Omaha

Omaha (OH-m-hah) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. The nation's 39th-largest city, Omaha's 2020 census population was 486,051. It is ranked as a global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, which in 2020 gave it "sufficiency" status. Omaha is the home to the headquarters of four Fortune 500 companies: conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway; one of the world's largest construction companies, Kiewit Corporation; insurance and financial firm Mutual of Omaha; and the United States' largest railroad operator, Union Pacific Corporation. The city was founded along the Missouri River, and a crossing called Lone Tree Ferry earned the city its nickname, the "Gateway to the West". Omaha introduced this new West to the world in 1898, when it played host to the World's Fair, dubbed the Trans-Mississippi Exposition. Approximately 1.5 million people reside within the Greater Omaha area, within a 50 mi (80 km) radius of Downtown Omaha. The Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA Combined Statistical Area (CSA) totaled 1,004,771, according to 2020 estimates. The word Omaha (actually Umoho or Umoho) means "Up The Currentstream" or "Against The Current" or in the Omaha language "stream" Omaha is home to Green Plains, Intrado, TD Ameritrade, Valmont Industries, and Werner Enterprises.

History

Omaha is the primary city name, but also Bellevue, Papillion are acceptable city names or spellings. The official name is City of Omaha. Omaha is a city in Nebraska. The word Omaha means "Upstream People" or "Against The Current" In 1804 the Lewis and Clark Expedition passed the riverbanks where the city of Omaha would be built. On July 4, 1854, the city was informally established at a picnic on Capital Hill, current site of Omaha Central High School. In 1858, the Omaha Daily Republican was founded by the Omaha Printing Company (rebranded Aradius Group, 2016), it was Nebraska's first regional newspaperfounded before Nebraska claimed statehood. Omaha was a stopping point for settlers and prospectors heading west, either overland or by steamboat Bertrand on its way to the goldfields in 1865. Its massive job and wholesaling district brought new jobs, followed by the railroads and the stockyards. By 1950, half of the city's workforce was employed in meatpacking and processing. The city was founded in 1883, and four of the five major meatpacking companies in the United States were founded in South Omaha. Two sculpture parks, Pioneer Courage and Spirit of Nebraska's Wilderness and The Transcontinental Railroad, celebrate the city’s pioneering history. The largest collection of Desoto National Wildlife Refuge artifacts is on display on display at the Desoto Wildlife Refuge in Desoto County, Nebraska, and is on loan to the U.S. National Museum of Natural History and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The Omaha Claim Club was formed to provide vigilante justice for claim jumpers and others who infringed on the land of many of Omaha's founding fathers.

Geography

Omaha is situated in the Midwestern United States on the bank of the Missouri River in eastern Nebraska. The city has a total area of 130.58 sq mi (338.20 km²), of which 127.09 sq mi is land and 3.49 sq miles (9.04 km²) is water. The Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area consists of eight counties; five in Nebraska and three in Iowa. There are no consolidated city-counties in the area; the City of Omaha studied the possibility extensively through 2003 and concluded it should be merged immediately. Omaha is considered as being in the "Heartland" of the United States. It is the core city of its 60th-largest metropolitan area, with a population of 858,720 (2005 Census Bureau estimate) The city is home to several hospitals, mostly along Dodge Street (US6) Being the county seat, it is also the location of the county courthouse. The lowest temperature recorded in the city annually was 32 °F (18 °C) on 11 days in the summer. The highest temperature recorded was 100 °C (38 °F) on 29 days and 100 °F on 17 days in December. The average daily average temperature in the Omaha- council Bluffs combined statistical area is 23.7 °F. The temperature average for the city is 23 °F, or 1.5 °C on January 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Demographics

As of the census of 2020, there were 486,051 people and 186,883 households. The city's racial makeup was 77.5% White, 12.3% African American, 0.6% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0%.1% Pacific Islander, 6.9% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. The median household income (in 2017 dollars) from 2013 to 2017 was $53,789. In 2006, Omaha was ranked as 46th out of the 72 U.S. cities of more than 250,000 people in population. Gambling in Omaha has been an important part of the city's history. Persistent poverty resulting from racial discrimination and job losses generated different crimes in the late 20th century, with violent crime and drug abuse becoming associated with the city. In the early 1900s, the city was known as a "open town" where gambling and drug trade became associated with crime, which climbed as Los Angeles became more violent. In 2000, the population of Omaha was 390,007 people, 156,738 households, and 94,983 families residing within city limits. In 2010, Omaha's population was 408,958 people, 162,627 homes, and 96,477 families residing in the city, with a population density of 3,217.9/sq mi (1,242.4/km²). In 2000 there were 165,731 housing units at an average density of 1,432.4 per square mile (553.1/km 2).

