Living in Lincoln: rents, schools, census and property titles
The 6,126 live property titles in Lincoln, Selwyn District are almost all freehold (96%), as recorded by LINZ on 30 September 2026. Cross-lease titles number 119 (1.9%), well below the national share of 8.7%.
- Cross-lease titles
- 119
- Share of live titles
- 1.9%
- Live titles in total
- 6,126
- Selwyn District share
- 0.6%
- New Zealand share
- 8.7%
- Rank by share in Selwyn District
- 1 of 4
- Rank by share in New Zealand
- joint 615 of 644
Lincoln at a glance
Where Lincoln differs most from suburbs across New Zealand: homes with a heat pump (higher than 99% of NZ suburbs); titles first issued since 2020 (higher than 98% of NZ suburbs); cross-lease share of titles (lower than 95% of NZ suburbs).
Higher or lower is not better or worse. Sources and limits
Start here
What the data tells you
Recorded facts
- Lincoln is listed under Selwyn District.
- 6,126 live titles are recorded here, including 119 cross-lease titles (1.9%).
- The page includes 2023 Census context for the statistical area that represents this suburb.
- The page includes MBIE new-tenancy rent figures for April–June 2026.
Contextual observations
- Cross-lease titles make up 1.9% of the recorded title mix. That describes the suburb, not any particular home.
- Unit titles account for 2.0% of recorded titles, so title structure can vary within the suburb.
- Public-transport figures describe how recorded titles sit near mapped stops. They do not describe a service from a particular property.
- Coast distance is a suburb-level map measure, not a flood or hazard assessment.
Questions worth investigating
- For any cross-lease property you consider, do the current title, flats plan and lease match what is built today?
- What do the LIM, council property file and a suitable inspection add for the specific address?
No data held for this suburb
- The core title, Census, rent, transport and coast measures used by this page are available.
Title mix in Lincoln
| Title type | Live titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 5,873 | 95.9% |
| Cross lease | 119 | 1.9% |
| Unit title | 120 | 2.0% |
| Leasehold | 3 | 0.0% |
| Other record types | 11 | 0.2% |
| Total | 6,126 | 100% |
Counts are titles, not homes; the register can lag conversions, so check the certificate of title. Sources and limits
How Lincoln compares
Nationally, 8.7% of live titles are cross-lease; Lincoln is well below the national share (8.7%).
Across Selwyn District as a whole, the share is 0.6%; Lincoln is about 3.2 times the overall Selwyn District share (0.6%).
Its cross-lease share is the highest of 4 in Selwyn District (among suburbs with an indexed page on this site).
How cross-leases in Lincoln are set up
Carports appear in fewer leases (2% of schemes, against 13% nationally).
Fewer schemes have four or more flats on one section (4%, against 11% nationally).
Three-flat schemes are less common here (6%, against 12% nationally).
| Scheme structure | Lincoln | Selwyn District | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-lease schemes (shared sections) | 55 | 119 | 87,651 |
| Two-flat schemes | 90.9% | 89.1% | 76.2% |
| Three-flat schemes | 5.5% | 6.7% | 12.2% |
| Four or more flats | 3.6% | 4.2% | 11.4% |
| Typical section size (from the titles, not a survey) | 1,004 m² | 979 m² | 908 m² |
| Typical land per flat | 412 m² | 452 m² | 408 m² |
| Schemes with a garage written into a lease | 43.6% | 37.0% | 28.4% |
| Schemes with a carport in a lease | 1.8% | 2.5% | 13.3% |
| Schemes with a separate exclusive-use area | 3.6% | 1.7% | 4.5% |
| Schemes referring to more than one flats plan (usually redrawn; not by itself a problem) | 32.7% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Median year of earliest current title | 1993 | 1991 | 1988 |
| Two-flat schemes on 700 m² or more | 36 | 84 | 54,978 |
Unit titles and leasehold in Lincoln
Unit titles are 2% of Lincoln's titles, well above Selwyn District (1%) and well below New Zealand (8%). They belong to 5 developments, each run by a body corporate; 1 has 50 or more units.
The unit-title share is the highest of 4 in Selwyn District.
New titles in Lincoln since 2020
2,049 of Lincoln's current titles (33%) were first issued since 2020, above Selwyn District's suburbs with new-title figures taken together (27%) and well above New Zealand (12%).
That rate is 2nd highest of 4 in Selwyn District.
| Title type | Since 2020 | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 2,027 | 738 |
| Unit title | 19 | 0 |
| Cross-lease | 2 | 0 |
| Leasehold | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 |
New titles include cross-leases converted to freehold and titles re-issued; they are not a count of new homes. Sources and limits
The lie of the land in Lincoln
The typical building in Lincoln stands on ground sloping 0.7° (read on an 8 m grid, so short steep banks may be understated).
Nearly all of its 6,166 measured buildings (100%) stand on ground under 5°.
Much of the land is low-lying: the median elevation is 5 m.
