Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area

The Omaha metropolitan area, officially known as the Omaha–Council Bluffs, NE–IA, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), is an urbanized, bi-state metro region in Nebraska and Iowa in the American Midwest, centered on the city of Omaha, Nebraska. The region consists of eight counties (five in Nebraska and three in Iowa), and extends over a large area on both sides of the Missouri River. Covering 4,407 square miles (11,410 km²) and with a population of 967,604 (2020), ^[1] the Omaha metropolitan area is the most populous in both Nebraska and Iowa (although the Des Moines–West Des Moines MSA is the largest MSA centered entirely in Iowa), and is the 58th most populous MSA in the United States. The 2003 revision to metropolitan area definitions was accompanied by the creation of micropolitan areas and combined statistical areas. Fremont, in Dodge County, Nebraska, was designated a micropolitan area. The Omaha–Council Bluffs–Fremont Combined Statistical Area has a population of 1,058,125 (2020 estimate).^[2][3][4] Approximately 1.5 million people reside within the Greater Omaha area, within a 50 mi (80 km) radius of Downtown Omaha.

Omaha Metro
Metropolitan statistical area
Omaha–Council Bluffs, NE–IA, Metropolitan Statistical Area
Coordinates: 41°15′35″N 95°55′18″W / 41.2597°N 95.9217°W / 41.2597; -95.9217
Country	United States
State(s)	Nebraska Iowa
Largest city	Omaha
Other cities	Council Bluffs Bellevue Papillion La Vista
Area
• Total	4,407 sq mi (11,410 km^2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	967,604
• Rank	58th in the U.S.
• Density	219.6/sq mi (133/km^2)

The region is locally referred to as "Big O", "the Metro Area", "the Metro", or simply "Omaha". The core counties of Douglas and Sarpy in Nebraska and Pottawattamie in Iowa contain large urbanized areas; the other five counties consist primarily of rural communities. The larger Omaha–Council Bluffs–Fremont, NE–IA, Combined Statistical Area (CSA) encompasses the Omaha–Council Bluffs MSA as well as the separate Fremont, NE, Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of the entirety of Dodge County, Nebraska.

Historical definitions and populations

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1950	366,395		—
1960	457,873		25.0%
1970	540,142		18.0%
1980	589,857		9.2%
1990	678,262		15.0%
2000	767,041		13.1%
2010	865,350		12.8%
2020	967,604		11.8%
2022 (est.)	976,671		0.9%
^[5]

 

View from space of Omaha and Council Bluffs

Standard definitions for United States metropolitan areas were created in 1949; the first census which had metropolitan area data was the 1950 census. At that time, the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area comprised three counties: Douglas and Sarpy in Nebraska, and Pottawattamie in Iowa. No additional counties were added to the metropolitan area until 1983, when Washington County of Nebraska was added. Cass County, Nebraska, was added in 1993; Saunders County in Nebraska and Harrison and Mills counties in Iowa became part of the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area in 2003.

Components of the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area

Counties

County	State	2020 Census	2010 Census	Change
Cass	Nebraska	26,598	25,241	+5.38%^[6]
Douglas	Nebraska	584,526	517,110	+13.04%^[6]
Sarpy	Nebraska	190,604	158,840	+20.00%^[6]
Saunders	Nebraska	22,278	20,780	+7.21%^[6]
Washington	Nebraska	20,865	20,234	+3.12%^[6]
Harrison	Iowa	14,582	14,937	−2.38%^[7]
Mills	Iowa	14,484	15,059	−3.82%^[7]
Pottawattamie	Iowa	93,667	93,158	+0.55%^[7]

Cities

Primary city

 

The Downtown Omaha skyline from North Downtown.

• Omaha – 486,051 inhabitants (2020)

Cities of 10,000 people or more (2020)

• Bellevue, Nebraska – 64,176 inhabitants (2020)
• Council Bluffs, Iowa - 62,799 inhabitants (2020)
• Papillion, Nebraska – 24,159 inhabitants (2020)
• La Vista, Nebraska – 16,746 inhabitants (2020)
• Fremont, Nebraska - 26,437 inhabitants (2020)

Cities of 5,000 to 10,000 people (2020)

• Blair, Nebraska – 7,790 inhabitants
• Glenwood, Iowa – 5,073 inhabitants
• Gretna, Nebraska – 5,083 inhabitants
• Plattsmouth, Nebraska – 6,544 inhabitants
• Ralston, Nebraska – 6,494 inhabitants

Cities of 1,000 to 5,000 people (2019 estimates)

Arlington, Nebraska – 1,326 inhabitants Ashland, Nebraska – 2,644 inhabitants Avoca, Iowa – 1,521 inhabitants Bennington, Nebraska – 1,521 inhabitants Carter Lake, Iowa – 3,785 inhabitants Eagle, Nebraska – 1,096 inhabitants Logan, Iowa – 1,418 inhabitants Louisville, Nebraska – 1,306 inhabitants

