State
Land Area
141.0 sq mi
Density
3,404.5/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
0.19%
Growth Since 2010
17.37%
Rank in State
Rank in Country
Metro Population
966,386
Omaha is a city located in Nebraska. With a 2020 population of 479,978, it is the largest city in Nebraska and the 41st largest city in the United States. Omaha is currently growing at a rate of 0.19% annually and its population has increased by 17.37% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 408,958 in 2010. Omaha reached it's highest population of 479,978 in 2021. Spanning over 145 miles, Omaha has a population density of 3,405 people per square mile.
The average household income in Omaha is $82,945 with a poverty rate of 13.41%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $923 per month, and the median house value is $159,700. The median age in Omaha is 34.5 years, 33.6 years for males, and 35.5 years for females. For every 100 females there are 97.3 males.
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska and sits on the Missouri River, around 10 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha also anchors the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area.
The Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA Combined Statistical Area (CSA) has a population of about 935,000, and there are approximately 1.3 million people in the Greater Omaha area with a 50-mile radius around the city center.
Omaha today is a very diverse city, both in terms of population and economy. Forbes ranked Omaha as the Best Bang-For-The-Buck City in 2009 and the number one Fastest-Recovering City in America.
Native Americans were the first inhabitants of the area, with the city of Omaha established by European Americans from Council Bluffs. Over the next century, many ethnic groups made their way to Omaha. In 1910, the population was 3.9% black. Irish immigrants also moved to the area in high numbers, settling in present-day North Omaha, or Gophertown. Irish immigrants were followed by people from Poland who settled in Sheelytown. In the beginning, immigrants to the city worked in the stockyards and meatpacking industries, although later German immigrants founded the beer industry.
Jewish immigrants moved to Omaha in the early 20th century and began setting up businesses in the commercial area, which is now the heart of the African American community. Omaha also has a Little Italy neighborhood south of downtown.
There is a sizable population of Czechs in the city, and many institutions in South Omaha and Downtown show the history of European immigrants in Omaha. The majority of Omaha's Hispanic population are Mexican, who originally came to the city to work in rail yards. Other early ethnic groups include Danes, Swedes, and Poles.
In the last two decades, some African immigrants have settled in Omaha. There are around 8,500 Sudanese in the city, which is the largest population of Sudanese refugees in the U.S. There are ten tribes from Sudan in Omaha, along with immigrants from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon, and Togo.
Since 2000, Omaha has grown more than 13% and the state has a whole has increased steadily, although it has lagged behind the national average for more than twenty years. Omaha and its suburbs are expected to continue moderate population growth in the coming decade.
The area of Omaha was first inhabited by several Native American tribes, including the Omaha and Ponca. The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed through the area that would later become Omaha in 1804, and members of the expedition met with tribal leaders at the Council Bluff twenty miles from present-day Omaha. Fur trading outposts were eventually built in the area. Through treaties with the federal government, Native American tribes in the state eventually ceded the lands that currently make up Nebraska.
Omaha was settled as residents from nearby Council Bluffs began to stake out claims. The young city has several booms and busts in its early years. From the late 19th century through the 21st century, immigrants have created enclaves throughout Omaha, such as the Irish in Sheelytown, Germans in the Near North Side, and Little Italy and Little Bohemia in South Omaha.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Omaha was:
2019 and 2020 population is estimated by projecting the raw 2018 numbers.
