Omaha is a city of 488,797, and it grades C overall, ranked 50th of 57 in Nebraska. It is more walkable than 84% of U.S. towns. The trade-off: its schools rank behind 97% of the state's. 73% of working residents work locally in Omaha, where Nebraska’s towns sit at 33% and U.S. towns at 8%. Its National Register listings include USS HAZARD (AM-240) National Historic Landmark and Father Flanagan's Boys' Home. On cost of living, just 10 of Nebraska’s 133 towns do worse.

StrongestA⁻Walkability A⁻Outdoors A⁻HistoryWeakestD⁻Schools

What makes Omaha stand out

Where Omaha beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

USS HAZARD (AM-240) National Historic Landmark

HistoryA⁻

Settled in 1854

189 places on the National Register

A history going back 172 years.

Biggest of 8

College	Students
Metropolitan Community College Area	12,911
University of Nebraska at Omaha	11,554
Creighton University	6,982

Colleges in town

8 colleges

36,415 students on campus

Students are 7% of residents.

OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

School	Grades	Students
Gateway Elementary School	PK–5	792
Spring Lake Magnet Center	PK–5	744
Gomez Heritage Elementary School	PK–5	711

Worth knowing · SchoolsD⁻

On state tests and graduation

NCES · EDFacts.

USS HAZARD (AM-240) National Historic Landmark · National Register of Historic Places

Omaha’s story

172 years in pictures

USS HAZARD (AM-240) National Historic Landmark is one of 3 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1854, comes before those of 98% of the Nebraska towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 1,883 in 1860, 486,051 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1830 and 5 maps from 1956 on.

189 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1854Omaha is settled

Explore the history →

How Omaha grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nebraska), ordered by how far Omaha is from typical.

How grading works

SchoolsD⁻Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.1 of 20; 7.5% of households have no car; 3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA⁻Open →HealthThe Nebraska Medical Center 0 miles awayB⁺Open →Cost of livingC⁺Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC⁺Open →Jobs & income$73K median household incomeBOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

OutdoorsA⁻Open →History37 notable people born hereA⁻Open →Civic life4.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market15 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.3–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and 26 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Omaha. Close and well known come first.

All 37 attractions →

in town Zoo & aquariumOmaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

in town MuseumJoslyn Art Museum

37 mi Park & preserveLoess Hills

in town MuseumUSS Hazard

22 mi MuseumStrategic Air and Space Museum

in town GardenLauritzen Gardens

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium: OmahaZoo, Public domain · Joslyn Art Museum: akasped, CC BY 2.0 · Loess Hills: Bill Whittaker, CC BY-SA 3.0 · USS Hazard: Dave Aldworth / Oldfarm at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Strategic Air and Space Museum: User Kandykornhead on en.wikipedia, Public domain · Lauritzen Gardens: Pmg, CC BY-SA 3.0

Getting set up

Moving to Omaha: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Omaha, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerOmaha Public Power District13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterMetropolitan Utilities DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet12 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpUnderTheSink4001 South 120th StreetOpenStreetMap

SchoolsOmaha Public SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Nebraska you can register online until 18 days before Election Day, in person until 11 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 18 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereDouglas Election CommissionerDouglas County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Feb 2025

ZIP codes68104, 68107, 68134, 6816468104 8% · 68107 6% · 68134 6% · 68164 6%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Omaha.

SchoolsD⁻

Omaha’s grade for schools is a D−

Its public schools are run by the Omaha Public Schools. Three of its 212 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

3%of NE districts it outscoresD⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Norris Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	1,140	D⁻
Central High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	2,587	C⁻
Aldrich ElementaryTop results in townGrades PK–5	Grades PK–5	462	A⁺

Full pageOmaha’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsOMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS Vs. the neighborsBehind its 2 graded neighbors Every school212 schools · Gateway Elementary School Questions“Are Omaha’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NE on state tests and graduation

OutdoorsA⁻

Conserved land covers 10% of Omaha

81 miles of trail in 229 parks and preserves. Only 3 of the 56 Nebraska towns we compare have a higher share of conserved land than Omaha. The biggest place to walk is Zorinsky Lake Park, 982 acres with 2.8 miles of trail.

#13for trails in NE

	Omaha	Nebraska towns	U.S. towns
Conserved land	10%	3.6%	4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile	0.6 miles per square mile	0.3	0.4

10%

conserved · 9,285 of 93,297 acres

81 mi

of trails · 0.6 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Glenn Cunningham Lake Park	12.4 mi	948
2. Standing Bear Lake Park	5.8 mi	536
3. Hummel Park	3.2 mi	195

Full pageOmaha’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map81 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk12.4 miles of trail · Glenn Cunningham Lake Park Conserved land10% conserved · 9,285 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Omaha?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

HealthB⁺

Omaha ranks healthier than 70% of the country’s towns

Omaha beats the Nebraska average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 20% of Omaha adults binge drink.