Malvern, Iowa – 1,115 inhabitants Missouri Valley, Iowa – 2,615 inhabitants Oakland, Iowa – 1,501 inhabitants Springfield, Nebraska – 1,624 inhabitants Valley, Nebraska – 2,890 inhabitants Wahoo, Nebraska – 4,548 inhabitants Weeping Water, Nebraska – 1,095 inhabitants Woodbine, Iowa – 1,385 inhabitants Yutan, Nebraska – 1,310 inhabitants

Cities and villages with fewer than 1,000 people (2019 estimates)

Alvo, Nebraska – 137 inhabitants Avoca, Nebraska – 281 inhabitants Boys Town, Nebraska – 562 inhabitants Carson, Iowa – 809 inhabitants Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska – 583 inhabitants Cedar Creek, Nebraska – 410 inhabitants Ceresco, Nebraska – 899 inhabitants Colon, Nebraska – 106 inhabitants Crescent, Iowa – 616 inhabitants Dunlap, Iowa – 973 inhabitants Elmwood, Nebraska – 661 inhabitants Emerson, Iowa – 449 inhabitants Fort Calhoun, Nebraska – 980 inhabitants Greenwood, Nebraska – 595 inhabitants Hancock, Iowa – 196 inhabitants Henderson, Iowa – 185 inhabitants Herman, Nebraska – 271 inhabitants Ithaca, Nebraska – 148 inhabitants Kennard, Nebraska – 366 inhabitants Leshara, Nebraska – 119 inhabitants Little Sioux, Iowa – 161 inhabitants Macedonia, Iowa – 325 inhabitants Magnolia, Iowa – 176 inhabitants Malmo, Nebraska – 114 inhabitants Manley, Nebraska – 172 inhabitants McClelland, Iowa – 155 inhabitants

Mead, Nebraska – 567 inhabitants Memphis, Nebraska – 110 inhabitants Minden, Iowa – 598 inhabitants Mineola, Iowa – unincorporated Modale, Iowa – 264 inhabitants Mondamin, Iowa – 374 inhabitants Morse Bluff, Nebraska – 142 inhabitants Murdock, Nebraska – 247 inhabitants Murray, Nebraska – 485 inhabitants Nehawka, Nebraska – 212 inhabitants Neola, Iowa – 891 inhabitants Pacific Junction, Iowa – 342 inhabitants Persia, Iowa – 287 inhabitants Pisgah, Iowa – 240 inhabitants Prague, Nebraska – 309 inhabitants Shelby, Iowa – 612 inhabitants Silver City, Iowa – 246 inhabitants South Bend, Nebraska – 104 inhabitants Treynor, Iowa – 965 inhabitants Underwood, Iowa – 956 inhabitants Union, Nebraska – 243 inhabitants Valparaiso, Nebraska – 543 inhabitants Walnut, Iowa – 769 inhabitants Washington, Nebraska – 157 inhabitants Waterloo, Nebraska – 915 inhabitants Weston, Nebraska – 330 inhabitants

Census-designated places (2020)

• Chalco, Nebraska – 11,064 inhabitants
• Offutt Air Force Base – 5,363 inhabitants

Annexations of formerly incorporated places by the City of Omaha

Annexations by the City of Omaha
Year	Former incorporated area name
1854	East Omaha, Nebraska
1877	Kountze Place
1877	Gifford Park
1877	Saratoga, Nebraska
1877	Near North Side, Omaha
1887	Sheelytown
1887	Bemis Park
1915	South Omaha, Nebraska
1915	Dundee, Nebraska
1917	Benson, Nebraska
1917	Florence, Nebraska
1971	Millard, Nebraska
2005	Elkhorn, Nebraska

Further information: Neighborhoods of Omaha, Nebraska

Notes

1. "Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population in the United States and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021 (CBSA-MET-EST2021-POP)" (xlsx). 2021 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. July 1, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
2. Iowa Data Center. "Population Estimates and Components of Population Change for Iowa's Combined Statistical Areas (2003 Definition): 2000–2006" (PDF). Retrieved April 6, 2007.
3. Hunzeker, S. "Nebraska Metro & Micro Statistical Areas" January 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Nebraska Department of Labor. Retrieved September 5, 2008.
4. "May 2007 OES Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Definitions." Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved September 5, 2008.
5. "Metro population hits 965,350". Omaha World-Herald. March 1, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
6. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Washington County, Nebraska; Sarpy County, Nebraska; Saunders County, Nebraska; Douglas County, Nebraska; Cass County, Nebraska". Census Bureau QuickFacts.
7. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Harrison County, Iowa; Pottawattamie County, Iowa; Mills County, Iowa". Census Bureau QuickFacts.

External links

• Population for Iowa metropolitan areas and components, 1950 – 2000
• omaha.towncommons.com – wiki website for the Omaha–Council Bluffs metro area

41°15′35″N 95°55′18″W / 41.25972°N 95.92167°W / 41.25972; -95.92167