[Space Cowboy]

Hey everyone. I am a single guy in his mid-twenties who is contemplating a move to Omaha. I currently live in Denver and need a change for a variety of reasons. Omaha is attractive because of the low unemployment rate and my general love for the Midwest.

OK, on to the questions...

Here's the Big One-What makes Omaha special? By this, I'm wondering what makes Omaha stand out from other cities, or what does the city mean to you? I always enjoy a city that has its own very distinct character, whether I completely "fit in" with that character or not.

What's the economic makeup of Omaha? I know the unemployment rate is fairly low right now, but I'm interested in the types of jobs available. I have a degree in journalism and would be looking for marketing/business type jobs along with service industry jobs. Are there a variety of jobs to go around in Omaha? And what are some of the big industries or fields of the city?

Nightlife: This might be almost as subjective as my first question. I've lived in cities ranging from 8,000 people to Denver sized, so I'm down for whatever in this category. Do you like the nightlife in Omaha? Indifferent? Hate it? How is the number of bars/venues/etc? Any recommendations?

Finally, how similar is the culture of Omaha to other parts of the Midwest? I have family in both ND and MN, and I definitely like the laid back and generally positive vibe of these places. There are also some drawbacks as well, like a bit of a "cold shoulder" and lack of openness in some cases. In any event, I'm just curious if NE is similar to these places.

And yeah, I know some of these topics are covered in other forums, but I figured I'd kill several birds with one stone here.

Thanks and much love!!

[MountainMen]

Omaha is a working class city. It was built on the railroad, insurance, and food. It's not a place to find a high standard of living, but if you like simple pleasures such as beer, cigarettes, and eating you will enjoy Omaha.

Economically, there are lots of "jobs" with big companies. There are very few creative types or entrepreneurs compared to other areas of the country. If you want a job and are qualified, you will get a job. Ask and you shall receive.

As far as nightlife, there are bars all over the city (remember simple pleasures), but the concentration of nightlife is in the Old Market downtown.

I'd say Omaha is definitely its own place compared to the rest of the midwest and the rest of the country. Some people really love Omaha and will defend it to death, but for others this city can be the pits of Hades. It's a fairly polarizing city in that way.

[harshbarj]

Omaha has a fairly large banking and insurance presence. You also will find a lot of telecommunications jobs here. Medicine is also a booming business here with many hospitals to choose from, in fact alegant is consitantly ranked at or near the top for number of emploess in the city. In the top 10 employers in the city 4 are hospitals.


I'm not really the one to comment on nightlife, but the old market are is a good start, though honestly it's mainly bars. Downtown proper has a few nightclubs, though they do struggle and go out of business often.

Now one thing to consider will be the weather. Omaha summers will be noticeably warmer and MUCH more humid than Denver. While the highs in the two cities are about the same in summer, Denver cools off a lot more at night.

As for winter, while we get 1/3rd the snow it will stick around longer than it will in Denver. I have noticed watching the weather than you can get a snowstorm in Denver one day, then a few day later it's in the 60's. Not so here (ok, normally not so). While snow dose not stick on the ground here as long as in many other cities (say Minneapolis), it can stick around for a week. In really bad winters (last winter) snow can stick around for months, though that is not common.

[JustMe_T3K]

You should go to the bar "The Max" downtown.

[Raphael07]

Way to be a troll T3K.

Don't go to "The Max" unless you want a gay bar.

[laserdisque]

I have had some great times at the max as a straight guy.

[Raphael07]

Well, you know its a gay bar. This guy is a new comer who probably doesn't.

[smithy77]

Originally Posted by Space Cowboy

Hey everyone. I am a single guy in his mid-twenties who is contemplating a move to Omaha. I currently live in Denver and need a change for a variety of reasons. Omaha is attractive because of the low unemployment rate and my general love for the Midwest.

OK, on to the questions...

Here's the Big One-What makes Omaha special? By this, I'm wondering what makes Omaha stand out from other cities, or what does the city mean to you? I always enjoy a city that has its own very distinct character, whether I completely "fit in" with that character or not.

What's the economic makeup of Omaha? I know the unemployment rate is fairly low right now, but I'm interested in the types of jobs available. I have a degree in journalism and would be looking for marketing/business type jobs along with service industry jobs. Are there a variety of jobs to go around in Omaha? And what are some of the big industries or fields of the city?

Nightlife: This might be almost as subjective as my first question. I've lived in cities ranging from 8,000 people to Denver sized, so I'm down for whatever in this category. Do you like the nightlife in Omaha? Indifferent? Hate it? How is the number of bars/venues/etc? Any recommendations?

Finally, how similar is the culture of Omaha to other parts of the Midwest? I have family in both ND and MN, and I definitely like the laid back and generally positive vibe of these places. There are also some drawbacks as well, like a bit of a "cold shoulder" and lack of openness in some cases. In any event, I'm just curious if NE is similar to these places.

And yeah, I know some of these topics are covered in other forums, but I figured I'd kill several birds with one stone here.

Thanks and much love!!

I've lived in 6 different cities in the Midwest, South, and East coast. What makes Omaha unique? The people tend to be unusually friendly and helpful, IMHO. You're more likely to see a deal done with a handshake. Traffic is a breeze. The city is surprisingly hilly. Pastimes tend to be more cerebral, given the fact that there aren't many distinguishing physical features (Mountains, Ocean)---so if you're a surfer or mountain climber you're outta' luck. If you like the arts, you're in luck. It has one of the best music scenes going right now (check out The Slowdown, The Waiting Room, Sokol Auditorium and Sokol Underground, the House of Loom, and many other clubs catering to 20-somethings. Nightlife abounds. The 'fine arts' scene is renown and rivals any other city in the country---I'm not kidding. It also has an incredibly diverse culinary scene for a city its size.

I'm sorry I can't speak to the job situation, other than to say what you probably already know about the surprisingly low unemployment rate. Keep in mind that, even in a good economy, you may not find that dream job right out of college----you may have to settle for something that provides you an income while you're looking to trade up.

[harshbarj]

Originally Posted by smithy77

The 'fine arts' scene is renown and rivals any other city in the country---.

How could I forget about this.

The best art museum in the city would be the Joslyn in downtown. Not only is the art worth the trip, but the building is magnificent. It's an art deco building made of Georgia Pink marble, no other building like it in the city, possibly the state.

For more modern art check out the bemis center in the old market. It's one of the largest and best art colonies in the united states, and supposedly the world.

Hot Shops Art Center located near the bemis center focuses on iron working, pottery, and other physical forms of art. It to should be on any list of things to do in the city.

If you can get in, Jun Kaneko is about the best ceramic artist in the state. He moved here from Japan to setup shop. His shop is located near the bemis center but it's closed to the public most of the time from what I have seen. His work is displayed all over the country. He also has public art displays world wide.

Lastly, for beginning local artists checkout the Bancroft street market in south Omaha. Run By Bill Seidler Jr, the market occasionally displays work from local artists. What you will see here is similar to the bemis center, but mostly by artists that are just starting out, so the quality is a bit on the debatable side. Bill also has various events throughout the year that he lists on his website.

Overall Omaha has one of the best art scenes a person can ask for. This to me is what sets Omaha apart from other cities.

[JustMe_T3K]

Originally Posted by Raphael07

Well, you know its a gay bar. This guy is a new comer who probably doesn't.

How is a bar gay?
Does it only seek relationships with other bars of the same gender.