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Can we revisit the weather issue? I think the summers are similar in Omaha and NOVA, (though per City-Data NOVA seems a little hotter), but the winters are a different story all together. Omaha's winters are MUCH colder. I think Omaha is also sunnier in general and a little less humid.
I recently just moved from Omaha to Baltimore. Here are the biggest differences.....good and bad.
Good:
The traffic...even at its worst in Omaha...will be better than the best day in the DC/Baltimore/Nova corridor. There is simply no comparison whatsoever.
Weather... due to the wind..the humidity in Omaha during the summer is slightly offset..compared to NOVA/Baltimore
Crime.. some in Omaha complain about the crime..or are worried about it. Again, there simply is no comparison to the worst parts of Omaha to many areas in DC/Baltimore.
People...for the most part..very friendly
Schools..great private schools and public. I taught in Omaha Public Schools (teach in Baltimore now) for 8 years. You hear other people in the area look down upon OPS because of some of the students. Trust me..there is absolutely zero comparision between OPS and the DC/Balto school systems. If you have a chance to check out even the worst of the worst schools in Omaha you would laugh at all the sniping people take at them...compared to the "bad" ones out east.
Bad:
Weather...prepare to be the colder than you have ever dreamed. The wind in Omaha is nonstop..which makes for an unbearable winter at times. A lot more snow, too.
People..... Although people in Omaha consider East Coast people "rude"..I think people in Omaha can be just as rude..just in a different manner. Its a long story...but something I really believe.
Entertainment: I lived in Omaha for 30 years..and was more than able to enjoy myself there. There is the Old Market...and well.....ya. If you like sports there is Creighton basketball....Husker football...and well...ya. Thats about it. (By the Husker football is the best thing ever. ) Outside of that..they are putting a few new things down on the waterfront..but it pails in comparison to the Balto/DC/NOVA area. No oceans, no mountains..no other big cities.....nothing. Aside from Husker football there is nothing to do around Omaha for 3 hours....and that would be going to KC....a bigger Omaha. Denver and Chicago are 8 and 9 hours away. This would be my biggest complaint about Omaha...there are simply no "day trips" to take.
Bottom line...great, cheap place to live and raise a family....but coming from where you are...you might find it a bit boring. Depends on what you really want right now.
I don't see how people can not find things to do here. I'm in my 20's and have never been at a loss for things too do. And I've been around enough to know that bigger places just offer more of the same. Very few places offer something truly different.
I agree that I was never at a loss of things to do there. Part of that was growing up there and knowing a lot of people around town, though. Bigger places like Chicago, Denver, LA, DC, definitely offer more than more of the same. You are correct when describing KC, however.
Although my sons attend public school, we have several friends at Skutt, just south of Center on 156th. It has a great reputation. We live in Millard (within Omaha city limits), just north of the Douglas Co line. I understand that taxes would have been much cheaper if we had bought south of Harrison in Sarpy Co.
We moved to Omaha a year ago and are very pleased with the suburb of Millard in West Omaha. We also considered Papillion/La Vista in Sarpy county. Since my sons are in public school, I wish I would have considered homes in Westside District 66 too.
We are military and have lived so many places. Omaha is a great place to live and raise kids.
Beth Ann, if you've always lived on the East coast and suddenly found a need to move to the midwest I'd say you're going to suffer extreme culture shock...You'll be a thousand miles from family as well. If you can stand moving that far away from everything you're familiar with for a year you MIGHT be able to stand living here. I'm from New York but moved here very young. I know what the East thinks about us..I can tell you right now I have NO idea how to raise a cow for the best steak. I can't see you overcoming your prejudice easily enough to live here. You're families will talk you into a NICE town in anywhere east coast.
I love it here. I love the LOW CRIME, LOW COST, GREAT PEOPLE, EXCELLENT SCHOOLS, did I say wonderful people? the Military base is great in it brings people here from every walk of life...great cultural venues, excellent zoo, several fortune 500 companies..I just don't picture most Easterners getting over that biased mindset. Your questions alone show you're not ready to live here. My sister lives in NC close to VA Beach..NICE area for the discerning eastern native. LOL
Beth Ann, if you've always lived on the East coast and suddenly found a need to move to the midwest I'd say you're going to suffer extreme culture shock...You'll be a thousand miles from family as well. If you can stand moving that far away from everything you're familiar with for a year you MIGHT be able to stand living here. I'm from New York but moved here very young. I know what the East thinks about us..I can tell you right now I have NO idea how to raise a cow for the best steak. I can't see you overcoming your prejudice easily enough to live here. You're families will talk you into a NICE town in anywhere east coast.
I love it here. I love the LOW CRIME, LOW COST, GREAT PEOPLE, EXCELLENT SCHOOLS, did I say wonderful people? the Military base is great in it brings people here from every walk of life...great cultural venues, excellent zoo, several fortune 500 companies..I just don't picture most Easterners getting over that biased mindset. Your questions alone show you're not ready to live here. My sister lives in NC close to VA Beach..NICE area for the discerning eastern native. LOL
Thank you for writing this. It is true. We are currently in Northern Virginia/DC, and we can't wait to leave this region. The mindsets in Northern VA/DC and Omaha are exact opposites.
Just had to chime back in as a native Virginian from the DC suburbs. I LOVE Virginia and we lived close by all of my family and some of hubby's. That said, he commuted over an hour each way for a job 20 miles away & worked horrible OT hours. You didn't travel anywhere around the beltway after 3pm unless you wanted to sit in hours of traffic. Likewise, local errands were planned around rush hours. It was pretty much 20 min to get to the mall, theaters, restaurants for drive/traffic lights & parking. We didn't attend many public events -festivals, fireworks, etc. because the traffic & fighting crowds was just so darn bad. The schools are awesome yet highly competitive and youth sports were as well.
