Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Omaha area Housing and Market statistics

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TitosBuritoBarn
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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by TitosBuritoBarn »

iamjacobm wrote:
MTO wrote:We overtook Albuquerque
Eat it Walt.
We were ahead of them until pretty recently. They passed us a couple years ago with their sunbelt growth rates but their economy has since gone to |expletive|.
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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by MTO »

Omaha Cowboy wrote:Adding in Dodge county, the 2015 Omaha CSA estimate is- 952,018...

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|expletive| it feels like we're barely growing!! :grr:
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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

An excerpt From today's Omaha W-H editorial :

"Step aside, Albuquerque. And watch out, Worcester. Omaha is on the move.
An estimated 915,312 people called the metro Omaha area home last year, based on U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
The eight-county Omaha area has overtaken Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the nation’s 59th largest metro area. If the trend continues, Omaha could push past No. 58 Worcester, Massachusetts, by 2020.
Douglas County’s growth in the last five years largely fueled the climb, accounting for 63 percent of the metro area’s 50,000 additional people..."


http://www.omaha.com/opinion/world-hera ... TNNoMobile

A good read...

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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by nativeomahan »

We're #59! We're #59!
Somehow it doesn't have much of a ring to it.
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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by RNcyanide »

nativeomahan wrote:We're #59! We're #59!
Somehow it doesn't have much of a ring to it.
"Not great, not horrible. Just 59."
When fortune smiles on something as violent and ugly as revenge, it seems proof like no other that not only does God exist, you're doing his will.

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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

nativeomahan wrote:We're #59! We're #59!
Somehow it doesn't have much of a ring to it.
That depends on how you look at it. Being 59th out of 381 metropolitan areas in the US "ain't" too shabby either...

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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by Athomsfere »

Omaha Cowboy wrote:
nativeomahan wrote:We're #59! We're #59!
Somehow it doesn't have much of a ring to it.
That depends on how you look at it. Being 59th out of 381 metropolitan areas in the US "ain't" too shabby either...

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It does put us in the top 15%...
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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

Athomsfere wrote:
Omaha Cowboy wrote:
nativeomahan wrote:We're #59! We're #59!
Somehow it doesn't have much of a ring to it.
That depends on how you look at it. Being 59th out of 381 metropolitan areas in the US "ain't" too shabby either...

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It does put us in the top 15%...
Exactly :thumb: ...

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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by RockHarbor »

This 915,000 is so exciting to me. I remember I started paying attention to Omaha's metro population when I was 12-13 years old. It was 585,000. In high school, it was 614,000. Now, 915,000!! Also, it has been interesting seeing Albuquerque surpass Omaha in metro population many years back, but we are beating and ahead of Albuquerque (a western, sunbelt city) again. It's amazing how big Des Moines is getting, too. They used to be around 350,000, but now they are in the 600,000 + range now. Per capita, I think it is growing a little faster than Omaha, and so is (or was) Lincoln.
I can get pushed out because I'm "too much" for some. Then, an observer of me comes suddenly swooping in to "fill my shoes." People are always more accepting of the new one, because their feathers aren't truly ruffled by them. (Yawn) I can count on it every time.
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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

RockHarbor wrote:This 915,000 is so exciting to me. I remember I started paying attention to Omaha's metro population when I was 12-13 years old. It was 585,000. In high school, it was 614,000. Now, 915,000!! Also, it has been interesting seeing Albuquerque surpass Omaha in metro population many years back, but we are beating and ahead of Albuquerque (a western, sunbelt city) again. It's amazing how big Des Moines is getting, too. They used to be around 350,000, but now they are in the 600,000 + range now. Per capita, I think it is growing a little faster than Omaha, and so is (or was) Lincoln.
Agreed. The Omaha, Lincoln and Des Moines region is growing overall at a quite healthy clip...

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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by RockHarbor »

Omaha Cowboy wrote:
RockHarbor wrote:This 915,000 is so exciting to me. I remember I started paying attention to Omaha's metro population when I was 12-13 years old. It was 585,000. In high school, it was 614,000. Now, 915,000!! Also, it has been interesting seeing Albuquerque surpass Omaha in metro population many years back, but we are beating and ahead of Albuquerque (a western, sunbelt city) again. It's amazing how big Des Moines is getting, too. They used to be around 350,000, but now they are in the 600,000 + range now. Per capita, I think it is growing a little faster than Omaha, and so is (or was) Lincoln.
Agreed. The Omaha, Lincoln and Des Moines region is growing overall at a quite healthy clip...

