Medium city blues
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3/19/2008
I recently moved out of Omaha, Nebraska down to Fort Worth, Texas. After living in Omaha for five years, I was ready to move on. It's not a bad city, but they have some major issues that need to be worked on in order to leave the medium city rut they are in.
Climate: C
Omaha's climate is extremes. Cold in the winter, hot and humid in the summer. Granted, Fort Worth can have 100 plus degree days, but it only gets very cold on a few occasions. Omaha is very cold in the winter, rainy/stormy in the spring, and hot/humid in the summer. There are a few nice days in the fall and spring that are beautiful, but seem to be few and far between.
Cost of Living: B-
On paper, Omaha looks cheap. However, the taxes, insurance rates and driver registration fees are among the highest in the country. Property values remain steady, meaning if you are looking to sell, you won't get much return on your investment.
Crime: C+
Omaha has a surprisingly high crime rate for a city of it's size. The North-Northeast neighborhoods tend to be the hardest hit, with robberies, drive bys, murders and drug busts in these areas not uncommon. Racial tensions are high in certain areas as well.
Culture and Recreation: B/B-
There are things to do in Omaha, so people saying that there's nothing to do are wrong. You just have to take it for what it is. This is Omaha, not Chicago, not L.A., not New York City. It's going to take a little more effort to find what is going on. People in Omaha like to eat and drink. There are a ton of restaurants to eat at, with most ranging from fair to pretty good in quality. None are really too memorable. Omaha has a ton of bars, and Nebraskans love to drink, so they never keep a bar dry. Bars close at an early 1AM. Most people like to drink and dine in the Old Market, a district popular for it's cobblestone road. The Qwest Center plays host to some big name concerts and events. The zoo is very well known. There are playhouses and museums. Movies are all over the place. Granted, the same bars, dinners, and movies can get boring after a while. Also, with the lack of geography, outdoor recreation isn't one of Omaha's strong suites. Again, take the culture/recreation for what it is. For a city of Omaha's size, it's pretty good.
Economy: B
Insurance, food, and railroads have and always will be Omaha's stable and staple industries. They stay consistent and for that they keep the city strong. The problem with the Omaha economy is it's run by a few high executives who have control over everything. This causes problems in new industry growth and such. Solid jobs are hard to be found and moving up in a corporation usually is daunting. It's one of the factors (along with the climate and things to do) that makes young people leave the city, something Omaha has been fighting to slow down over the long haul. They still have a long way to go.
Education/Health: B
Creighton is a solid university, and the hospitals are pretty good for different things. University of Nebraska-Omaha has been working to solidify it's reputation as a great university.
Housing: B
Everything from lofts, condos, historic homes, and cookie cutters. Nothing out of this world, nothing to scoff at either.
Politics: C
Pretty Republican, with small groups of liberals sprinkled in.
Quality of Life: A-/B+ for families, C/C- for singles
For families, you can live a quiet life of safety and consistency. For singles, you might get bored with the small palate of things to do or the dead end your career feels it is going to take.
Religion: C
Catholicism has a heavy influence.
Transportation: D+
A poor bus system, tons of gridlock on the side streets, too few expressways, pot holes, pot holes pot holes! By far the worst aspect of Omaha living. Don't even consider taking Dodge around 72nd-90th anytime of the day.
Overall: C
Omaha is an average Midwestern suburban city. However, the medium size makes it stuck in a rut. It wants to become the next cosmopolitan place while at the same time staying true to conservative, Christian family values. Omaha has grown a lot, but it still has it's share of growing up to do. It must decide what it wants to be in order to avoid suffering from an identity crisis.
Joseph | Fort Worth, TX