NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in Lincoln, NE

Metro Market Score 36.1 (Moderate), ranked #36 of 298 metros. 808 establishments, 15,569 jobs.

Metro Market Score 36.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

📈Rapid Growth⚡Rising Wages

Employment in Lincoln's accommodation and food services sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 78.5. Combined with a 36.1 market score, this metro sits in the top quartile for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

32.2

LQ: 0.94

Rank #96 of 298 metros

Wage Competitiveness

26.5

$21,941 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 78.5

Employment growth index

Rank #65 of 298 metros

Wage Pressure

74.7

YoY wage change index

808 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in Lincoln

808

Establishments

-1.1% YoY

15,569

Total Employment

+2.2% YoY

$21,941

Average Annual Wage

+4.5% YoY

0.94

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Nebraska

#1 of 2

accommodation and food services metros in state

Nebraska state rank

#31 of 51

for accommodation and food services entry risk

vs State Median

-17.6

better than median (53.6)

Lincoln vs Nebraska Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to Nebraska overall. The state ranks #31/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Lincoln	NE Statewide
Overall Score	36.1 Moderate	41.5 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#36 of 298 metros	#31 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Lincoln

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 38.9 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 41.9 Information 49.3 Other Services 50.6 Retail Trade 52.8 Construction 55.7 Administrative and Support Services 56.1 Finance and Insurance 62.0

Accommodation and Food Services in Other Nebraska Metros

Omaha 53.6 #145/298

Accommodation and Food Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Lincoln's 36.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Albany, OR 36.3 #37/298 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD 35.8 #35/298 Manhattan, KS 36.5 #38/298 Kankakee, IL 35.5 #34/298 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI 35.3 #32/298 Fargo, ND 35.3 #33/298 Lima, OH 35.3 #31/298 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 37.3 #39/298 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA 37.4 #40/298 Saginaw, MI 37.4 #41/298

Accommodation and Food Services in States Bordering Nebraska

State-level entry risk for accommodation and food services in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Kansas 34.2 #18/51 South Dakota 36.7 #23/51 Iowa 39.0 #29/51 Colorado 46.9 #41/51 Missouri 47.2 #42/51 Wyoming 55.0 #45/51

Browse Accommodation and Food Services in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for accommodation and food services across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Lincoln's accommodation and food services sector, the wage pressure component (74.7) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Lincoln, NE MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment