,520+$314 (+26%)
Fremont, NE45.5 mi$1,060$-146 (-12%)
La Vista, NE49.2 mi$1,350+$144 (+12%)
Papillion, NE49.5 mi$1,480+$274 (+23%)
Bennington, NE51.1 mi$1,570+$364 (+30%)
Omaha, NE51.5 mi$1,380+$174 (+14%)
Plattsmouth, NE51.6 mi$1,140$-66 (-5%)
Bellevue, NE56.3 mi$1,255+$49 (+4%)
Council Bluffs, IA64.7 mi$1,100$-106 (-9%)
Columbus, NE67.5 mi$940$-266 (-22%)
Norfolk, NE99.6 mi$960$-246 (-20%)
Manhattan, KS109.9 mi$1,070$-136 (-11%)

2-Bedroom rent in Lincoln — common questions

How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Lincoln?

As of July 2026, the median 2-bedroom apartment rent in Lincoln, Nebraska is $1,206 per month. This is +10% below the citywide median of $1,345.

What income do you need to afford a 2-bedroom in Lincoln?

Using the standard 30% rent-to-income rule, you would need an annual income of about $48,240 ($4,020/month gross), which works out to roughly $23.19/hour at a full-time job.

Is Lincoln expensive for a 2-bedroom compared to the rest of the US?

Lincoln's 2-bedroom median of $1,206 is +27% below the national 2-bedroom median of $1,655. It ranks in the 20th percentile of US cities tracked.

How does Lincoln rank for 2-bedroom rent in Nebraska?

Among the 14 cities in Nebraska with 2-bedroom data, Lincoln ranks #8 from cheapest to most expensive.

Are there cheaper 2-bedroom options near Lincoln?

Yes — nearby cities with cheaper 2-bedroom rents include Fremont ($1,060), Plattsmouth ($1,140), Council Bluffs ($1,100).

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Methodology: Bedroom-level rent medians come from HUD Fair Market Rent data calibrated to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for Lincoln, which serves as the citywide anchor. When the HUD bedroom values exceed the ZORI city median (a common quirk in luxury markets and small samples), bedroom values are proportionally scaled down to align. Income required uses the standard 30% rent-to-income guideline. Comparison rankings use the same data month across all cities (July 2026) and exclude cities with median rent below $400 or above $20,000.