Year | Total Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 966,386 | 8,472 | 0.88% |
2020 | 957,914 | 8,472 | 0.88% |
2019 | 949,442 | 8,472 | 0.89% |
2018 | 940,970 | 8,983 | 0.95% |
2017 | 931,987 | 8,556 | 0.92% |
2016 | 923,431 | 10,358 | 1.12% |
2015 | 913,073 | 9,738 | 1.07% |
2014 | 903,335 | 9,471 | 1.05% |
2013 | 893,864 | 9,309 | 1.04% |
2012 | 884,555 | 8,533 | 0.96% |
2011 | 876,022 | 8,351 | 0.95% |
2010 | 867,671 | 0.00% |
Race | Population | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White | 368,657 | 77.47% |
Black or African American | 58,607 | 12.32% |
Asian | 18,260 | 3.84% |
Two or More Races | 16,191 | 3.40% |
Some Other Race | 10,924 | 2.30% |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 3,014 | 0.63% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 209 | 0.04% |
Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
---|---|---|---|
All | 186,883 | 2.48 | 58.6 |
Married | 80,727 | 3.29 | 80.6 |
Non Family | 75,113 | 1.27 | 40.7 |
Female | 22,326 | 3.31 | 43.5 |
Male | 8,717 | 3.36 | 47.8 |
3.2
Average Family Size
2.48
Average Household Size
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 15,393 | 4.96% |
9th to 12th Grade | 17,063 | 5.50% |
High School Graduate | 69,142 | 22.29% |
Some College | 67,958 | 21.91% |
Associates Degree | 23,765 | 7.66% |
Bachelors Degree | 75,487 | 24.34% |
Graduate Degree | 41,362 | 13.34% |
Name | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 227,123 | 217,402 | 99,298 |
Black | 34,434 | 29,915 | 6,509 |
Hispanic | 31,179 | 16,943 | 3,728 |
Asian | 11,087 | 7,801 | 5,482 |
Other Race | 6,097 | 3,827 | 681 |
Multiple Races | 5,523 | 4,849 | 1,673 |
Native American | 1,665 | 1,328 | 205 |
Islander | 84 | 66 | 2 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 95.72%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 49.45%.
$41,009
Average Earnings
$46,375
Average Male
$35,409
Average Female
83.41% of Omaha residents speak only English, while 16.59% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 10.48% of the population.
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
White | 309,447 | 25,644 | 8.29% |
Black | 56,977 | 15,027 | 26.37% |
Hispanic | 64,624 | 14,168 | 21.92% |
Asian | 17,748 | 4,180 | 23.55% |
Multiple | 15,618 | 3,304 | 21.16% |
Other | 10,656 | 1,630 | 15.30% |
Native | 2,898 | 555 | 19.15% |
Islander | 185 | 40 | 21.62% |
13.41%
Overall Poverty Rate
12.21%
Male Poverty Rate
14.58%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Omaha is Black, with 26.37% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Omaha is White, with 8.29% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.90%. Among those working part-time, it was 17.40%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 23.16%.
45.9%
Overall Marriage Rate
47.4%
Male Marriage Rate
44.5%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 21,037 | 7.40% |
Black | 3,124 | 7.67% |
Hispanic | 956 | 2.46% |
2 or More | 495 | 6.59% |
Asian | 210 | 1.56% |
Other | 95 | 1.29% |
Indian | 84 | 4.31% |
Hawaiian | 7 | 3.83% |
6.85%
Veteran Poverty Rate
27.26%
Veteran Disability Rate
70.3%
Labor Force Participation
67%
Employment Rate
4.3%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
89.34%
Native Born
10.66%
Foreign Born
7.03%
Non Citizen
3.63%
Naturalized
89.34% of Omaha residents were born in the United States, with 59.04% having been born in Nebraska. 7.03% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 479,978 | 893 | 0.19% |
2020 | 479,085 | 893 | 0.19% |
2019 | 478,192 | 893 | 0.19% |
2018 | 477,299 | 1,028 | 0.22% |
2017 | 476,271 | 1,227 | 0.26% |
2016 | 475,044 | 2,406 | 0.51% |
2015 | 472,638 | 2,215 | 0.47% |
2014 | 470,423 | 2,337 | 0.50% |
2013 | 468,086 | 2,825 | 0.61% |
2012 | 465,261 | 3,160 | 0.68% |
2011 | 462,101 | 2,442 | 0.53% |
2010 | 459,659 | 69,652 | 1.66% |
2000 | 390,007 | 54,212 | 1.51% |
1990 | 335,795 | 21,856 | 0.68% |
1980 | 313,939 | -32,990 | -0.99% |
1970 | 346,929 | 45,331 | 1.41% |
1960 | 301,598 | 50,481 | 1.85% |
1950 | 251,117 | 27,273 | 1.16% |
1940 | 223,844 | 9,838 | 0.45% |
1930 | 214,006 | 22,405 | 1.11% |
1920 | 191,601 | 67,505 | 4.44% |
1910 | 124,096 | 21,541 | 1.92% |
1900 | 102,555 | -37,897 | -3.10% |
1890 | 140,452 | 109,934 | 16.49% |
1880 | 30,518 | 14,435 | 6.62% |
1870 | 16,083 | 14,183 | 23.81% |
1860 | 1,900 | 0.00% |