Ciao..LiO...Peace
It is! I'm glad about that, as I also love Lincoln & Des Moines, and want to see them prosper & bloom. However, at the end of the day, I'm on Omaha's team, so we mustn't let them beat us eventually! I know Lincoln & Des Moines would probably love to surpass Omaha, and it just makes me nervous. Yet, I'm glad about this healthy competition we have, because it keeps all cities on their toes!

On the latest numbers, I see that Kansas City is not growing as fast as us. Ya know, Kansas City has a lot to offer. Although I do sense more a "dreary cloud" of big city problems there (& more decay to deal with), which is common in larger cities, I still consider KC a more impressive, beautiful city than Omaha, Des Moines, and Lincoln (at this point) -- to be honest. Go figure...it is much bigger. And, no historic area that Omaha, Des Moines, or Lincoln has "holds a candle" to that beautiful Plaza area. So, I hope KC kick-starts some faster growth soon here, too.
I can get pushed out because I'm "too much" for some. Then, an observer of me comes suddenly swooping in to "fill my shoes." People are always more accepting of the new one, because their feathers aren't truly ruffled by them. (Yawn) I can count on it every time.
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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by BRoss »

RockHarbor wrote:I know Lincoln & Des Moines would probably love to surpass Omaha, and it just makes me nervous.
While DSM is growing at a pretty good rate right now, they'll never pass us. They are only growing like 1000 more people per year, so it would take hundreds (or thousands) of years for that to ever happen. Now that could always change, but based on both of our current rates, there's really no "threat".

I have never been to DSM other than passing through on the Megabus, but it does seem like a fairly cool city.

I've never paid too much attention to Lincoln so I can't speak much for it though. Although I really should pay more attention to what is going on there. They have some pretty neat things going on that I've seen on here.
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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

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HR Paperstacks wrote:
RockHarbor wrote:I know Lincoln & Des Moines would probably love to surpass Omaha, and it just makes me nervous.
While DSM is growing at a pretty good rate right now, they'll never pass us. They are only growing like 1000 more people per year, so it would take hundreds (or thousands) of years for that to ever happen. Now that could always change, but based on both of our current rates, there's really no "threat".

I have never been to DSM other than passing through on the Megabus, but it does seem like a fairly cool city.

I've never paid too much attention to Lincoln so I can't speak much for it though. Although I really should pay more attention to what is going on there. They have some pretty neat things going on that I've seen on here.
"Never say never" as they say, 'cuz that is when it seems to happen. Seriously, I'm very careful to ever say "never." :)

But, yes, looking at the per capita growth rate, and looking closely at the current mathematics, it is impossible that Des Moines or Lincoln will surpass Omaha any moment in our lifetime, with Omaha growing just a slightly slower rate (per capita). Now, if those growth rates shift, though, then the mathematics change, and the possibilities...

Lincoln: Growing up in Omaha, I never paid that much attention to it either. I almost didn't count it among Omaha, Des Moines, and Wichita. It was simply the smaller, flatter, quieter city of Nebraska nearby that had the Capitol Building, the University, and dinosaur museum. But, I have relatives in Lincoln, and I moved down there for some schooling. I liked it there plenty, and was almost sad leaving it. I don't feel I would go back, though, simply because it isn't big enough for me, and the job market seems more difficult, imo. But, this is what I liked about Lincoln:

1) It is constantly energetic, like college/university towns are. In Omaha, it feels slightly more like "your college years are over, you've got your degree, you've got your good job at a company, and you're starting a family" more (to me). However, Omaha has plenty of energy.

2) It is basically more a "mini Omaha" more than I expected. A nice, clean, vibrant downtown core, nice midtown areas, and sprawling, new suburban areas. Because it is not as big as Omaha, the transition of the decades it was built (from old to new) is quicker as you drive through the town, thus not as mundane-looking. Omaha has larger swaths of town from each decade.

3) It feels slightly like a "sunnier, brighter place" than Omaha, because it is a bit smaller & less stressful to live in. All the big city problems are less...cost of living, Crime, pollution, traffic, ect. (However, since Lincoln doesn't have a freeway system, many complain it is difficult & timely to get around, compared to Omaha, and I agree to an extent.)

4) The inner city really has some leafy, cozy, happy neighborhoods. The streets are too narrow sometimes, though, but it adds to the coziness, imo.

5) The setting is overall flatter, so the town lays nicer (imo). As much as I like Omaha's rolling hills & being able to look far out on crests, Lincoln has a slightly gentler terrain like Des Moines, and it makes the town lay nicer, imo. (In Omaha, notice how much they flatten-down the hills before building more now?)

6) It is closer to Colorado, so they sometimes borrow more themes from Colorado than Omaha does (in landscaping & design). I like western themes, but I wouldn't want too much of that here still.

7) It's nestled within Nebraska, not on the very edge of it, so it doesn't have the psychological division present in Omaha that naturally comes with the Nebraska-Iowa border. It feels 100% authentic "Nebraska", it's 100% true "Cornhusker Country." (I met somebody from Kentucky that was in love with the NE Cornhuskers their whole life growing up, so they moved to Lincoln, just to be part of it all.)

It's funny how these two big cities of NE are so close to each other, but they are still such separate worlds. I met plenty of adult, established people there that hardly went to, or knew, Omaha, and were nervous with the traffic and roads here, and didn't even know how to get to Westroads -- and had never heard of Oak View. It just baffled me. Maybe because I'm more an "explorer" and I'm always curious what's around the next bend.
I can get pushed out because I'm "too much" for some. Then, an observer of me comes suddenly swooping in to "fill my shoes." People are always more accepting of the new one, because their feathers aren't truly ruffled by them. (Yawn) I can count on it every time.
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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

Nice post RockHarbor..

Nebraska is truly a transitional state. Sliced into 1/3rds, each part is different in feel..

As it relates to growth, Des Moines or Liccoln will never surpass Omaha in size.. Omaha would have to be at a complete stall in growth for the next 50 plus years and DSM would have to experience an even higher level of accelerated growth for it to happen..

That said, I'm really interested in the possibility of an Omaha/Lincoln CSA. Appearantly, we're not yet at the 15% commuter threshold for it to happen. I suspect that % is getting closer and closer. I think back in 2007, it was around 7%. I'd go out on a limb and say today, that % is probably in the 10 or 11% range.. So it's possible it could happen within the next 5 or so years. If it was a combined CSA today- the Omaha-Lincoln CSA would sit at 1.3 million.. That would put Omaha in Louisville,KY and Oklahoma City country in terms of level...

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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by RockHarbor »

Omaha Cowboy wrote:Nice post RockHarbor..

Nebraska is truly a transitional state. Sliced into 1/3rds, each part is different in feel..

As it relates to growth, Des Moines or Liccoln will never surpass Omaha in size.. Omaha would have to be at a complete stall in growth for the next 50 plus years and DSM would have to experience an even higher level of accelerated growth for it to happen..

That said, I'm really interested in the possibility of an Omaha/Lincoln CSA. Appearantly, we're not yet at the 15% commuter threshold for it to happen. I suspect that % is getting closer and closer. I think back in 2007, it was around 7%. I'd go out on a limb and say today, that % is probably in the 10 or 11% range.. So it's possible it could happen within the next 5 or so years. If it was a combined CSA today- the Omaha-Lincoln CSA would sit at 1.3 million.. That would put Omaha in Louisville,KY and Oklahoma City country in terms of level...

Ciao..LiO...Peace
Aaah...you guys saying "never" makes me cringe. You boys are making me nervous! :)

Thanks for your compliment. I was simply expressing how Lincoln feels slightly different to me. I'm glad I had a chance to experience it. I feel like I understand my state even better now.

I never knew CSA related to that 15% commute. Interesting to know! It is neat to see I-80 become 6-lanes between both cities, as it shows all that is picking up (like the numbers show). When I first moved to Lincoln in 2010, I commuted to Omaha for my job for 2-3 months. It is more tiring than you may think!

Nebraska being in 3 parts: I never thought of that before. I can see what you're saying... Part of it is elevation, I think... Nebraska is tilted higher as you go west as I'm sure you know, it gets drier, the trees get shorter, the towns sparser. To think, when you reach Denver: Those skyscrapers stand on streets some 3500-4000 feet above Downtown Omaha. That's incredible, considering Saudi's newest skyscraper going up is jaw-dropping tall, and it is somewhere around 2,500 feet.
I can get pushed out because I'm "too much" for some. Then, an observer of me comes suddenly swooping in to "fill my shoes." People are always more accepting of the new one, because their feathers aren't truly ruffled by them. (Yawn) I can count on it every time.
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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

RockHarbor wrote: I never knew CSA related to that 15% commute. Interesting to know! It is neat to see I-80 become 6-lanes between both cities, as it shows all that is picking up (like the numbers show). When I first moved to Lincoln in 2010, I commuted to Omaha for my job for 2-3 months. It is more tiring than you may think.
It'll be interesting to see if/when that number hits the 15% threshold. If history tells us anything, once this criteria is met, the US Census updates Conbined Statistcal Area's (CSA) that year.. For example, the DSM metro and Ames metro were combined in 2013..

