http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha%2C_Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is the county seat of Douglas County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 390,007. According to the 2004 census estimate, Omaha's population had risen to 409,416. Located on the eastern edge of Nebraska, it is on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha is the center city of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area. Council Bluffs, Iowa lies directly across the Missouri River from Omaha. Together, the two had formed the core of the 60th-largest metropolitan area in the United States in 2000, with a population of 803,801 (2004 estimate) residing in eight counties.
Omaha was founded in the summer of 1854 by land speculators from Council Bluffs, months after the Kansas-Nebraska Act created the Nebraska Territory. Later that year, Omaha was chosen as the territorial capital for Nebraska. Omaha was chosen as the eastern terminus of America's first transcontinental railroad in 1862 with the passage of the Pacific Railroad Act. This ensured that Omaha would become a major transportation center for the entire country in the years to come. The loss of the capital to Lincoln in 1867 did not slow Omaha's growth in the decades to come.
The Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area consists of eight counties; five in Nebraska and three in Iowa. In descending order of population, they are:
Douglas County, Nebraska (where I grew up, yay!)
Sarpy County, Nebraska
Pottawattamie County, Iowa
Cass County, Nebraska
Saunders County, Nebraska
Washington County, Nebraska
Harrison County, Iowa
Mills County, Iowa
The Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont Combined Statistical Area is comprised of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Fremont Micropolitan Statistical Area; the CSA has a population of 839,867 (2004 Census Bureau estimate).
Neighborhoods and suburbs
Benson is a neighborhood of north-central Omaha near 60th and Maple Streets; it was annexed in 1917. (My first neighborhood)
Boys Town is an incorporated village near 132nd and Dodge Streets and is home to the famous institution of the same name. (My neighborhood now is across Dodge St. from Boys Town)
Dundee is an increasingly trendy neighborhood in central Omaha near 50th and Dodge Streets. Originally a separate city, Dundee was annexed by Omaha in 1915, but this annexation was fought until 1917.
As of the census of 2000, there are 390,007 people, 156,738 households, and 94,983 families residing within city limits. The population density is 1,301.5/km˛ (3,370.7/mi˛). There are 165,731 housing units at an average density of 553.1/km˛ (1,432.4/mi˛). The racial makeup of the city is 78.39% White, 13.31% African American, 0.67% Native American, 1.74% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.91% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. 7.54% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 156,738 households out of which 30.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% are married couples living together, 13.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% are non-families. 31.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 3.10.
In the city the average age of the population is diverse with 25.6% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $40,006, and the median income for a family is $50,821. Males have a median income of $34,301 versus $26,652 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,756. 11.3% of the population and 7.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.6% of those under the age of 18 and 7.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
As of the 2003 Current Population Survey, there are 373,815 people, 154,879 households, and 92,903 families residing within the city limits. The 2004-2005 Statistical Abstract of the United States lists the total estimated population for the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Area as 793,000.[2]
Although Nebraska's economy is still primarily based on agriculture, Omaha's economy today has diversified to become a national leader in several industries, including banking, insurance, telecommunications, and transportation. Omaha's economy has grown dramatically since the early 1990s.
Omaha is the home of the headquarters of a number of major corporations, including:
Ameritrade
Berkshire Hathaway -- Fortune 500
ConAgra Foods, Inc. -- Fortune 500
First National Bank of Omaha
Mutual of Omaha -- Fortune 500
NetShops
Omaha Steaks
Peter Kiewit and Sons, Inc. Construction Co -- Fortune 500
Union Pacific Railroad -- Fortune 500
Werner Enterprises -- Fortune 500
Woodmen of the World
West Corporation
The Omaha metropolitan area is home to Offutt Air Force Base (Offutt AFB) which is located just south of Omaha in the city of Bellevue. During the Cold War, Strategic Air Command (SAC) headquarters was located at Offutt. The successor to SAC, the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) is now also headquartered at Offutt. The base is controlled by the 55th Wing and hosts several tenant units including Air Force Weather Agency, and the United States Air Force Heartland of America Band.
On May 2, 2005, the Omaha World Herald reported that the economic impact of base upon the local community amounted to approximately $2 billion annually.
School districts
Omaha has a number of Catholic/parochial high schools, including: Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, Gross, Marian, Mercy, Roncalli, and Skutt. (Skutt was my high school!
)
Brownell-Talbot School, An independent school offering all grades, including preschool and K-12; the state's oldest school, founded in 1863. (My grade school, yayyyyy)