[ARPARP]

I'm considering a move to Omaha and I'm noticing it and Nebraska in general have very low unemployment, not only that but it never got bad in the recession, even looking back it fared better in the 2003 and 1991-92 recessions than the rest of the nation.

It is at 3.6% in Nebraska as a whole, a bit lower in Lincoln, and it is perhaps a tad higher around 4.5% in Omaha. Not only that but you have a high labor participation rate, meaning you have not had as much of a problem with people dropping out of the labor force making unemployment look less bad than it really is. It's like the 90s have not ended there or something.

My question is why do recessions seem to pass over Nebraska (and IA to a lesser extent) with only minor problems?

Is the jobs situation there really as good as it seems? I'm not saying the streets are paved with gold but I define "good" as most people who at least have a HS education, are willing to show up to work, and are not felons are able to find jobs and maintain them without being unemployed for a year or whatever (common around the Rust Belt).

Finally what sorts of jobs are in Nebraska. What are the typical jobs for blue collar Nebraskans? What about white collar Nebraskans?

[mostie]

We moved away from Omaha last August, but I can give you at least a general rundown on it- very general, lol. We moved to Omaha almost four years ago-I had gone online to find the lowest unemployment rate in the country, along with a liveable cost of living- Omaha pretty well covered it- the other two I want to say were Iowa and one of the Dakotas- my husband had a brother who lived in Omaha, so that seemed the better choice.

Within two weeks of moving there, my husband had a job- he worked in medical, so I don't know if that made it a bit easier, or what. Later on when I was more serious about a job hunt, I started working part-time for UNO. My older daughter moved there, and had a job pretty quickly- my husband managed to land a job later on with the V.A., which was really shocking because he had tried for years and couldn't even get an interview- then out of the blue, a head hunter called him, got him in, and six months later he was made full time, permanent. None of this would have happened if we hadn't been in Omaha, that I'm convinced of. We did move back to Michigan because my husband was able to finally transfer to a V.A. here.

I have no idea why the recession didn't seem to hit Omaha, but for whatever reason, it didn't. As for what kind of jobs are available there, pretty much anything you can think of, in all sorts of sectors. Best bet, look up the jobs on the local newspaper, Omaha World Herald, and try Indeed.

As far as I knew when I was there, yes, the job situation really is as good as it seems. I'm hearing that Omaha is the new Silicon Valley, they have a lot of tech positions opening up there- have no clue why. It's like life just stayed on an even keel there, and the recession never really hit, business as usual-that sort of thing.

If you are thinking of relocating in order to find work, average to low rentals, Omaha is a good bet. You can believe me, because I detested Omaha, lol- and have no reason to blow its horn- but it's true- there are jobs there!

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by mostie

We moved away from Omaha last August, but I can give you at least a general rundown on it- very general, lol. We moved to Omaha almost four years ago-I had gone online to find the lowest unemployment rate in the country, along with a liveable cost of living- Omaha pretty well covered it- the other two I want to say were Iowa and one of the Dakotas- my husband had a brother who lived in Omaha, so that seemed the better choice.

Within two weeks of moving there, my husband had a job- he worked in medical, so I don't know if that made it a bit easier, or what. Later on when I was more serious about a job hunt, I started working part-time for UNO. My older daughter moved there, and had a job pretty quickly- my husband managed to land a job later on with the V.A., which was really shocking because he had tried for years and couldn't even get an interview- then out of the blue, a head hunter called him, got him in, and six months later he was made full time, permanent. None of this would have happened if we hadn't been in Omaha, that I'm convinced of. We did move back to Michigan because my husband was able to finally transfer to a V.A. here.

I have no idea why the recession didn't seem to hit Omaha, but for whatever reason, it didn't. As for what kind of jobs are available there, pretty much anything you can think of, in all sorts of sectors. Best bet, look up the jobs on the local newspaper, Omaha World Herald, and try Indeed.