I do stand by my opinion from a month back that CSA is more of a "feel good" number and MSA is the more telling "measuring stick". Overnight, the Des Moines CSA grew to 700,000 plus with the addition of Ames. Omaha could be a 1.3 mil population CSA if it claimed Lincoln.. But I'd feel more tongue in cheek quoting that number.. I'll be more impressed with the Omaha Metro hitting the 1 million plus mark on its own merits within the next 5-7 years.. Without the puffed up inflation of adding Lincoln into the mix once that 15% threshold is met..

But that's me :) ...

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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by RockHarbor »

You know, I don't pay as close attention to all that stuff than you do. I've definitely learned something here from you. I just generally look at new metro populations. I hope this happens, too.

Honestly, I like Des Moines. BUT: Des Moines is making me nervous. :)
I can get pushed out because I'm "too much" for some. Then, an observer of me comes suddenly swooping in to "fill my shoes." People are always more accepting of the new one, because their feathers aren't truly ruffled by them. (Yawn) I can count on it every time.
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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

RockHarbor wrote:Honestly, I like Des Moines. BUT: Des Moines is making me nervous. :)
You have absolutely nothing to worry about my friend.. Absolutely NOTHING :) ...

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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by Coyote »

RockHarbor wrote:You know, I don't pay as close attention to all that stuff than you do. I've definitely learned something here from you. I just generally look at new metro populations.
Cowboy is one of the original urban NERDS. Learn well grasshopper. :music:
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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

Coyote wrote:
RockHarbor wrote:You know, I don't pay as close attention to all that stuff than you do. I've definitely learned something here from you. I just generally look at new metro populations.
Cowboy is one of the original urban NERDS. Learn well grasshopper. :music:
Coming from the Coyote, this is heavy praise :thumb: ...

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Re: Urban NERDS Unite! It's coming...

Post by RockHarbor »

Oh, believe me, when I saw this thread, I thought: "Well...I'm definitely an 'urban nerd.'" I've even called myself an "architecture geek" before. I think using "geek" and "nerd" for yourself, or for others, in a non-cruel, non-demeaning way is funny... Sometimes, it is just the right term to use. :)

Are you sure we shouldn't be nervous about Des Moines? If Des Moines ever does surpass us, I won't throw a fit or anything. I'm just used to Des Moines being our "aggressive little sister", not "big sister."

"Never Say Never": I'm not superstitious, or anything, but it is kind of like that Titanic sinking. Somebody proclaimed something proud before the ship left Ireland, like it would never sink -- and the mighty ship did. And, who knows if way back when Des Moines and Omaha were plotted, some proud leader of Des Moines didn't declare something like: "Omaha will never be as great as Des Moines. You can bet on it." So now, under the heavens, Des Moines is the smaller town. You just never know...

***Yet, thinking this all through, if somebody said: "Omaha will never be a larger city than New York City", then I wouldn't feel anxiety over such a thing said. The truth is: Somebody could say that line over & over all day long, and Omaha likely wouldn't suddenly grow larger than New York. So, how rational is my concern over "never saying never?" I'm not sure, but I'm still uncomfortable saying it, I guess.****

Anyways: I'm actually taken-back how big Lincoln is, and how I overlooked Lincoln most of my life, until 6 years ago. Here we have a 2nd city in Nebraska, only 50 miles from Omaha, with a downtown building designed by I.M. Pei, that is bigger than cities like Sioux Falls (South Dakota's largest) and Topeka and Cedar Rapids. You just don't get sense of that, I feel, if your only view of Lincoln is from I-80. It is not so much wide, as it is long & sprawling. (I think N-S wise, it sprawls as far as Omaha does from Downtown out to around Boys Town.) Because it has the historic & beautiful Capitol standing tall, but no other really tall buildings (like Woodmen Tower size), and the interstate runs mostly north of it, I think it is easy to get a perception that it is smaller than it is. I'm proud of Lincoln as our Capitol City. Lincoln has made me realize to not make "snap judgments" on a mid-size city in this nation, just because it doesn't have tall office buildings, or a freeway doesn't run right through it.
I can get pushed out because I'm "too much" for some. Then, an observer of me comes suddenly swooping in to "fill my shoes." People are always more accepting of the new one, because their feathers aren't truly ruffled by them. (Yawn) I can count on it every time.
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