[Steve-o]

Not too bad!

[star_gazer]

Thanks for your kind responses.

By the way... on the subject of crime rate... I wouldn't call it low... it's about average. The fact is, Omaha is segregated significantly, and there is a fairly high incidence of gang crime within it's inner city (much like much larger midwestern cities).

On the other hand, there are some central neighborhoods which are wonderfully integrated and benefit from a relatively low crime rate as well. Like most cities... the further out you drive from the core... the whiter it gets... until yes, in Omaha, it's almost 100% white.

[Go Ne]

Originally Posted by bls5555

Are there any lakes around Omaha (30-45 miles out or so) that a house can be bought ON or close by (walking distance) for less thatn 200,000?

We have several within the City, Lake Zorinsky in the South West, Carter Lake is in the East (though its an Iowan City because the river shifted a while back) and lake Cunningham in the North, though I'm not sure if they build houses there, I don't know the names of the other ones though. There are also plenty near the Small towns outside the city.

[Synopsis]

I could live there and be very, very happy. To me, it's the perfect size for a city. Once cities get past a certain size, it's very difficult to maintain infrastructure and that "hometown" feel.

It's about average in crime rate, but you have to take in mind that the average crime rate is for the US as a whole, which includes rural areas as well. Most large cities average around a 500+ crime rating and Omaha is well under that.

Another good thing about Omaha's crime statistics is that it has gone down almost every year since 1999. Those are impressive statistics.

[star_gazer]

Thanks, that's pretty well how I feel as well... it's a great size city.

On the subject of lakes... here's a map to help illustrate...



Another nice amenity... Omaha has a 80 mile long paved trail system which connects most of these lakes... and with the new Missouri River spanning pedestrian bridge, the Omaha trail system will be connected to Council Bluffs' Wabash Trace Trail... which will literally allow you to bike all the way to Missouri !

Here's a nice site on Omaha's trail system: Omaha Trails | The Most Comprehensive Source for Trail Information in the City of Omaha | Home


I'll mention too that Omaha has 200 parks covering 8,300 acres.

The river is also a popular recreation spot... lots of boating: OmahaRiverFront.com :: Missouri River News, Development, Commerce, History and Boating Resources.


Here's another map showing current and planned dam sites for the metro... including an enormous 1,900 acre lake which would become a major recreation area.

[Synopsis]

I've heard mention of Omaha's extensive trail system in other forums and discussions. It's impressive and speaks for good city planning and making the city more enjoyable for the residents.

I don't blame you for touting Omaha's finer points; the closer I look, the more I like.

[Synopsis]

I just went into google streetview for Omaha and did some cruising around. In addition to the extensive trail system, I noticed sidewalks everywhere. Perhaps Omaha should market itself as one of the most pedestrian friendly cities in the country? I was also impressive with the city having lots of hilly areas and trees.

[sav858]

Wow, pretty impressed. Never thought much of Omaha besides trying to ignore all the bickering on here about it. But those are some nice photos and it looks like a pretty nice city overall with some really nice buildings and architecture.

[star_gazer]

Thanks.

On the subject of google's streetview... it's great that they chose Omaha as one of their first cities... however, it's rather sad, that they chose to skip virtually all of urban Omaha... outside of downtown. Hopefully they'll come back and complete the job!

[Go Ne]

Really? On Google EARTH they have it in downtown and plenty of other cities too, almost all of the major ones.