I"m looking at a couple of jobs in Omaha. I’ve never been there. What is it like?
I’ve never spent more time there than passing through, but it has an excellent zoo, and if you’re a college baseball fan, the College World Series has been held there every year since 1950. Oh, and there is an super good steakhouse downtown that I can’t recall the name of.
Yeah, I got nuttin’ either. 
One quick question I just thought of, what sports teams are shown on television regularly? I’m guessing Kansas City for football and baseball. I also would think University of Nebraska college sports are widely shown.
Well, it’s no metropolis, but it’s not the boonies, either.
It feels sort of like a smaller town, but with lots of places to go. I think the small-town-ness comes from the fact that a huge amount of the people who live here are from here. Some moved away and came back, and some just never left. So six degrees of separation here is more like one or two, or no degrees.
The first thing that struck me when I moved here was how many trees there are. Lots and lots of trees. And rolling hills. Not a lot of flat spots in Omaha.
There are sports teams and several music/event venues. Many, many restaurants, and not just steak houses. Several museums, including the quite impressive Joslyn art museum. The zoo is really big and fun.
I’ve lived here for twelve years, and most of my local friends were born and raised here, so I could probably get answers to specific questions you might have.
(On preview I see your question about sports teams. I’m not a sports fan, but I’ll try to find out for you. )
I have never in my life seen a group of people more obsessed with sports than Nebraskans. Well, not sports, really - one sport - Nebraska football. They eat, drink, and sleep it. You can be driving through Nebraska in the middle of February, with nothing but snow and corn stubble around you, and the radio stations will be talking about what High School sophmores Nebraska is looking at.
I’ve been in Florida and Alabama and Michigan, but it is an order of magnitude different in Nebraska.
They do have Warren Buffett, but he doesn’t get the attention.
I used to live in Columbus, Ohio. Sounds very similar. At least I’m a sports fan.
This man warns about the perils of living in a place like Omaha.
Warren Buffet is one of the richest men in the world. He could buy small countries if he wanted yet he stays in Omaha in a non-descript home. That has to say something.
I made a pleasant afternoon there of visiting the zoo, then eating at a great Czech restaurant.
You know, I grew up in a town about the size of North Platte, and that Onion article doesn’t even read like a joke to me. They totally nailed it. Heh.
I was born & raised in Omaha, Nebraska (I moved out west 11 years ago to finish college, met my husband and well, never went back)
For the most part it’s a decent city to live in and raise a family. Cost of living is average for the Midwest and when I went to school there, they had one of the best public school systems in the country. They also have a fine selection of private religious schools if that is your cup of tea.
I lived in, what is probably now considered central Omaha, around 108th and Blondo, near Westroads Mall.
North Omaha is predominantly a older, poorer section of town, with the historic Florence district and Eppley Airport.
South Omaha is predominantly Hispanic/ Latino/ Eastern Euro… but you will find some of the Mexican and Bohemian foods there.
West Omaha, Elkhorn and Millard are upper - upper middle class neighborhoods. When I was in high school a lot of the richy- rich kids lived out that way.
I decided that if I ever moved back to Omaha, I would want to live in the Dundee area down around the UNO campus (between 45th - 60th & Dodge. The area is composed of historic homes from the 30’s - 50’s. My synagogue was in that neighborhood until I was about 12 when they built a newer better temple on the west side of town.
Around the area, there are a lot of state parks and outdoor recreation areas that are easy day trips.
Overall, the people are friendly, but like any decent sized city, it has traffic problems on the major roads and the endless sumer road construction.
Well, my little brother is stationed there, at Offutt, and is going to stay there to go to school after he leaves the AF late this year. So apparently it must be okay for at least one 23-year-old computer geek who does have at least something of a social life, though he won’t tell us much about it. Arrrrrgh.
Imagine Lincoln, but without all the glitz.
I think your take on it might hinge on where you’re from and what you like/dislike about that. I’m from the Chicago area, and Omaha is just too small for me. Nice people, etc., but I need access to a bigger city. Because of that, I don’t think Omaha would be a good fit for me.
According to the salesman on the phone, at the very least, the wonderful steaks and burgers, and well, hell, meat of all kinds,are the very best in the world. I haven’t allowed them to have any of my money, as one can purchase meat at a local market for a fraction of the price, so I can’t speak for that, much less the quality of life in such a place, but as I’m a smart ass I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to at the very least, give my opinion as they don’t hesitate to at least send me a letter a month. So the best of luck to you.