Omaha, NE-IA Metro Area
The Omaha, NE-IA metro area is made up of 8 counties in Nebraska and Iowa; the largest are Douglas County, Sarpy County, and Pottawattamie County. About 1,009,836 people lived there on July 1, 2025 (Census estimate), 4.4% more than in April 2020.
- Population, July 2025
- 1,009,836 4.4% more than in April 2020
- Type
- Metropolitan statistical area
- Counties
- 8: 3 central, 5 outlying
- Land area
- 4,346 sq mi (11,255 km²)
- Time zone
- Central TimeUTC-06:00 in January; UTC-05:00 in July
- Combined statistical area
- Omaha-Fremont, NE-IA
- CBSA code
- 36540
Counties in the Omaha, NE-IA metro area, largest first
| County | Role | Population, July 2025 | Share of the area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas CountyNebraska | Central | 606,460 | 60.1% |
| Sarpy CountyNebraska | Central | 208,303 | 20.6% |
| Pottawattamie CountyIowa | Central | 92,996 | 9.2% |
| Cass CountyNebraska | Outlying | 27,657 | 2.7% |
| Saunders CountyNebraska | Outlying | 23,702 | 2.3% |
| Washington CountyNebraska | Outlying | 21,302 | 2.1% |
| Mills CountyIowa | Outlying | 14,793 | 1.5% |
| Harrison CountyIowa | Outlying | 14,623 | 1.4% |
A central county holds the area’s core, an urban area of at least 50,000 people. An outlying county is in the area because of commuting: at least a quarter of its workers have jobs in the central counties, or at least a quarter of the people working there live in them. A county belongs to one metro or micro area at most, and it counts whole, countryside included.
Principal city
- Omaha488,837 people
OMB names the area after its largest principal cities. A principal city is the area’s largest city, plus any other city that is very large or a big job center, and smaller ones with at least as many jobs as working residents (2020 Census and commuting figures). People counts are American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
Part of the Omaha-Fremont, NE-IA combined statistical area
OMB joins neighboring metro and micro areas into a combined statistical area when enough people commute between them. The other area in this one is
- Fremont, NE Micro Area38,057 people
Bordering metro and micro areas, nearest first
Areas with a county on this area’s edge. Distances are straight lines between the areas’ largest cities.
- Fremont, NE Micro Area26 mi northwest
- Lincoln, NE Metro Area45 mi southwest
Before using this answer on a form
A metro or micro area is a statistical area that OMB draws for federal statistics. It is not a city, a local government or a mailing address, and it is not a measure of urban and rural: whole counties count, rural parts included. Programs that use metro areas, such as housing income limits or wage rates, can use their own version of these lists; check the program’s own list for an address.
Find the metro area where you are now, find your county, or see every metro and micro area by population.