Papillion receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Papillion
Omaha
Opportunity
89 · Top 1%
vs81 · Top 6%
Growth
71 · Top 16%
vs60 · Top 32%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 31%
vs62 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs93 · Top 26%
Schools
90 · Top 3%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Access
94 · Top 42%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
79 · Top 9%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Papillion | Omaha | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,244 | 488,837 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,679 | $73,201 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,471 | $43,638 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,020/sq mi | 3,420/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $311,000 | $245,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,269 | $1,187 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.9% | 57.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.1% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.9% | 40.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.3% | 13.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 870 | 3,487 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 34.5 | 7.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 10.0% | -11.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 21.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 186 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.53 | 16.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 58.1% | 39.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 61.2% | 45.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 20.3% | 25.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Papillion
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, hail, heat wave.
Omaha
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, heat wave.
Full profiles: Papillion, NE · Omaha, NE · How this is calculated: methodology