Omaha, Nebraska is deep-rooted in culture and history while maintaining a balance between a big city and small town atmosphere. It began as the Gate City of the West, booming into a prominent city in the early 19th century. If you’re moving to Omaha for a job in one of its booming industries or for one of the many universities in the area, get to know a thing or two about this Midwestern hub.
The areas of Omaha are dubbed by their relative locations: North, South, East, and West Omaha. Downtown is the core of the Omaha metropolitan area’s business and government entities, including many business headquarters. NoDo, or North Downtown, runs along the Missouri River and is home to a variety of developments, many still up-and-coming. West Omaha is home to the neighborhood of Boys Town, made famous by the 1938 film set there.
Most Nebraskans are used to it, but in case you’re from the South: Omaha is cold. The Weather Channel deemed it the fifth coldest large city by the average lows in December, January, and February, so bring a coat. The residents of Omaha have diversified greatly in the past 40 years, with recent rapid growth in the Hispanic population. In fact, Omaha’s entire population has been increasing year-over-year for the past two decades.
Top employers in the city are of the military, medical, and transportation industries. For more information on the city’s statistics, visit an online community information tool.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, just outside of Omaha, is home to full-blooded college football fanatics. To prove it, its football stadium holds more people than the third-largest city in the state. Besides football, the College World Series is one of the biggest tourist attractions to the city. Though there aren’t major league teams in Omaha, you’ll enjoy just as much enthusiasm for college sports as the big leagues.
During the warmer months, outdoor activities are the way to go in the beautiful city. Extensive recreational trails extend over 80 miles in the city for walking and biking. For more information on the must-sees and eats in town, visit our city map.