Slope is not a measure of ground stability. Sources and limits
Distance to the coast from Lincoln
Lincoln is inland: the typical title is 13 km from the sea or harbour edge, and fewer than 1 in 2,000 titles are within 1 km of it.
Measured in a straight line from the centre of each title's land to the coastline on LINZ's 1:50k topographic map, which follows harbours and estuaries as well as the open coast; lakes and rivers are not included. Distance says nothing about beach access, views or exposure to coastal hazards; council hazard maps and the LIM describe those.
Who lives around Lincoln: 2023 Census
Lincoln's titles fall in 8 census areas (Stats NZ statistical areas). The 4 shown below hold 84% of its titles; their figures are shown side by side and are not added together.
More adults hold a degree in Lincoln North than across Selwyn District: 33.9% against 26.2%.
Fewer workers work from home in Lincoln North than across Selwyn District: 15.2% against 18.9%.
| Measure | Lincoln North 33% of titles | Lincoln West 21% of titles | Lincoln East 17% of titles | Lincoln South 14% of titles | Selwyn District whole council |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residents | 3,504 | 3,294 | 2,430 | 1,383 | 78,144 |
| Change since 2018 | +173.5% | +16.7% | +6.3% | +972.1% | +29.0% |
| Change since 2013 | +1129.5% | +44.5% | +100.5% | +1297.0% | +75.2% |
| Median age | 36.1 | 34.4 | 39.6 | 35.2 | 37.6 |
| Households | 1,215 | 1,068 | 843 | 471 | 26,919 |
| Own or part-own their home (including family trusts) | 85.4% | 73.9% | 85.8% | 87.3% | 80.5% |
| Not owned and not in a family trust (mostly renting) | 14.3% | 26.1% | 14.2% | 12.1% | 19.5% |
| Median household income | $133,300 | $111,500 | $125,500 | $149,500 | $122,100 |
| Median weekly rent, renting households | $610 | $480 | $560 | $620 | $480 |
| Dwellings unoccupied on census night | 6.7% | 5.9% | 4.3% | 5.6% | 7.4% |
| Ages | |||||
| Under 15 | 23.5% | 18.2% | 21.2% | 24.5% | 21.3% |
| 15 to 29 | 15.0% | 26.7% | 16.0% | 15.0% | 17.0% |
| 30 to 64 | 48.6% | 40.6% | 47.0% | 52.1% | 48.7% |
| 65 and over | 12.8% | 14.7% | 15.8% | 8.5% | 13.0% |
| Where people came from | |||||
| Born overseas | 23.1% | 31.9% | 24.5% | 28.1% | 23.9% |
| Of those born overseas, arrived in the last 5 years | 21.9% | 34.5% | 18.7% | 15.7% | 17.6% |
| Lived elsewhere in New Zealand 5 years ago (of all residents, including children born since) | 67.0% | 50.5% | 41.1% | 80.5% | 50.1% |
| Lived overseas 5 years ago (of all residents) | 4.0% | 4.7% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 3.2% |
| Moved here in the last year (of all residents) | 24.9% | 28.2% | 16.7% | 48.8% | 19.7% |
| Work and study (people 15 and over) | |||||
| Bachelor degree or higher | 33.9% | 33.3% | 33.4% | 36.9% | 26.2% |
| Employed full-time | 58.2% | 45.3% | 53.6% | 62.2% | 58.2% |
| Unemployed (share of everyone 15 and over, not the unemployment rate) | 1.1% | 2.8% | 2.4% | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| Managers and professionals (of those employed) | 53.0% | 46.6% | 50.4% | 55.3% | 45.8% |
| Median personal income | $58,900 | $37,300 | $51,500 | $64,700 | $51,900 |
| Getting to work (of those employed) | |||||
| Work from home | 15.2% | 14.0% | 16.2% | 18.5% | 18.9% |
| Car, truck or van | 78.7% | 72.6% | 75.9% | 74.2% | 74.9% |
| Bus, train or ferry | 2.1% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| Walk or cycle | 3.1% | 10.9% | 4.9% | 4.4% | 3.5% |
| Households and families | |||||
| One-person households | 13.4% | 14.4% | 12.5% | 7.1% | 14.1% |
| Average people per household | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
| Households with no motor vehicle | 1.5% | 2.6% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Crowded households (need one or more extra bedrooms) | 0.8% | 4.0% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 2.0% |
| Couples with children (of families) | 53.0% | 46.4% | 50.8% | 55.2% | 49.7% |
| Couples without children | 39.1% | 41.1% | 38.4% | 38.6% | 41.3% |
| One-parent families | 8.1% | 12.1% | 10.7% | 6.2% | 9.1% |
| Homes | |||||
| Separate (stand-alone) houses | 92.8% | 90.2% | 97.9% | 95.6% | 94.6% |
| Average bedrooms | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.5 |
| Heated with a heat pump | 95.2% | 87.6% | 92.0% | 91.5% | 79.5% |
| Damp, always or sometimes | 1.3% | 8.7% | 5.5% | 0.0% | 7.6% |
| Mould over A4 size, always or sometimes | 0.5% | 5.0% | 1.8% | 0.0% | 4.4% |
Rents around Lincoln
New tenancies in Lincoln East in the April–June 2026 quarter had a median rent of $660 a week (up 1.5% on a year earlier). That is slightly above the national median ($600).
