Omaha, NE Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Omaha, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Omaha →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Roughly 489,201 people call Omaha, Nebraska home. Household income runs $70,202 at the median, roughly in line with what we see across the broader set of cities (-3%).
Housing costs are a defining factor for anyone relocating to Omaha. The median home value sits at $210,300 (below the multi-city median at -36%), while renters pay a median of $1,099 per month. Buyers should weigh current mortgage rates and local property taxes against these figures before committing.
Omaha's home-price-to-income ratio of about 3.0× puts it in affordable territory — income here stretches further toward a home purchase than in many cities we track. Year-over-year, home values around Omaha are up 2.22%, a pace in line with a healthy, unremarkable market. FEMA classifies Omaha's hazard risk as Relatively High. That elevated rating is a major driver of home insurance premiums in the area.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,099/mo in Omaha would take 18.8% of your income.
$656/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($210,300) would take 19.2% of your income toward principal & interest.
$515/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Omaha
Median home value is $210,300 and median gross rent is $1,099/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Douglas rose 2.22% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,368/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Omaha's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Omaha reported a violent crime rate of 349.5 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Omaha
Planning a move to Omaha? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Omaha, NE?
- Omaha's key cost-of-living figures: $210,300 median home value, $1,099 median monthly rent, and $70,202 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Omaha?
- Omaha's median rent of $1,099/month works out to roughly $43,960 in annual income needed, if you're budgeting the standard 30% of gross pay toward rent. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Omaha.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Omaha?
- Omaha's median rent of $1,099/month translates to about $43,960 a year needed to rent comfortably, versus roughly $48,116 a year for principal and interest on the $210,300 median home (20% down, 30-year fixed, today's rates). How long you'll stay is usually the deciding factor.
- Is Omaha safe?
- In 2025, Omaha reported 349.5 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data.
See the full salary breakdown for Omaha →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Omaha's.