The Omaha metropolitan area, officially known as the Omaha, 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 and with a population of 967,604 (2020), 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–Fremont Combined Statistical Area has a population of 1,058,125 (2020 estimate). Hunzeker, S. "Nebraska Metro & Micro Statistical Areas" , Nebraska Department of Labor. Retrieved September 5, 2008."May 2007 OES Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Definitions." Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Approximately 1.5 million people reside within the Greater Omaha area, within a radius of Downtown Omaha.
Historical definitions and populations
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 Metropolitan Statistical Area The Omaha, NE-IA Metropolitan Statistical Area includes eight counties, of which five are in Nebraska and three are in Iowa. CountyStateSeat2025 estimate2020 censusChangeAreaDensityDouglasNebraskaOmaha SarpyNebraskaPapillion PottawattamieIowaCouncil Bluffs CassNebraskaPlattsmouth SaundersNebraskaWahoo WashingtonNebraskaBlair MillsIowaGlenwood HarrisonIowaLogan Total
Combined Statistical Area The Omaha–Fremont, NE-IA Combined Statistical Area is made up of six counties in Nebraska and three counties in Iowa. The statistical area includes the Omaha, NE-IA Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Fremont, NE Micropolitan Statistical Area. Statistical Area2025 Estimate2020 CensusChangeAreaDensityOmaha, NE-IA Metropolitan Statistical AreaFremont, NE Micropolitan Statistical AreaTotal
Cities and suburbs The following are cities and villages in the Omaha, NE-IA Metropolitan Statistical Area categorized based on the United States Census Bureau 2025 population estimates. No population estimates are released for census-designated places (CDPs), which are marked with an asterisk (*). These places are categorized based on their 2020 Census population.
Principal city
Omaha (488,797)
Places with 50,000 to 100,000 inhabitants Bellevue, Nebraska (64,863) Council Bluffs, Iowa (62,690)
Places with 10,000 to 49,999 inhabitants Papillion, Nebraska (25,127) La Vista, Nebraska (16,543) Chalco, Nebraska* (11,064)
Places with 5,000 to 9,999 inhabitants Gretna, Nebraska (9,207) Blair, Nebraska (7,997) Plattsmouth, Nebraska (6,955) Ralston, Nebraska (6,382) Offutt AFB, Nebraska* (5,363) Glenwood, Iowa (5,287) Wahoo, Nebraska (5,023)
Places with 1,000 to 4,999 inhabitants
Carter Lake, Iowa (3,670) Ashland, Nebraska (3,483) Valley, Nebraska (3,412) Missouri Valley, Iowa (2,616) Beaver Lake, Nebraska* (2,114) Bennington, Nebraska (1,968) Woodbine, Iowa (1,705) Avoca, Iowa (1,661) Springfield, Nebraska (1,529) Oakland, Iowa (1,489) Yutan, Nebraska (1,451) Louisville, Nebraska (1,419) Buccaneer Bay, Nebraska* (1,418) Logan, Iowa (1,352) Arlington, Nebraska (1,329) Eagle, Nebraska (1,206) Fort Calhoun, Nebraska (1,108) Treynor, Iowa (1,088) Malvern, Iowa (1,073) Weeping Water, Nebraska (1,061) Dunlap, Iowa (partial) (1,030)
Places with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants
Tabor, Iowa (partial) (985) Ceresco, Nebraska (982) Underwood, Iowa (955) Waterloo, Nebraska (917) Neola, Iowa (903) Carson, Iowa (757) Shelby, Iowa (partial) (727) Walnut, Iowa (715) Elmwood, Nebraska (684) Mead, Nebraska (628) Boys Town, Nebraska (616) Greenwood, Nebraska (616) Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska (615) Crescent, Iowa (615) Valparaiso, Nebraska (608) Minden, Iowa (567) Murray, Nebraska (502) Cedar Creek, Nebraska (476) Emerson, Iowa (400) Kennard, Nebraska (370) Mondamin, Iowa (332) Prague, Nebraska (292) Persia, Iowa (289) Modale, Iowa (282) Murdock, Nebraska (276) Macedonia, Iowa (263) Weston, Nebraska (250) Pisgah, Iowa (248) Silver City, Iowa (246) Herman, Nebraska (217) Union, Nebraska (200) Magnolia, Iowa (196) Hancock, Iowa (195) Avoca, Nebraska (187) Nehawka, Nebraska (178) Little Sioux, Iowa (177) Manley, Nebraska (174) Ithaca, Nebraska (156) Mineola, Iowa* (154) McClelland, Iowa (143) Henderson, Iowa (137) Washington, Nebraska (131) Lake Waconda, Nebraska* (127) Alvo, Nebraska (125) Morse Bluff, Nebraska (124) Colon, Nebraska (120) King Lake, Nebraska* (114) Leshara, Nebraska (114) Memphis, Nebraska (106) Wann, Nebraska* (102) Pacific Junction, Iowa (100) Melia, Nebraska* (98) South Bend, Nebraska (94) Bentley, Iowa* (93) Malmo, Nebraska (93) Weston, Iowa* (78) Venice, Nebraska* (75) California Junction, Iowa* (74) Beacon View, Nebraska* (55) La Platte, Nebraska* (50) Linoma Beach, Nebraska* (43) Richfield, Nebraska* (42) River Sioux, Iowa* (42) Loveland, Iowa* (36)
Annexations of formerly incorporated places by the City of Omaha
Annexations by the City of Omaha YearFormer incorporated area name1854 East Omaha, Nebraska1877 Kountze Place1877 Gifford Park1877 Saratoga, Nebraska 1877 Near North Side, Omaha1887 Sheelytown1887 Bemis Park1915 South Omaha, Nebraska1915 Dundee, Nebraska1917 Benson, Nebraska 1917 Florence, Nebraska1971 Millard, Nebraska 2005 Elkhorn, Nebraska
References
External links
Population for Iowa metropolitan areas and components, 1950 – 2000 omaha.towncommons.com – wiki website for the Omaha–Council Bluffs metro area