| April–June 2026 | Lincoln East 50% of titles | Lincoln West 21% of titles | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median weekly rent, new tenancies | $660 | $600 | $600 |
| Middle half of rents | $647–$685 | $516–$668 | $490–$700 |
| Change in median on a year earlier | +1.5% | +15.4% | +0.2% |
| Bonds lodged in the quarter | 33 | 36 | 40,827 |
Schools and hospitals near Lincoln
LINZ maps 3 school sites inside Lincoln, among them Ararira Springs Primary - Te Puna o Ararira (Full Primary) and Lincoln High School (Secondary (Year 9-15)).
- Ararira Springs Primary - Te Puna o Ararira (Full Primary)
- Lincoln High School (Secondary (Year 9-15))
- Lincoln Primary School (Full Primary)
- Nearest school: Ararira Springs Primary - Te Puna o Ararira (2.4 km)
- Nearest secondary school: Lincoln High School (4.0 km)
- Nearest public general hospital: Ellesmere Hospital (18.1 km)
School enrolment zones in Lincoln: a guide
Three secondary schools have a home zone covering most of Lincoln's titles: Lincoln High School, St Thomas of Canterbury College and Villa Maria College.
- Rolleston Christian School (primary, Years 1–8): about 90% of titles
- Lincoln Primary School (primary, Years 1–8): about 45% of titles
- Ararira Springs School (primary, Years 1–8): about 45% of titles
- Tai Tapu School (primary, Years 1–8): about 10% of titles
- Christchurch Adventist School (composite): all or nearly all titles
- Middleton Grange School (Year 11-13) (composite): all or nearly all titles
- Middleton Grange School (Year 9-10) (composite): about 90% of titles
- Aidanfield Christian School (composite): about 10% of titles
- Lincoln High School (secondary): all or nearly all titles
- St Thomas of Canterbury College (secondary): all or nearly all titles
- Villa Maria College (secondary): all or nearly all titles
A guide only: check the school's own zone map for any address. Zones as at 14 July 2026. Sources and limits
Public transport in Lincoln
24% of Lincoln's titles are within 400 m of a stop with a scheduled weekday service, slightly below Selwyn District as a whole (26%).
Fewer than 1% are within 400 m of a stop with 60 or more departures that day.
The typical title is 792 m in a straight line from its nearest stop.
Timetable of Wednesday 30 September 2026, Metro (Environment Canterbury). Sources and limits
Places of worship near Lincoln
OpenStreetMap maps 6 places of worship inside Lincoln (5 Christian, 1 other or not recorded).
Nearest mapped place of each tradition within 10 km:
- Christian: St Mark's Greenpark, 1.8 km away
Listed as facilities for access; not an indicator of who lives here. Sources and limits
Other suburbs in Selwyn District with many cross-leases
- Leeston: 42 cross-lease titles (1.8%)
- Darfield: 40 cross-lease titles (1.7%)
- Rolleston: 34 cross-lease titles (0.2%)
All suburbs in Selwyn District
Suburbs like Lincoln
The closest match on the measures on this site is Rolleston in Selwyn District, nearest on slope, near a frequent stop, distance to a hospital. Closeness is arithmetic, not a rating. Sources and limits
| Suburb | Council | Cross-lease share of titles | Median weekly rent, new tenancies | Median age | Closest on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolleston | Selwyn District | 0.2% | No data | No data | slope, near a frequent stop, distance to a hospital |
| Wallaceville | Upper Hutt City | 14.8% | $650 | 36.6 | slope, distance to the coast, near a frequent stop |
| Swanson | Auckland | 2.3% | No data | 33.3 | degrees, cross-lease share, unit-title share |
| Woodend, Waimakariri District | Waimakariri District | 1.8% | No data | 38.3 | slope, near a frequent stop, cross-lease share |
| Halswell | Christchurch City | 5.4% | $685 | 34.7 | stand-alone houses, slope, unit-title share |
Questions
What is the rent in Lincoln?
New tenancies in Lincoln East (the rent area for part of Lincoln) had a median rent of $660 a week in the April–June 2026 quarter (MBIE bond data, all dwelling types). These are rents agreed for new tenancies, not asking rents. The middle half of those rents ran from $647 to $685.
What schools are in Lincoln?
LINZ maps 3 school sites inside Lincoln: Ararira Springs Primary - Te Puna o Ararira, Lincoln High School and Lincoln Primary School. The nearest secondary school to its centre is Lincoln High School (4.0 km in a straight line). Secondary-school home zones covering most of its titles are Lincoln High School, St Thomas of Canterbury College and Villa Maria College; check the school's own zone map for any address.