Cost of Living in Omaha, Nebraska
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Omaha, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 488,797
- Median household income
- $71,640
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 91.9
- Unemployment rate
- 4.7%
Is Omaha a good place to live?
Omaha is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 123 of the 178 other large US cities we track.
A typical worker in Omaha keeps $8,967 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living8% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,287 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$1,380 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in Omaha
Prices in the Omaha, NE-IA area run 8% below the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 24% below the US average.
- Housing14% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)6% below the US average
- Utilities24% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)7% below the US average
- All items8% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,287 | $15,444 |
| Food | $464 | $5,568 |
| Transportation | $367 | $4,404 |
| Healthcare | $327 | $3,924 |
| Utilities | $199 | $2,388 |
| Total before taxes | $2,644 | $31,728 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Omaha | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,232 | $1,167 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,287 | $1,219 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,530 | $1,450 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,030 | $1,924 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,299 | $2,179 |
Living in Omaha
How Omaha compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Omaha | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,640 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $269,500 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,229 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 43.2% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 14.2% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 39.8% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 34.9 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 20 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 12.3% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 0.9% | 3.7% |
Home internet
6 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Omaha, led by Cox Communications, T-Mobile, Verizon, Quantum Fiber. Fiber reaches 75.4% of homes and 86.5% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in Omaha
Pros and cons of living in Omaha
Pros
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 20 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Paychecks go further. A typical worker keeps $8,967 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs, more than in 123 of 178 large cities.
- Lower cost of living. Prices are 8% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Cheaper rent. Median rent is $1,229 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
Cons
Nothing stands out against the US average in the data we track.
What your job keeps in Omaha
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $49,660
- Federal income tax
- −$3,779
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,799
- State income tax
- −$1,380
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$15,444
- Everyday costs
- −$16,291
a year, or $747 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Omaha, NE-IA. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Omaha, NE-IA area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $125,220 | $60,301 |
| Registered nurse | $84,600 | $33,641 |
| Accountant | $77,030 | $28,660 |
| Plumber | $63,400 | $19,382 |
| Teacher | $63,348 | $19,342 |
| Electrician | $62,440 | $18,654 |
| Truck driver | $58,010 | $15,296 |
| Carpenter | $52,800 | $11,347 |
| Social worker | $50,956 | $9,949 |
| Nursing assistant | $40,020 | $1,660 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Omaha on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $12,430
- Civil engineer $45,104
- Data scientist $44,321
- Dental assistant $7,724
- Dental hygienist $39,939
- Dentist $100,152
- Diesel mechanic $17,533
- Financial analyst $35,779
- Firefighter $17,592
- HVAC technician $18,753
- Lawyer $64,455
- Licensed practical nurse $19,487
- Lineman $45,064
- Mechanical engineer $39,287
- Medical assistant $7,716
- Nurse practitioner $65,749
- Occupational therapist $39,596
- Paralegal $20,010
- Paramedic $13,871
- Pharmacist $70,898
- Pharmacy technician $7,170
- Physical therapist $43,530
- Physician assistant $65,986
- Police officer $30,799
- Project manager $32,234
- Radiologic technologist $28,377
- Respiratory therapist $31,451
- Speech-language pathologist $32,358
- Veterinarian $48,564
- Welder $11,582
Compare Omaha with other cities
Compare Omaha with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Omaha
17 licensed interstate movers are based in Omaha, and 14 more elsewhere in the Omaha, NE-IA area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Omaha, NE a good place to live?
Omaha is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 123 of the 178 other large US cities we track. The typical worker here earns $49,660 and keeps $8,967 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Omaha?
Prices in the Omaha, NE-IA area are 8% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,287 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,358 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Omaha?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $37,900 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Omaha, NE-IA area earns $49,660.
What is the average rent in Omaha?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,232 for a studio, $1,287 for a 1-bedroom and $1,530 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Omaha at $1,229 a month (2024).
Does Omaha have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $49,660, Nebraska state income tax comes to about $1,380 a year. Omaha has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Omaha?
6 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Omaha, led by Cox Communications, T-Mobile, Verizon, Quantum Fiber. 75.4% of homes can get fiber and 86.5% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate