Omaha is located in Douglas County and it is the county seat. It lies 59 miles northeast of Lincoln on the Iowa state line, along Interstate 80. The city also is on the banks of the Missouri River near Standing Bear and Cunningham lakes.

Since its beginnings in the 1850s, the city has been an important agricultural, trade and transportation center, called the Gateway to the West.

Today Omaha, population 390,007, enjoys a diversified economy. Among its largest employers are Offutt Air Force Base, First Data Card Services Group, and Mutual of Omaha Companies. Eleven colleges and universities call Omaha home. The city maintains more than 8,000 acres of parks and 13 neighborhood recreation centers. Atkinson State Historic Park offers recreational opportunities. Omaha residents experience warm summers and cold, dry winters. January's average low and high temperatures are 10.9 and 31.3 degrees. July's low and high are 65.9 and 87.9 degrees.

Omaha is part of the Omaha, Nebraska-Iowa metro area.