Economy

Omaha is home to the Henry Doorly Zoo and the College World Series. The city has been a tourist destination for many years. In 1898 the city hosted more than 1 million visitors from across the U.S. at the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, a world's fair that lasted for more than half the year. A recent study found investment of $1 million in cultural tourism generated approximately $83,000 in state and local taxes, and provided support for hundreds of jobs for the metropolitan area. Research on leisure and hospitality situates Omaha in the same tier for tourists as the neighboring cities of Des Moines, Iowa; Topeka, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Denver, Colorado; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. According to the Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership, the largest regional employers are: Bank of the West, First Data, Sojern, PayPal, LinkedIn, Pacific Life, MetLife and Conagra Brands. Omaha is also home to three of the 30 largest architecture firms in the United States, including HDR, Inc. and DLR Group, Inc., and Leo A Daly. In 1883 Omaha hosted the first official performance of the Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show for 8,000 attendees. In 1896 the city held the first ever World's Fair, which lasted for six months. The World's Columbian Exposition was held in Omaha in 1913. The first World's Cup was held on the Omaha River in 1914.

Arts and culture

Omaha's rich history in rhythm and blues, and jazz gave rise to a number of influential bands, including Anna Mae Winburn's Cotton Club Boys and Lloyd Hunter's Seranaders. Rock and roll pioneer Wynonie Harris, jazz great Preston Love, drummer Buddy Miles, and Luigi Waites are among the city's homegrown talent. The city is home to the largest singly funded mural in the nation, "Fertile Ground", by Meg Saligman. The Henry Doorly Zoo is widely considered one of the premier zoos in the world. Omaha hosts the only Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple in Nebraska along with a large Jewish community. There are 152 parishes in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha, and several Eastern Orthodox congregations throughout the city. The Old Market is a major historic district in Downtown Omaha listed on the National Register of Historical Places. North Omaha has several historical cultural attractions including the Dreamland Historical Project, Love's Jazz and Art Center, and the John Beasley Theater. The neighborhood of Florence celebrates its history during "Florence Days" Native Omaha Days is a biennial event celebrating Near North Side heritage. Omaha became nationally known as the birthplace of Saddle Creek Records in the late 1990s. The hip hop scene is a local bastion, with artists such as Houston Alexander, Cerone Thompson, and Stylo Traxx. Many ethnic bands from South America and Mexico have come from Omaha.

Sports

Omaha has hosted the annual NCAA College World Series men's baseball tournament since 1950. The Creighton University Bluejays compete in a number of NCAA Division I sports as members of the Big East Conference. The Omaha Mavericks, representing the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO), also play basketball, baseball and soccer. Ice hockey is a popular spectator sport in Omaha and the Omaha Lancers, a United States Hockey League team, play at the Ralston Arena. The Cox Classic golf tournament was part of the Web.com Tour from 1996 to 2013. The circuit returned to Omaha in 2017 with the Pinnacle Bank Championship. Omaha was the legendary catchword of Pro Football Hall of Fame Quarterback Peyton Manning. In 2021 he launched Omaha Productions. The city was home to an expansion team, the Nighthawks, in the United Football League from 2010 to 2011. It was also the home of the Kansas City-Omah Kings, an NBA franchise, from 1972 to 1978, before decamping solely to Kansas City until 1985, when the team moved to its current home of Sacramento. It also hosted the 2008, 2012 and 2016 US Olympic Swimming Team Trials and the building of a new stadium in North Downtown. It is home to the Omaha Diamond Spirit, a collegiate summer baseball team that plays in the MINK league. It won seven championships (in 1969, 1970, 1978, 1990, 2011, 2013, and 2014). It has been played at the downtown Charles Schwab Field since 2011.

