Omaha has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, with large companies increasingly drawn to the area’s spaciousness. The city also boasts a rising tech industry that has been given the name Silicon Prairie. Add to that a decent cost of living, and Omaha is a decent place to work and live.

Omaha’s public transit is not very good, and not used. That coupled with unpredictable weather at both cold and hot extremes, means that you really need a car to get around the city. It’s fairly easy to get out, with MegaBus offering cheap bus rides to Chicago and Des Moines, but it’s hard to get around the city.



You can probably get a job

LookyLOO Review of Omaha?

Omaha has a growing downtown cultural and social scene but the fastest growing segment of the population are families. Omaha is ideal for young families who will benefit from low-cost housing, room to spread out, even within the city, and plenty of amenities to keep everyone in the family occupied. The city does have a music scene, between Centurylink Center for big concerts, and several summer concert series to keep your toes tapping. There’s also a world-class zoo, a magical children’s museum, tons of parks, and an indoor waterpark during the scorching months of summer. 

If you want to see what happens in Omaha that's fun and cultural check out the [**calendar of events**](https://www.visitomaha.com/events/). 

Lifestyle 

Omaha is frequently ranked as having the lowest unemployment rate in the country. Massive and successful corporations including Berkshire Hathaway, TD Ameritrade, Omaha Steaks, Union Pacific Railroad, and Mutual of Omaha call this home. That means incredibly high-paying jobs in a low-cost city. Not a bad combination. In many ways the work culture of Omaha can feel a bit like an earlier era in America if both Moms and Dads were working outside of the home back then –  big companies offering secure employment in a city with reasonably priced homes and a mostly suburban lifestyle. 


Worklife

[Omaha Public Schools](ops.org) (OPS) receives a [**"B-" on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/d/omaha-public-schools-ne/) with Clubs & Activities and Diversity as the highest rated characteristics. 

Students in OPS are assigned schools based on neighborhood. Nebraska is one of the few states that does not offer credits for charter schools so kids stick through publics unless choosing parochial or private. The highest-performing schools in the district include:

-Central High School is the highest-ranked high school in the district, earning a [**"B+" on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/central-high-school-omaha-ne/). It receives "A's" for Diversity, Clubs & Activities, and College Prep. 
-[**Omaha North Magnet High School**](https://www.ops.org/north) receives a [**"B-" on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/omaha-north-magnet-high-school-omaha-ne/?map). North High, as it is known, is a specialized magnet focusing on STEM education. 


Schools

In 2019, Omaha made its biggest investment ever in its transit system, with a brand new rapid transit line called ORBT. It has made a big difference in getting around the city, and tying neighborhoods together. More improvements are planned. 


A new transit system

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**Anonymous**
Living in Omaha
2y ago
✭✭✭

Hello! Hiker here, and Omaha native! There are indeed a lot of state parks around the area, and Fontanelle Forest is among my favorites to explore. There are also a lot of prairies and loess hills. If you are looking for mountains to hike, and eight hour train ride West will drop you in Denver in the Rockies. The sandhills are gorgeous to hike as well.

Lincoln also offers a lot of hikeable parks, including wilderness park, though it is more flat than I prefer. However, if you are into gravel cycling, there is no limit to the adventurous back roads not thirty minutes from either city core.

The cons of living in Omaha, Nebraska is the current state of transit. It is rapidly improving though, which I am excited about. I am also not a fan of our current state government, as the governor is not a good person, but it is an election year, and hopefully that will change. I also hope that we will elect better state representatives.

I am a product of Omaha Public Schools, and they did okay. It is certainly the largest school district in the city, and there are alternative options as well if you have dependents.

For more reviews of Omaha from locals check out: [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/omaha/reviews)


Public transportation

Reviews of Omaha from Locals

**The Best Thing About Omaha?**  You can probably get a job

Omaha has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, with large companies increasingly drawn to the area’s spaciousness. The city also boasts a rising tech industry that has been given the name Silicon Prairie. Add to that a decent cost of living, and Omaha is a decent place to work and live.

**The Worst Thing About Omaha?**  Public transportation
Omaha’s public transit is not very good, and not used. That coupled with unpredictable weather at both cold and hot extremes, means that you really need a car to get around the city. It’s fairly easy to get out, with MegaBus offering cheap bus rides to Chicago and Des Moines, but it’s hard to get around the city.

**How You Living?**  Cautiously comfortable
Most of Omaha is at work, making enough money for a decent cost of living. The city has great food, nice people and relatively affordable housing, which makes for a decent lifestyle. But like many other cities its size, there is segregation and a history of racial inequality that’s still prevalent today. 

**Why You Should Move Here Now?**   A new transit system

In 2019, Omaha made its biggest investment ever in its transit system, with a brand new rapid transit line called ORBT. It has made a big difference in getting around the city, and tying neighborhoods together. More improvements are planned. 


Omaha is the largest city in Nebraska and considered the “Gateway To The West”. Its central location in the Midwest and Great Plains states means a lot of other big cities are within a reachable driving distance. Kansas City, St Louis, Minneapolis, Des Moines, Oklahoma City and even Chicago are somewhere between 2 and 6 ½ hours. If you get bored at home then plenty of options for escape. Its location on the Great Plains means scorching summers and freezing winters. In fact Omaha is rated the 4th coldest big city in the U.S. but the fact it resides on the banks of the Missouri river means great views from throughout the city. 