As far as I knew when I was there, yes, the job situation really is as good as it seems. I'm hearing that Omaha is the new Silicon Valley, they have a lot of tech positions opening up there- have no clue why. It's like life just stayed on an even keel there, and the recession never really hit, business as usual-that sort of thing.

If you are thinking of relocating in order to find work, average to low rentals, Omaha is a good bet. You can believe me, because I detested Omaha, lol- and have no reason to blow its horn- but it's true- there are jobs there!

Why did you detest Omaha?

[typ8lbb]

Id be interested in why you 'detested' it too...considering move from Florida...so just trying to get some opinions since I have not personally been there.

[rezfreak]

Originally Posted by typ8lbb

Id be interested in why you 'detested' it too...considering move from Florida...so just trying to get some opinions since I have not personally been there.

As an Omaha native living in Florida, I cant wait to go back! One more year in this hell hole

[ARPARP]

I'm seriously thinking of coming to Omaha for the jobs situation. It is not the most exciting place. I'd actually rather be in Florida, CA or somewhere with a better climate but jobs are more important than climate. After all only the unemployed have time to worry about weather.

[typ8lbb]

Originally Posted by ARPARP

I'm seriously thinking of coming to Omaha for the jobs situation. It is not the most exciting place. I'd actually rather be in Florida, CA or somewhere with a better climate but jobs are more important than climate. After all only the unemployed have time to worry about weather.

I guess the grass is always greener on the other side. One of the things I cannot stand in FL is the extreme heat/humidity year round and hence why we are looking to move elsewhere. However yes, jobs do take priority over climate for the most part.
Its funny because whenever we apply somewhere out of state the first question the potential employer asks is "why do you want to move out of FL?" almost like saying, i wish i could trade places with you lol..i guess if you have not lived here it does sound like paradise. And to be fair a lot of people who live here do consider it paradise, just not my cup of tea..

[ARPARP]

I admit you have a point about the grass being greener. Maybe I'd get there and be miserable. I'd go to San Diego but it is too expensive. Anyway I read on the Michigan forum people wanting to come to Grand Rapids and I honestly can't fathom why anybody would consider coming here, but then again this forum is for people who think the grass is greener.

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by ARPARP

I admit you have a point about the grass being greener. Maybe I'd get there and be miserable. I'd go to San Diego but it is too expensive. Anyway I read on the Michigan forum people wanting to come to Grand Rapids and I honestly can't fathom why anybody would consider coming here, but then again this forum is for people who think the grass is greener.

Maybe because they've tried the Florida/California thing, have learned their lesson, and now know better.

I've never been to Grand Rapids, so don't know how it compares to other Midwestern towns. But I did live in several other Midwestern metros, including Omaha, for many years and took way too much for granted when I did.

I'd venture a guess that those looking to escape the traditional warm-weather panaceas far outnumber their counterparts in the Midwest.

[mostie]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

Why did you detest Omaha?

That's a hard one to answer, because I can't be completely sure just why I hated it so much, but I did- never hated a place so bad in my life, lol. There were things going on in my family that might have had something to do with it (you know, you associate something bad with a place, that sort of thing), but there were things about Omaha that bothered me as well....

I didn't like the weather at all- it was just....too off-the-charts for me, summertime would have the horrific-and I mean horrific-humidity, then out of the blue would come a major rainstorm, hail, and the possibility of tornadoes- it was just strange for me. I didn't care at all for the fact that it was a big town, the road/driving rules were just really odd to me and a little difficult for me to navigate- the people, well...this is just my opinion, and I honestly mean no disrespect..they just seemed overall semi-bent most of the time. Not too outgoing, road rage, etc. This isn't to mean that others won't really like it there, it's just that me and the midwest did not get along well, lol.

They do have a really nice zoo, I will give them that- so along with the unem. rate, which is phenomenal compared to most places, the cost of living which isn't bad either, it could be a real gem for a lot of people. It just wasn't for me!