We have been here just under a year and I can't say I miss much about Virginia. I missed the spring colors in VA but heard late Omaha frost ruined most so I'll wait another year for my opinion on that. Winter is definitely colder in NE (esp the wind!!!) but VA had a pretty nasty winter last year too. Really, the only thing I miss about VA is the proximity to family & beaches.
Omaha is a fantastic mid sized city w/lots to do. Events, community centers, great YMCAs, lakes. I honestly have not found anything missing in what we would want to have available. The kids love their schools, housing was wayyy cheaper despite similar taxes, and we are close to so much in terms of restaurants, shopping & activities. Yes, we are a typical suburban family w/kids so my opinion is all based on family stuff.
Plus the people here are so darn nice! I know there are rotten apples everywhere, but here it's the exception rather than the norm. The neighbors are friendly, sales people actually ask if you need assistance, etc. We went out of town Labor Day Friday & got through the city in 20 min at 5:30pm! DH was complaining about the traffic until I pointed out it didn't add much time compared to what we're used to.
We researched throroughly before moving & think overall it has been a good change. I've been impressed w/the lifestyle and attitudes here & feel it fits us much better. Hope this helps someone else contemplating a move!
I'm also from Bmore/ Dc area i moved to omaha for career reasons and I agree with most of you. I have only been in omaha for a year.
Traffic: I have no idea of what omaha residents are complaining about when i was in Maryland my commute was about 2hrs everyday. I also found that the people in Omaha drive very slow, annoyingly slow.
Crime: Just like the others said, no comparison. Coming from the murder capital Baltimore or DC, crime in Omaha is easily avoided by using common sense.
Entertainment: 3hours from DC/ Bmore. you have beaches, NYC, West Virginia for the outdoors type. I still cant get over that the omaha shuts down at 1 am.
Shopping: is horrible in Omaha, your best bet is online
Culture: basically besides the air force base its none at all. blk/white/mex. i went to the China Buffet on 370 and mexicans were cooking an serving the food. lol which is fine the food there is great but no culture at all. Its hard to find caribean food, indian food etc. I know there some around but only google can find them.
speaking of food, what i wouldn't do for some maryland crab cakes, or a crab feast. Even a real cheese steak they call them phillies in omaha (yeah right).
summary: Omaha is a nice growing town, alot of business opportunities, nice to raise a family. I like to describe it as a big regular city. everything is regular, nothing fancy. Just like the main celeb from omaha Warren Buffett, lives in a normal house, drives a normal everyday car, and watches the cornhuskers every weekend. I like the mid size town's atmosphere IF i was raising a family which im not.
My biggest complaint was the way the people drive, and I dont know how many of you guys are single but theres little to nothing to do as far as nightlife. Family wise theres plenty to do i'm guessing.
I recently just moved from Omaha to Baltimore. Here are the biggest differences.....good and bad.
Good:
The traffic...even at its worst in Omaha...will be better than the best day in the DC/Baltimore/Nova corridor. There is simply no comparison whatsoever.
Weather... due to the wind..the humidity in Omaha during the summer is slightly offset..compared to NOVA/Baltimore
Crime.. some in Omaha complain about the crime..or are worried about it. Again, there simply is no comparison to the worst parts of Omaha to many areas in DC/Baltimore.
People...for the most part..very friendly
Schools..great private schools and public. I taught in Omaha Public Schools (teach in Baltimore now) for 8 years. You hear other people in the area look down upon OPS because of some of the students. Trust me..there is absolutely zero comparision between OPS and the DC/Balto school systems. If you have a chance to check out even the worst of the worst schools in Omaha you would laugh at all the sniping people take at them...compared to the "bad" ones out east.
Bad:
Weather...prepare to be the colder than you have ever dreamed. The wind in Omaha is nonstop..which makes for an unbearable winter at times. A lot more snow, too.
People..... Although people in Omaha consider East Coast people "rude"..I think people in Omaha can be just as rude..just in a different manner. Its a long story...but something I really believe.
Entertainment: I lived in Omaha for 30 years..and was more than able to enjoy myself there. There is the Old Market...and well.....ya. If you like sports there is Creighton basketball....Husker football...and well...ya. Thats about it. (By the Husker football is the best thing ever. ) Outside of that..they are putting a few new things down on the waterfront..but it pails in comparison to the Balto/DC/NOVA area. No oceans, no mountains..no other big cities.....nothing. Aside from Husker football there is nothing to do around Omaha for 3 hours....and that would be going to KC....a bigger Omaha. Denver and Chicago are 8 and 9 hours away. This would be my biggest complaint about Omaha...there are simply no "day trips" to take.
Bottom line...great, cheap place to live and raise a family....but coming from where you are...you might find it a bit boring. Depends on what you really want right now.
So you moved from Omaha to Bmore, and i did the opposite. I dont think you can even compare the two places. There like Blk and white total opposites on every level. I hear people say "how can you be bored its penty to do in oamha", then they go on about the zoo and museums. I can only go to a zoo or museum 1 or 2 times in maybe a 5 yr period. and as far as museums and history, DC is by far one of the best places. So it basically all depends on what you consider entertainment. I wouldnt come to Omaha looking for excitement, i learned to look at it as a relaxing get away from the big city.
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) Outside of that..they are putting a few new things down on the waterfront..but it pails in comparison to the Balto/DC/NOVA area. No oceans, no mountains..no other big cities.....nothing. Aside from Husker football there is nothing to do around Omaha for 3 hours....and that would be going to KC....a bigger Omaha. Denver and Chicago are 8 and 9 hours away. This would be my biggest complaint about Omaha...there are simply no "day trips" to take. 
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