The Area

Old Market (the original downtown) is a hotbed for young professionals in Omaha. Plenty of older buildings/warehouses converted to homes and condos along the river put you a walk from the central business district. Just as important are the bountiful supply of great restaurants, clubs bars and community activities to keep you occupied on nights and weekends. 
- Old Market
- Blackstone
- Little Bohemia


Young Professionals

Downtown

Benson is an interesting choice for youngster and couples looking for an active social scene but a bit less frantic than the downtown-type areas. Home to art galleries, boutique shopping, great restaurants, and two craft breweries,  it has plenty to do but feels a bit more “grown-up” than some of the more pure entertainment districts. 
- Benson
- Highlander


DINKs/SINKs

Benson

Nebraska is not historically noted as a particularly welcoming state but Omaha is big enough and filled with enough of a progressive population that the LGBTQ+ community can make it work here. First stop should be Old Market, the most popular neighborhood for the community and home to the bars and restaurants that cater to LGBTQ+ residents. 
- Old Market


LGBTQ+

Old Market

Aksarben/Elmwood Park is a good neighborhood for a family to start their search. Great classic homes are surrounded by great entertainment and retail options. This includes Aksarben Village, a development of businesses, restaurants, bars and theaters. Askarben (Nebraska spelled backwards) also hosts festivals like Earth Day, concerts at Stinson Park and Shakespeare on the Green at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. 
- Aksarben/Elmwood Park
- Dundee/Memorial Park/Happy Hollow
- Elkhorn

Families

Aksarben Elmwood Park

Omaha

**Anonymous**
Living in Omaha
2y ago
✭✭✭

Hello! Hiker here, and Omaha native! There are indeed a lot of state parks around the area, and Fontanelle Forest is among my favorites to explore. There are also a lot of prairies and loess hills. If you are looking for mountains to hike, and eight hour train ride West will drop you in Denver in the Rockies. The sandhills are gorgeous to hike as well.

Lincoln also offers a lot of hikeable parks, including wilderness park, though it is more flat than I prefer. However, if you are into gravel cycling, there is no limit to the adventurous back roads not thirty minutes from either city core.

The cons of living in Omaha, Nebraska is the current state of transit. It is rapidly improving though, which I am excited about. I am also not a fan of our current state government, as the governor is not a good person, but it is an election year, and hopefully that will change. I also hope that we will elect better state representatives.

I am a product of Omaha Public Schools, and they did okay. It is certainly the largest school district in the city, and there are alternative options as well if you have dependents.


**jdbrew**
Living in Omaha
2y ago
✭✭✭✭

Just moved from L.A. to Omaha a year and a half ago. Here’s my list:

Pros:

food scene is incredible. No joke, I have better meals here than I ever did in LA. Except for Mexican food. Everyone says go to South O and yes it’s better, but still doesn’t hold a candle.

cost of living. I was able to buy a house for my family. In L.A. i would be renting forever, and I would be in a neighborhood I didn’t want to be in, in a house that was too small for our needs. Gas is cheaper, but right now gas is insane everywhere.

people. I’ve made more friends as an adult in the 1.5 years I’ve lived here than I ever did as an adult in California. I have neighbors that I’ve met, parents from school, and just random people I’ve met standing in line. The people here are great. However, not so much in West O in my experience.

weather. Now hear me out; I hated CA weather. We had two types of weather nice-hot and hot-hot. We had two seasons, summer and fire-season. Yea, we have some days that aren’t pleasant while CA has more pleasant days, but CA was just monotonous. At least we get some variety here. And I’d argue the nicest day in Omaha is way nicer than the nicest day in LA, just the average day in LA is nicer than the average day in Omaha. Also, yeah, tornadoes, but they aren’t as common within city limits (blessed by the omadome!) but CA has earthquakes and insane wildfires. I’ll take tornado risk anyday. Plus the last time we had a tornado in the city was in the 70’s I think, so it really is pretty rare.

generous donors. Omaha has the highest concentration of billionaires per capita, and they do donate a lot to the city and projects that they’re interested in.

**Nythoren**
Lived in Omaha
7mo ago
✭✭

For me the cons boil down to: weather and politics. Even though Omaha is an island of blue in a deep red state, we are still governed by the backwards Nebraska laws and an Omaha mayor that doesn't even bother living in the state.

Pros are still the cost of living and the job market. Cost of living has been impacted by the spiking cost of rent and homes, but it's still leagues better than the other cities I've lived in over the years.

**I-Make-Maps91**
Living in Omaha
7mo ago
✭✭

Pros: I grew up here and generally like my hometown and aspects of the rest of the state. It's a "big" city, but it's cheaper than other similar cities (this part isn't as true as it used to be, but it's still true), and there's a decent job market.

Cons: The culture war has finally reached Nebraska in a way that it largely didn't in the past. It was always kind of a thing, but the majority of the state preferred to ignore the crazies. State and local politics are largely in the hands of a few wealthy families, which isn't unique to Nebraska but it does mean the state is trying to spend $1.5 billion on "infrastructure" that no one seems to think we need besides those with a financial incentive (like owning land near the giant lake).We also get the worst of both extremes weather-wise, so the urban sprawl of the 80s-00s has started catching up to city street maintenance budgets and we put off investing in a proper transit system until now (arguably we still haven't, but a more expansive rail system will cost billions). We also get the worst of both extremes weather-wise, so the urban sprawl of the 80s-00s has started catching up to city street maintenance budgets and we put off investing in a proper transit system until now (arguably we still haven't, but a more expansive rail system will cost billions).

Omaha, Nebraska

Home On The Plain

Looklyloo Score: 88