If there’s one thing for which Omaha stands out, it’s an oversized menu. Whether it’s 10 individually themed spots for baseball fans to eat at Charles Schwab Field, the home of the annual College World Series, steaks at chophouses near Downtown Omaha or decidedly haute cuisine around the city, Omaha savors its foodie reputation. And it’s one based not only on fine dining with provenance, but also plenty of more down-to-earth choices.
“A great Omaha restaurant grabs your attention from the moment you walk in the door, from the décor, to the seating, the lighting, the paint schemes, and the background music,’’ says Michael Maley, a Realtor with BHHS Ambassador Real Estate for more than 11 years.
Across the Missouri River from its Iowa neighbor Council Bluffs, Omaha holds firm to a tough-to-prove claim as the city with more restaurants per resident than any other its size. Regardless of the veracity of that take, though, the city founded in 1854 has always been connected to eating – initially focused on fishing, buffalo hunting and farming. Built on a foundation of livestock buying, selling and processing, it rapidly became Nebraska’s largest city – and it’s still growing.
By 2022, the city's population reached 485,153, while the metro area as a whole surpassed 850,000. By 2025, that figure could be close to 1 million – Nebraska’s first such metropolis – now fueled by its stable insurance and finance industries and by the availability of buildable land west of the city center, where most new housing construction concentrates.
Charles Schwab Field, home of the College World Series.
Enjoy lunch at Plank Seafood Provisions in Downtown Omaha.
Meet your bestie at Mr. Toads in the Old Market in Downtown Omaha.
Downtown Omaha residents enjoy a wide verity of restaurants in The Old Market.
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Growing to the west with many choices
The median sales price in the Omaha metro area through most of 2024 was $297,000, in comparison to a national median of about $416,000. Real estate prices and home styles vary widely in the metro Omaha area, which stretches about 25 miles from eastern Omaha neighborhoods such as Sherman and Downtown to the farthest west, including South Elkhorn . From early 20th-century cottages and bungalows alongside Carter Lake in Sherman to updated brick Colonial-inspired mansions within walking distance of Zorinsky Lake in west Omaha, which top out around $1.3 million, home styles and choices are broad.
“Homebuyers in Omaha have almost unlimited choices, but first, they have to decide where they want to live,” says Sarina McNeel, a Realtor with Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate and a real estate agent for over 20 years. “Every area of Omaha offers something different and unique from the next. Downtown is different from Midtown Omaha ], which is nothing like West Omaha. Like in most cities, people have to figure out what vibe they are looking for and then visit different areas. Buyers without kids may not want to live in a big house in the suburbs of Elkhorn . On the other hand, there are terrific new estate-style and golf course homes in West Omaha.”
Some of the most well-known neighborhoods include Dundee , with turn-of-the-century historic homes and Benson , with trendy shopping, historic properties and modern luxury condominiums.
Driving a lot of that growth and housing expansion has been Omaha’s top industries: transportation, healthcare, engineering and construction, insurance, agriculture and finance.
Berkshire Hathaway, Medical Solutions and Loup Logistics are among the top individual employers, though Union Pacific railroad has been an Omaha staple for decades, as has insurance giant Mutual of Omaha. Startups are increasingly common in Omaha, a mecca for technology firms.
Downtown Omaha offers many condo options from new construction to renovated builds.
Tudor homes are common place in the Dundee neighborhood.
The residents of Dundee take pride in their homes.
Residents of Elkhorn take pride in their landscaping.
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Most neighborhoods are near a park
The city manages 250 parks that cover 11,000 acres. That includes 125 miles of paved and gravel trails, 17 fitness centers, 17 aquatic facilities, 12 spraygrounds and 10 golf courses. Omaha Parks and Recreation also manages Standing Bear Lake, Zorinsky Lake and Flanagan Lake. Most neighborhoods in Omaha have parks within their boundaries or are within a one-mile drive of a park. The RiverFront in downtown Omaha opened in 2018 at the meeting point of the Missouri River and the Gerald R. Ford Expressway. It combines three connected parks, downtown Omaha and the historic Old Market. It features a performance pavilion, a sculpture garden, a massive state-of-the-art playground and a modern dog park.
Runners, hikers and cyclists enjoy the many paved trails across Omaha. McNeel says, “I’m a long-distance runner, and to me, the best trail in Omaha has to be the Keystone Trail. It runs from Aksarben to Bellevue, a 15-mile trail. It is well-located near restrooms and convenience stores. Much of the route is also very public, which enhances safety for women or solitary runners. It’s also not too hilly, which is great when you need to get your miles in.”
Murals are a frequent sight in Omaha, created by local artists as part of the South Omaha Mural Project, focusing on history, diversity and culture. South 24th Street is the hub of this outdoor art display.
The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts and the Durham Museum are located Downtown. The Orpheum Theater is home to the Omaha Performing Arts and is located inside the 2,600-seat historic Slosburg Hall, a former Vaudeville performance space from the 1920s.
The Joslyn Art Museum is the largest fine arts center in Omaha, featuring works by Monet, Renior and Jackson Pollock. It recently completed a 42,000-square-foot expansion, the Rhonda and Howard Hawks Pavilion, which includes a new gallery, classrooms, a gift shop and community spaces. The museum also features the Peter Kiewit Foundation Sculpture Garden, which features more than 20 one-of-a-kind outdoor sculptures.
The Omaha Performing Arts Center and the Joslyn Art Museum have each received $5.8 million to use on the construction of a new arts center and downtown exhibition space.
Every June, Omaha hosts the NCAA baseball College World Series, which is held at the Charles Schwab Field downtown. The Omaha Storm Chasers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, bring crowds to their home games at Werner Park from April through September.
Downtown Omaha's Orpheum Theater has popular shows all throughout the year.
Many sculptures and art installations can be found at Gene Leahy Mall in Downtown Omaha.
Omaha, the home of the College World Series.
CHI Health Center hosts some of the best events in Downtown Omaha.
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School districts grow; universities nearby
Most students in the region attend Omaha Public Schools, the largest and most diverse school district in Nebraska, according to Niche. It receives a C-plus grade and operates 63 elementary schools, 12 middle schools and nine high schools.
Millard Public Schools is Nebraska’s third-largest public school district and is graded A by Niche. Schools in Millard serve southwest Omaha. Elkhorn Public Schools is the fastest-growing school district in the metro area and has an A-grade from Niche.
University of Nebraska’s medical school is in Omaha, along with a University of Nebraska satellite campus, which is home to about 15,000 students. About 9,000 students attend Creighton University.
The University of Nebraska - Omaha, also known as "UNO", is known for being affordable and veteran friendly.
Benson High School is located just to the east of downtown Benson.
The students of Millard North High School enjoy learning in a large and modern school.
Students love attending Creighton University in downtown Omaha.
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Violent crime trending downward
According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, Omaha’s reported property crime and violent crime rates generally exceed U.S. and state figures. The Omaha Police Department’s crime statistics reflect a 22% decrease in violent crime offenses between 2023 and 2024 and a 17% drop in property crime. In 2010, the Omaha Police Department introduced the Empowerment Network 360, which brings together about 100 community and neighborhood leaders every week to discuss specific and recent crimes, trends, challenges and improvements. This grassroots initiative has gained significant attention across the country.
Buses, airplanes, cars and bikes
Omaha’s airport is Omaha Eppley Airfield, located 3 miles north of downtown Omaha. It provides nonstop flights to over 30 U.S. destinations, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York City. Omaha is about 70 miles northeast of Lincoln and accessible via Interstate 80. Kansas City is about 190 miles south, and Des Moines is about 140 miles east.
The only form of public transportation in Omaha is the Metro Area Transit (MAT). MAT buses offer more than 27 routes and 2,000 stops across the city. The ORBT bus system, notable for its bright orange buses, is a rapid transit system that runs an 8-mile route from downtown to Westroads Mall along Dodge Street. The route offers 27 stops. MOBY is an ADA-compliant transport service.
Bicycles are an increasingly popular way to get around Omaha. The online Metro Area Bike Map displays bike lanes, paved trails, bicycle-friendly roads, and bridges in Omaha. The city offers more than 85 miles of paved and interconnected trails and bike lanes.
Nearby Eppley Airfield serves the greater Omaha community.
Downtown Omaha offers many transportation options including Heartland B-cycle.
Bus stops can be found throughout Monmouth Park.
Local highway 75 can be found just east of Monmouth Park.
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Omaha takes its dining and shopping seriously
Gourmet food writers and local reporters have chased an often-quoted and rarely verified statistic that Omaha has the most restaurants per capita of any comparable size in the United States. While stats are hard to prove because the restaurant landscape changes frequently in any city, steakhouses such as Committee Chophouse and The Boiler Room, a modern spin on the traditional concept, keep tables full and require reservations. Dave Utterback, executive chef at Yoshitomo, a sushi restaurant in Benson, was a James Beard Award semi-finalist in 2024. “Diners want an experience,’’ says Maley. “It’s not about food volume, it’s about quality and presentation.’’
For a less formal experience, especially downtown, such restaurants as Plank Seafood Provisions’ oyster bar and Twisted Fork’s grown-up take on American comfort foods, such as gouda mac and cheese are popular choices. A night out could be spent with friends, cocktails and live jazz at Mr. Toad.
Borsheims, the country’s largest independent jewelry store, is owned by Omaha billionaire Warren Buffett, the founder of Berkshire Hathaway, and is located in the Regency area in west Omaha community. The Shops of Legacy, near Elkhorn, is Nebraska's largest upscale shopping center, with fashion stores, jewelers, eateries, spas, salons and more. The Omaha Farmers Market is held Saturdays at Old Market on 11th and Jackson Streets and on Sundays in Aksarben-Elmwood Park from May through October.
Enjoy lunch at Plank Seafood Provisions in Downtown Omaha.
Meet your bestie at Mr. Toads in the Old Market in Downtown Omaha.
Twisted Fork in Downtown Omaha is a great lunch spot to meet everyone.
Find plants for your garden at The Old Market Farmers Market.
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Four seasons, with a tornado threat
With four distinct seasons, Omaha’s high temperatures average near 90 in the summer, falling to average lows near freezing in the winter. Snowfall averages about two feet a year. Tornados in the spring and early summer are a threat, most recently manifested in April 2024, when an EF3 storm struck with 170 mph winds. Storms in July of the same year brought 90 mph straight-line winds to the city, causing widespread damage and power outages to more than 200,000 customers.
Gene Leahy Mall offers beautiful views of downtown Omaha.
The Omaha skyline can be viewed from many vantage points in Gene Leahy Mall.
A row of homes showing examples of bungalow and four square homes in Morton Meadows.
On average, homes in Omaha, NE sell after 25 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Omaha, NE over the last 12 months is $295,000, up 4% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
