Omaha's skyline is transforming with A new high-rise, but beneath this physical growth lies a troubling reality—city data shows people are actually leaving. Young professionals cite limited job opportunities as the primary reason for their departure.
Olivia McAleer grew up in Omaha and attended the University of Nebraska Omaha, where she completed an internship with Frito-Lay. However, when graduation arrived, she had to look elsewhere for employment opportunities.
"I needed to take a first step somewhere else. I needed to move out," McAleer said.
McAleer relocated to Des Moines, joining a growing trend of young professionals leaving Nebraska's largest city. According to a UNO study, Kansas City, Denver, and Des Moines are top destinations for young professionals departing Omaha. In 2022 alone, Nebraska lost more than 4,500 college-educated adults.
The migration is so common that McAleer discovered her next-door neighbor in Des Moines also hails from Omaha.
"I was wearing a University of Nebraska Omaha sweatshirt, and she was like, oh, you went to UNO? and I was like, oh yeah, she's like, I graduated from there. I'm from Omaha, too," McAleer said.
UNO graduate Jonathan Rothe is also planning his departure, citing insufficient technology sector opportunities in the city.
"If I felt like Omaha was more of a tech hub, you know, um, I just feel like the job opportunities here are kind of lacking. So, uh, as someone who, who's aspiring to really, you know, move up in that field, I just, there's just not much here for me," Rothe said.
Beyond career considerations, Rothe seeks a change of scenery and lifestyle improvements.
"Just having a strong desire to go to somewhere with better access to, to nature, to like, you know, national parks, stuff like that, mountains, ocean, whatever it may be, and uh, you know, higher quality of life would be good," Rothe said.
The Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and city officials are collaborating on a new 'Brain Gain' initiative. Mayor John Ewing Jr. says the effort will focus on creating more job opportunities and competitive compensation packages.
"We're going to be having conversations with the business community because we know we also have to address wages and make sure we have competitive wages. We're going to be looking at strategic partnerships with our educational institutions," Ewing said.
The mayor is exploring an economic incentive package that would require state legislature approval, along with developing partnerships between businesses and educational institutions.
Ewing plans to establish direct communication channels with young professionals and students to better understand their needs and preferences.
"One of the things I'm going to be starting is a young professionals leadership group, taking individuals who are in leadership with the various young professional groups and having them be able to have the opportunity to meet with me and give me their input and hear from me so we make sure that we're doing things that the young people want instead of thinking we have all the answers. We're also going to go down into the high schools and try to get a junior and a senior starting next school year to be from every high school in Douglas County to try to get input from those young people as well," Ewing said.
Simultaneously, the city is asking residents to participate in shaping Omaha's future through the We Make Omaha survey, part of a comprehensive planning process that will guide land-use, housing, and development decisions for the next 20 years.
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