Omaha, Nebraska
Cost of living, housing, income, commute, climate, and safety — compiled for relocators researching Omaha.
Key figures
Each metric shows how Omaha compares with the U.S. baseline (ACS/BLS nationals where available; catalog-city averages for crime, climate, and commute). Income, housing, population, and crime are for the incorporated city (city limits), not the broader metro/MSA — unemployment is county-level (BLS LAUS).
- Population
- 488,197City limits · not metro/MSA
- Median household income
- $72,708Incorporated place (ACS)7% below U.S. avgU.S. $78,538
- Housing cost index
- 81ACS home+rent vs U.S. (100 = avg)19% below U.S. avgU.S. 100
- Median home value
- $230,100City limits (ACS)24% below U.S. avgU.S. $303,400
- Median rent
- $1,150City limits (ACS)15% below U.S. avgU.S. $1,348
- Unemployment
- 2.8%County LAUS · not city-onlyNear U.S. avg (4.2 pts)U.S. 4.2 pts
- Avg commute
- 20 min20% below U.S. avgU.S. 25 min
- Walk Score
- 3327% below U.S. avgU.S. 45
- Violent crime rate
- 612.8annualized per 100k · citywideNear U.S. avg (602.7)U.S. 602.7
- Property crime rate
- 3643.9annualized per 100k · citywide18% above U.S. avgU.S. 3084.9
- Summer high
- 86°FNear U.S. avg (87°F)U.S. 87°F
- Winter low
- 18°F16.0°F below U.S. avgU.S. 34°F
- Annual rainfall
- 31.9 inNear U.S. avg (32.9 in)U.S. 32.9 in
- Sunny days
- 262Near U.S. avg (266)U.S. 266
Compare Omaha with another city
Plains weather extremes and a steady agribusiness economy set expectations. Winter lows around 18°F mean heating costs and snow logistics belong on the checklist. Average one-way commute time is about 20 minutes, and Walk Score estimates land around 33/100. A recent county unemployment reading near 2.8% suggests a relatively tight local labor market. Violent-offense rates near 612.8 per 100k sit in a mid-to-elevated band versus many peer cities in this catalog.
About 488,197 people live in Omaha, NE. With median income around $72,708 and a cost index of 81, the market reads among the more affordable large markets in this catalog on housing costs. Entry home prices around $230,100 still look attainable compared with coastal metros.
Omaha sits in that mid-to-large city band where urban and quieter residential pockets often share one municipal boundary. Figures on this page are merged from Census ACS, BLS LAUS, FBI Crime Data Explorer, and NOAA Climate Normals — use them to compare Omaha with nearby alternatives before you relocate.
Nearby & similar cities
Continue researching with these internal links — each page is a full data profile.
Sources
- Census / ACS: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year (Omaha city, 1600000US3137000)
- BLS: BLS LAUS LAUCN310550000000003 (Douglas County, May 2026)
- Crime: FBI CIUS Table 8 (2019) city offenses known to law enforcement — rates per 100k; CDE API unavailable at enrich time
- Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 Monthly Normals (USW00014942 OMAHA EPPLEY AIRFIELD)
Last updated 2026-07-28