71%healthier than U.S. townsB⁺Health Grade

	Omaha	Nebraska towns	U.S. towns
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	20%	19%	16%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	31%	34%	35%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	12%	13%	14%
Depression (CDC PLACES)	19%	18%	23%

32 measures vs. Nebraska

3 better23 too close to call6 worse

What stands out	Omaha	NE
Fewer adults who have had cancer	7.2%	8.3%
Fewer adults with heart disease	5.4%	6.1%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	8.7%	6.4%

The Nebraska Medical Center

In Omaha · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

61st

percentile among NE towns

Full pageOmaha’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearbyThe Nebraska Medical Center How adults are doingMore adults in frequent mental distress Every CDC estimateBetter than NE on 3 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

Four seasons and pleasant summers in Omaha

Omaha has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 14° and about 34 inches of snow falls in a winter.

34″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter17–36°

Spring40–62°

Summer64–84°

Fall42–64°

Oct 18

typical first frost

Apr 16

typical last frost

+1.0°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageOmaha’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 86°, January lows 14°Rain & snow34″ of snow a winter · 33 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B

With 1.4 jobs for every working resident, Omaha draws in 151,246 commuters

15% of workers work from home in Omaha. Since 2013, Omaha has added 25,104 jobs, to 310,313 in 2023. The average trip to work in Omaha is 20 minutes.

73%work in town

	Omaha	Nebraska towns	U.S. towns
Work from home	15%	5.4%	11%
Average trip to work	20 minutes	17 minutes	25 minutes
Below the poverty line	14%	11%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Omaha73%

Lincoln3%

Council Bluffs3%

Papillion2%

La Vista2%

6 mi

median commute distance

310,313

jobs based in Omaha

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

A−

Walkability grade: more walkable than 84% of U.S. towns

Full pageOmaha’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here310,313 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work73% work in Omaha Commute times20 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 6 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Safety

Property crime in Omaha is higher than in most of Nebraska or the rest of the country

Omaha’s property crime rate is 27.7 per 1,000 residents. Omaha's reported crime rate is well above Nebraska's. Omaha’s violent crime rate is 3.5 per 1,000 residents.

	Omaha	Nebraska towns	U.S. towns
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	27.7 per 1,000 residents	7	9.9
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	3.5 per 1,000 residents	1	1.6

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Omaha3.5

Nebraska2.2

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Omaha27.7

Nebraska14

U.S.15.5

1,686

violent crimes reported in 2025

13,526

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageOmaha’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type3.5 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsReported crime since 2023 Vs. the neighbors4 bordering towns Questions“Is Omaha, NE safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Who lives here

An age mix much like Nebraska’s

No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Nebraska average. 40% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 35% across Nebraska.

35.3median age · NE 37.2

	Omaha	Nebraska towns	U.S. towns
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	40%	28%	29%
Median age	35.3 years	37.8 years	40.5 years
Aged 65 or older	15%	19%	18%
Under 18	24%	24%	22%

OmahaNebraskaUnited States

NEU.S.

Ages · share of residents

15%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma10%

High school21%

Some college21%

Associate’s8%

Bachelor’s25%

Graduate15%

Women and men · all residents

50.2% women, 49.8% men

About 99 men for every 100 women. Across Nebraska, 49.7% of residents are women. Median age: women 36.1, men 34.6.

Ages and education in Omaha
	Omaha	NE	U.S.
Under 10	13.1%	13.1%	11.6%
10 to 17	11.1%	11.4%	10.3%
18 to 24	10%	9.8%	9.1%
25 to 34	15.3%	12.9%	13.7%
35 to 44	13.6%	13.1%	13.2%
45 to 54	11.1%	11.1%	12.2%
55 to 64	11.2%	11.9%	12.7%
65 to 74	8.9%	9.9%	10.2%
75 and older	5.6%	6.8%	7%
No diploma	9.5%	7.8%	10.4%
High school	21.4%	25%	26%
Some college	21.2%	21.6%	19.1%
Associate’s	7.8%	11%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	25.3%	22.3%	21.6%
Graduate	14.8%	12.3%	14.1%

Full pageOmaha by the numbersOpen the page

Ages35.3 median age · 15% are 65 or older Schooling40% have a four-year degree Homes57% own their home · Homeowners Income$73K a year · Median household income

U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

HousingCost of living grade C⁺

The typical home in Omaha is valued at about $295K

The typical Omaha home is worth about $295,000, up 2.3% in a year, 6% above the Nebraska typical home.

$295KZillow home value

	Omaha	Nebraska towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	57%	67%	73%
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	50%	43%	48%
Median rent	$1,187 a month	$907 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Omaha$295K

Nebraska$278K

Market temperature

days on market

100.3%

sale-to-list price

+2.3%

value change, 1 year

433

homes sold in May

Full pageOmaha’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 2.3% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 4.0 years of income Rents$1,187 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsBehind its 2 graded neighbors

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C⁺

Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Omaha

188 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 20 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 188 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Omaha.

55risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesHail

188

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageOmaha’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims188 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters9 federal disasters · Paid out in Omaha Get ready1.8 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Omaha

20pages on Omaha

The big questions

SchoolsD⁻Behind 97% of NE districts · 212 schools Safety3.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB⁺Better than NE on 3 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingC⁺$295K typical home · up 2.3% in a year Work & commuteB$73K median household income · 310,313 jobs here Natural hazardsC⁺FEMA risk higher than 55% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁻81 mi of trails · 10% conserved land PlacesAttractions37 nearby · Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium under 1 mi LibraryC⁺W Clarke Swanson Branch Library CollegesCollege of Saint Mary, in town

The story

HistoryA⁻Settled 1854 · 189 on the National Register Famous people37 born in Omaha Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 172 residents Climate86° summer highs · 34″ of snow

Day to day

News3 recent stories about Omaha WeatherHandbookZIP code 68101, 68102, 68103 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

11 within 15 miles of the center of Omaha

Metropolitan Community College AreaCommunity college · Public · OmahaIn town$3,375 in-state tuition University of Nebraska Medical CenterUniversity or college · Public · OmahaIn town College of Saint MaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · OmahaIn town$24,510 tuition

About 7 of every 100 Omaha residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Nebraska.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A growing town

Omaha has grown 18% since 2010

408,958 counted in 2010 and 486,051 in 2020; an estimated 488,797 in 2025.

Growth has leveled off: within 1% of 2020, after 18.9% in the decade before.

408,9582010

486,0512020

488,7972025 est.

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025

Landmarks

189 places in Omaha on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

USS HAZARD (AM-240) National Historic LandmarkNational Historic Landmark

Father Flanagan's Boys' HomeNational Historic Landmark

Gen. George Crook House

Bank of FlorenceBuilt 1856

Famous people from Omaha

37 notable people were born in Omaha.

See all 37 →

Marlon BrandoAmerican actor · 1924–2004

Warren BuffettAmerican investor, entrepreneur and businessman · born 1930

Malcolm XAmerican Black rights activist · 1925–1965

Fred AstaireAmerican dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer · 1899–1987

Nick NolteAmerican actor · born 1941

Andy RoddickAmerican tennis player · born 1982

About Omaha

Largest city in Nebraska, US

Official town website ↗

Omaha is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about 10 mi (15 km) north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha had a population of 486,051 at the 2020 census, and with a 2025 population estimate of 488,797, it is the 42nd-most populous U.S. city. The eight-county Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area extending into Iowa has approximately 1 million residents, the 55th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. It is the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha's pioneer period began in 1854, when the city was founded along the Missouri River by speculators from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa. It originally co…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1854
Area: 142 sq mi
Elevation: 1,089 ft
ZIP code: 68101, 68102, 68103
Area code: 402

Omaha’s neighbors

4 towns share a border with Omaha.

Explore the map →

Council BluffsRalstonCarter LakeBellevueOmaha

Council Bluffs

E · 3% of Omaha workers commute here

Visit

Ralston

Visit

Carter Lake

Visit

Bellevue

SE · 2% of Omaha workers commute here

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	NE rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Omaha	#50	C	C⁺	—	D⁻	B⁺
Ralston	#41	C⁺	C⁺	B⁻	D	B⁺
Bellevue	#43	C⁺	C⁺	B⁻	D	B⁺

Omaha reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Omaha with a neighbor →

Questions about Omaha

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Omaha, NE a good place to live?

Omaha grades C overall, better than 29% of U.S. towns and #50 of 57 in Nebraska. It grades B+ for health and D− for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Omaha, NE expensive?

That is 3.5 years of the area's median household income ($84,829 across the Omaha, NE-IA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.

What is Omaha, NE known for?

37 notable people were born here, including Marlon Brando and Warren Buffett.

Post to Omaha

Check your email

OmahaNE

What is it like to live in Omaha?

What makes Omaha stand out

172 years in pictures

How Omaha grades

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and 26 more within 40 miles

Moving to Omaha: who provides what

The data

Omaha’s grade for schools is a D−

Conserved land covers 10% of Omaha

Omaha ranks healthier than 70% of the country’s towns

Four seasons and pleasant summers in Omaha

Typical low → high °F

With 1.4 jobs for every working resident, Omaha draws in 151,246 commuters

Where working residents work

Property crime in Omaha is higher than in most of Nebraska or the rest of the country

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

An age mix much like Nebraska’s

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

The typical home in Omaha is valued at about $295K

Typical home value

Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Omaha

Everything we know about Omaha

Colleges nearby

Omaha has grown 18% since 2010

Landmarks

Famous people from Omaha

About Omaha

Omaha’s neighbors

Questions about Omaha