Parks and recreation

Omaha boasts more than 80 mi (129 km) of trails for pedestrians, bicyclists and hikers. The Omaha Marathon involves a half-marathon and a 10 km (6.2 mi) race that takes place annually in September. The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail passes through Omaha as it travels 3,700 mi (5,950 km) westward from Illinois to Oregon. The city also has a park dedicated to pollinating bees and insects called Pacific Preserve Park. Omaha has a history of curling, including multiple junior national champions. The American Discovery Trail, which traverses the entire U.S., passes through the city and is included in comprehensive plans for the city of Omaha, the Omaha metropolitan area, Douglas County, and long-distance coordinated plans between the municipalities of southeast Nebraska. It is one of the few cities in the United States that has a national park system, with more than 1,000 acres of park land. The National Park Service has more than 2,000 miles of trails, many of which are open to the public. It also has the largest number of trails in the state of Nebraska, covering more than 100 mi (160 km) in some areas. It was the first city in Nebraska to have a paved running and biking trail system, which was built in the early 1900s. It's also the only city in the country to have its own national park, which is open to all residents and visitors to the city. It has a large number of parks dedicated to native plants and animals, such as the Omaha Botanical Garden.

Government

Omaha has a strong mayor form of government, along with a city council elected from seven districts across the city. The longest-serving mayor in Omaha's history was "Cowboy" Jim Dahlman, who served 20 years over eight terms. The City of Omaha administers twelve departments, including finance, police, human rights, libraries and planning. Nebraska's constitution grants the option of home rule to cities with more than 5,000 residents, meaning they may operate under their own charters. Omaha is one of only three cities in Nebraska to use this option, out of 17 eligible. Omaha's 2nd District sent its single electoral vote for Joe Biden in the 2020 election. In November 2008 Obama won the district's electoral vote. This was an historical win, as Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win an electoral vote in Nebraska since 1964. In 2011, Nebraska lawmakers moved Offutt Air Force Base and the town of Bellevue an area with a large minority population out of the Omaha-based 2th District and shifted in the Republican-heavy Omaha suburbs in Sarpy County. The move is expected to dilute the city's urban Democratic vote. The city of Omaha is considering consolidating with Douglas County government. The mayor is Jean Stothert, who was elected in May 2013, re-elected May 10, 2017, and re- elected again May 11, 2021. She was regarded as the "wettest mayor in America" because of the flourishing number of bars in Omaha.

Education

Omaha Public Schools serves more than 47,750 students in more than 75 schools. The Westside Community Schools, also known as District 66, is a district in the heart of Omaha. Creighton University is ranked the top non-doctoral regional university in the Midwestern United States by U.S. News & World Report. The University of Nebraska Medical Center in midtown Omaha is home to the Eppley Cancer Center, one of 66 designated Cancer Centers by the National Cancer Institute in the United States. Omaha is also home to Brownell-Talbot School, Nebraska's only preschool through grade 12, independent college preparatory school. There are eleven colleges and universities among Omaha's higher education institutions, including the University of Nebraska Omaha and the University of Nebraska College of Medicine, which is ranked 7th in the country for primary care medical education. The Nebraska Legislature approved a plan in 2007 to create a learning community for Omaha-area school districts with a central administrative board. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha operates numerous private Catholic schools with 21,500 students in 32 elementary schools and nine high schools. They include St. Cecilia Grade School at in Midtown Omaha, Holy Cross at in Morton Meadows, St. Robert Bellarmine School at 120th and Pacific Street, and St. Stephen the Martyr School in Millard, and Creighton Preparatory School. Through annexations Omaha also has the Millard Public Schools and Elkhorn Public Schools.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska = 61.2. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 50. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 40. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Omaha = 3.8 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 486,051 individuals with a median age of 34.6 age the population grows by 0.42% in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 3,658.41 residents per square mile of area (1,315.40/km²). There are average 2.4 people per household in the 158,462 households with an average household income of $45,746 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 4.70% of the available work force and has dropped -3.56% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 28.18%. The number of physicians in Omaha per 100,000 population = 328.9.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Omaha = 29 inches and the annual snowfall = 21.5 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 87. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 214. 86 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 12.1 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 39, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska which are owned by the occupant = 56.03%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 42 years with median home cost = $124,540 and home appreciation of -1.32%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $17.28 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,838 per student. There are 15.2 students for each teacher in the school, 339 students for each Librarian and 327 students for each Counselor. 5.84% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 20.35% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 9.11% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).