Places › Nebraska › Omaha

Living in Omaha, NE

Big city in Nebraska

Omaha is a big city in Nebraska, home to about 488,000 people, with 784,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Omaha a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 8 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $278k and rents for $1,810 a month
  • Mild summers: highs around 83°F
  • Easy flying: OMA is 9 mi away

👎 Cons

  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • Higher taxes: about $1,109 state income tax per resident, 1.69% property tax
  • Smaller job market: about 784,000 people live within 31 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Omaha ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
488,000
784,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
35°F / 83°F
Average daily highs · 27″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$278k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,810/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
92
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,109
State income tax per resident · 1.69% property tax
Safety
1.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
16 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, tornadoes
Top-rated hospitals
8
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
40%
2 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
OMA
9 mi away

Living in Omaha: common questions

What is the cost of living in Omaha?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $278k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,810 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 92, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Omaha?

Nebraska collects about $1,109 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.69% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Omaha safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.6× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Omaha?

Omaha has cold winters: winter days average around 35°F and summer days around 83°F, with roughly 27″ of snow a year.

Does Omaha get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and hail: 16 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.01 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Omaha?

The nearest major airport is OMA, about 9 mi away.

How Omaha scores

Each bar compares Omaha with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Mid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Strong culture scene Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Moderate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Below average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Good
🧸Kids & family Good
🐕Dog-friendly Good
⛰️Outdoors Poor
🎭Culture Average
🛡️Safety Moderate crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Average
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

Places like Omaha

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Is Omaha right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.