Founded in the mid-1800s and an important stop on the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, Omaha's key position along the Missouri River in the heart of the Midwestern United States meant that in its early days, it was hugely important as a transportation hub and "Gateway to the West," helping spur the expansion of the frontier.
Today, this frontier town has grown into an international behemoth of business and industry, serving as the home base for several Fortune 500 companies and renowned for its transportation, food processing and agriculture, insurance and finance sectors.
With an abundance of job opportunities, as well as vibrant dining and arts and culture scenes, Omaha is one of the best cities in the Midwest to set down roots, with a wide range of diverse neighborhoods to choose from in terms of housing options, prices, accessibility and amenities.
Whether you're balling on a budget or you have money to spend, here are some Omaha neighborhoods that you should consider.
If money is no option, here are the five Omaha neighborhoods for you.
The most affordable of Omaha's most expensive neighborhoods at $973 for a one-bedroom, the southwestern Disney neighborhood gets its familiar moniker from a local elementary school, which was given the name by a 5th-grade girl in the 1970s.
Abutted by Roxbury Park, the area is perfect for families with its quiet streets, cozy houses and a strong sense of community. And downtown is just a 15-minute drive away when you hop on 1-80, which runs right past the neighborhood.
Located in the overall downtown area, Old Market is one of the loveliest parts of the city with its historic red-brick buildings, cobblestone streets, high walkability and ample amenities like upscale shops and boutiques, fine dining and art galleries.
The perfect blend of past and present, this is definitely one of the chicest places to live in the city. All this and more for $1,025 a month.
Leavenworth, a laid-back, family-friendly neighborhood of charming homes and apartments, ranks as the third-most-expensive neighborhood in the city at $1,118. But it's actually just a straight shot east down Leavenworth or Harney Street to downtown and the Old Market, making this area ideal for downtown workers looking to live just close enough to work and entertainment.
An average rental price of $1,126 seems a more than fair price to pay to live Downtown in the heart of the city, with near-instant access to everything the hub of Omaha has to offer like high-end dining and shopping, museums and waterfront walks along the Missouri River.
The downtown area is also home to one of the city's business districts, making it a perfect place for career-oriented families and couples. Plus, average rates have gone down 12.81 percent since last year, so the area is hopping with opportunities.
The most expensive neighborhood in the city with an average rent of $1,259, the historic Aksarben/Elmwood Park area sits west of downtown in an old-school part of town. Named after Elmwood Park, which borders part of the neighborhood and dates from the late 19th century, the area is now a comfortable community of family homes, whose residents frequent the park to enjoy the trails, facilities and 18 hole golf course.
The neighborhood also has easy access to the nearby College of St. Mary and the University of Nebraska – Omaha.
We don't all have a Buffett-sized budget. If you're looking for an affordable place to live, check out one of these five Omaha neighborhoods.
Full of classic ranch-style and split level homes that feed into the overall communal vibe, the Pheasant Run subdivision is highly attractive for families with its area schools, local park and an average rental price tag of $772 for a one-bedroom.
Located in the far southwestern reaches of the city, it's roughly a 20-minute drive to downtown.
Cornish Heights, an established neighborhood of charming homes and apartment complexes just west of the Elmwood Park area, rents sit at an average of $741, seeing just a slight increase of rates from last year.
It's popular among families, but also sees a fair amount of students attending the nearby College of St. Mary.
The classic northwestern neighborhood of Maple Village, with its tree-lined streets, lush lawns and old-fashioned homes from the 1960s, has always been a staple residential area, seeing a constant amount of interest from renters that have kept rates steady at $731, same as last year.
With lovely parks, good schools and plenty in the way of dining, shopping and entertainment at area malls and along Maple Street and 90th Street, there's little need to venture far (although downtown is about a 15-minute drive away).
Located right next door to Maple Village in northwestern Omaha, Benson Gardens is another lovely established neighborhood full of ranch, split-level and multi-level homes from the '60s and '70s, as well as solid apartment buildings, at an average of $682 per month. Peaceful and laid-back, it's ideal for families looking for a place to set down roots.
Home to the top-notch Prairie Lane Elementary School, Prairie Lane is a family-friendly residential neighborhood that draws families with young kids to the area, not just with the school's high rankings but also the $676 average rent price tag.
As such, its tranquil streets are dotted with spacious family homes and charming apartment buildings.
If you're looking for a good neighborhood at a good value, consider these five areas where rent prices are relatively similar to the city-wide average of $938 for a one-bedroom apartment.
Located right beside Midtown, Gifford Park is one of Omaha's most historic neighborhoods, dating from the early 1900s. Named after the area's central park, which spans more than five acres of green lawns and trees and boasts of walking paths, play areas, tennis courts and a ball field, the surrounding neighborhood is populated by storied buildings and classic, old-fashioned homes.
And due to its proximity to downtown, the area has seen a boom of interest, with the average rate increasing 5.77 percent last year to an average of $927 for a one-bedroom apartment this year.
Full of historic buildings (many of which are registered on the National Register of Historic Places), up-and-coming new developments like Midtown Crossing (a 16-acre area of luxury condos, apartments, restaurants, bars and other amenities), and major businesses, corporations and research facilities, Midtown is fast becoming one of the top downtown-adjacent neighborhoods to live in for those looking to be close to the action. And an average rental price of $930 doesn't hurt either.
With the highly affordable rate of $932 and near instant-access to downtown, North Downtown (also known as the NoDo Entertainment District) is attracting renters, not only with great prices but a never-ending list of things to do — wine lounges and bars, hip restaurants, arthouse cinemas, music venues and trendy boutiques.
Sitting just under the city-wide average at $937, the Park East area, which sits between downtown and midtown, has been getting a facelift in recent years, making it a very exciting area to check out.
With historic buildings, as well as new developments, a boom of dining, shopping and entertainment options is quickly putting this district on people's radar.
With the city-wide average rent resting at $946, the Old Market-adjacent Market West is the highest of the following neighborhoods with an average of $946. But this is a significant decrease from last year's $1,107 average, making it a definite area to keep an eye on, especially as it's a rapidly up-and-coming district right by downtown, full of chic apartments and condos and trendy things to see and do.
Rent prices are based on a rolling weighted average from Apartment Guide and Rent.com's multifamily rental property inventory of one-bedroom apartments from March 2019 to March 2020. We use a weighted average formula that more accurately represents price availability for each individual unit type and reduces the influence of seasonality on rent prices in specific markets. Neighbors with less than 10 average available units were excluded.
The rent information included in this article is used for illustrative purposes only. The data contained herein do not constitute financial advice or a pricing guarantee for any apartment.