Article | Future Cities
Market Spotlight: Omaha
Big Cities Do Big Things
November 25, 2025
Why Omaha
Omaha, with a population over one million, is an attractive business investment location due to its strong economy, strategic location, skilled workforce, and business-friendly environment. It boasts Fortune 500 companies, a central US location with excellent transportation, and an educated workforce. Omaha offers lower operational costs, streamlined regulations, tax incentives, and a high quality of life, fostering profitability and strong community support for businesses.
3 Factors Driving Omaha
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Growth
Omaha metro population topped 1 million for the first time. With Omaha’s population increasing to over one million, it provides an ideal setting for business investments with its thriving economy, strategic location, skilled workforce, and business-friendly environment. To accommodate growth, Omaha is welcoming its first streetcar in 2026, providing transit for greater population density in the urban core and spurring real estate development along the route. Omaha’s airport, Eppley Airfield, is undergoing a transformation that nearly doubles its size. Since 2000, downtown Omaha has experienced $4.5 billion in development, including the construction of Mutual of Omaha’s new headquarters tower.
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Diversity
Omaha, located in the heartland of America, is known for its diverse industries including finance, insurance, life sciences, military and defense, logistics and manufacturing. This economic diversity has historically demonstrated our city’s consistent economic growth. This makes Omaha an exceptionally favorable location for your business within the nation. Omaha is home to seven Fortune 1000 companies, two D1 universities and medical schools, Offutt Air Force Base, and data center users such as Google and Meta.
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The Good Life
Omaha offers a low cost of living, a low crime rate, first-class health care, a vibrant entertainment and sports scene and renewed outdoor spaces. Omaha is home to the #1 zoo in the nation, the Henry Doorly Zoo. Omaha hosts the College World Series each year and has since 1950. Additionally, Omaha is often chosen to host NCAA tournaments and U.S. Olympic trials. Each year, visitors flock to Omaha for the Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder’s meeting. The three 72-acre Riverfront parks, Gene Leahy Mall, Heartland of America Park, and Lewis & Clark Landing, have recently undergone a $300 million revitalization, providing green space in the urban core.
