City profile · Nebraska · Census ACS 2023

Omaha, NE

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Omaha - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

488,197
Residents
$72,708
Median income
$230,100
Median home
$1,368
Median rent (state)

Omaha - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Omaha lands in the 53rd percentile for household income and the 10th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

53rd
percentile, household income
51st
percentile, home value
53rd
percentile, median rent
10th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Omaha, NE

Omaha is a mid-sized U.S. city in Nebraska, home to 488,197 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $72,708 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.3%. Home values in Omaha run a median of $230,100, and the median resident age is 35.3 years. About 40.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 66.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 4,360 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 103% from five years earlier. Omaha's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3530.8 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Nebraska run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Nebraska scores 90.1 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,368 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Nebraska run around $207, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Omaha report an average commute of 16.9 minutes, with 73.3% driving alone and 13.6% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 95.9 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

488,197 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Nebraska

Median Household Income

$72,708 /yr

Poverty 8.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Nebraska average

How does Omaha compare to other US cities?

Omaha measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 53% higher than other cities
Home value 51% pricier than other cities
Median rent 53% pricier than other cities
Safety 10% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Nebraska alone, Omaha ranks #44 of 44 Nebraska cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Omaha against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Nebraska only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Nebraska-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Omaha's strongest outlier among Nebraska cities

Among the 450 Nebraska cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Omaha ranks #18 - the 96th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Omaha only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#141 of 439
68th percentile in Nebraska
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 450
92nd percentile in Nebraska
Median Home Value
#27 of 438
94th percentile in Nebraska
Poverty Rate
#158 of 450
64th percentile in Nebraska
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#18 of 450
96th percentile in Nebraska

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Nebraska only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

53rdIncome percentile
10thSafety percentile

53rd percentile nationally for median household income · 10th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Omaha's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Omaha's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 37 Avg. percentile National median
Omaha's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Omaha's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$230,100 49th percentile more affordable than 49% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Omaha $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Omaha, NE Omaha, NE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Omaha, NE-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Omaha, NE median $72,708/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Omaha, NE's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Omaha, NE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 40.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
488,197
Median Income
$72,708
Median Home Value
$230,100
Median Age
35.3
Poverty Rate
8.3%
Labor force participation
66.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
40.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3530.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
369.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3161.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
155
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
486,000 residents488,000 residents490,000 residents492,000 residents494,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 492,766 residents 488,797 residents ▼ -0.8%
Omaha's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
4,360
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1,692
detached homes
Multifamily
2,668
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2,144
2020 3,049
2021 3,167
2022 3,769
2023 3,050
2024 4,360

Permit volume increased 103% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.9 minutes
Drive Alone
73.3%
Carpool
8.7%
Public Transit
1.2%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
13.6%
Other
1.4%

Based on 250,282 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Nebraska - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$207
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Nebraska state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Nebraska state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Omaha sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,368/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Nebraska

Lincoln
291,932 people
Bellevue
64,355 people
Grand Island
52,761 people
Kearney
34,024 people
Fremont
27,321 people
Norfolk
25,962 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Omaha's 488,197 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Colorado Springs, CO
483,099 people
Atlanta, GA
499,287 people
Raleigh, NC
470,763 people
Mesa, AZ
507,478 people
Kansas City, MO
508,233 people
Long Beach, CA
458,491 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Omaha's $72,708 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Kendrick, ID
$72,708 median income
Winterport, ME
$72,708 median income
Bruceville-Eddy, TX
$72,708 median income
Teasdale, UT
$72,708 median income
Ball, LA
$72,713 median income
Pensacola, FL
$72,699 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Omaha, NE Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Omaha, NE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 68.8% 11.8% 9.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 15.6% White 68.8% Black or African American 11.8% Asian 4.0% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.0% Two or more races 9.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Omaha compares to nearby Nebraska cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Omaha (this city) 488,197 $72,708
Lincoln 291,932 $69,991
Bellevue 64,355 $87,343
Grand Island 52,761 $62,439
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NE FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Omaha, NE?

What is the population of Omaha, NE? +

488,197 people live in Omaha, NE according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Omaha, NE? +

Omaha households earn a median of $72,708 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Omaha? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Omaha; the closest available measure is the Nebraska state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Nebraska vary by metro area.

Is Omaha, NE safe? +

Omaha has a total crime rate of 3530.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Omaha, NE? +

Omaha's median home value sits at $230,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.