Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Omaha, NE
VS
South Bend, IN
🏆 Omaha leads 15 of 23 categories
Omaha
Nebraska
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.5
Median Household Income
$70,202 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
97 ✓ Safer
Population
489,201 ✓ Larger
South Bend
Indiana
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,056
Violent Crime Index
254⚠ High
Population
103,084
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Omaha, NE
Pros
62% less violent crime than South Bend
Households earn $21,146 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.2%)
More college-educated — 39.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.5)
Cons
Property crime (3161.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
South Bend, IN
Pros
Homes cost $97k less ($113,800 vs $210,300)
Rent averages $164/mo less ($935 vs $1,099)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Omaha by $21,146/yr
Violent crime (965.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.2%)
Snowy winters — about 65" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Omaha
Median Income
$21,146
$70,202 vs $49,056/yr
Omaha
Violent Crime
62% lower
369.0 vs 965.0 per 100k
Omaha
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.2% vs 5.5% unemployment
South Bend
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 92.5 (100 = US avg)
South Bend
Median Home Value
$97k less
$113,800 vs $210,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Omaha, NE | South Bend, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.5 | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $210,300 | $113,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,099 | $935 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $70,202 ✓ Higher | $49,056 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter | 20.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.5% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 118⚠ High ✓ Safer | 191⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 97 ✓ Safer | 254⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 151⚠ High | 97 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B (99) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 39.2% ✓ Higher | 28.8% |
| High School or Higher | 90.4% ✓ Higher | 87.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS | South Bend Community School Corp |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.3°F ✓ Warmer | 31.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.2°F ✓ Warmer | 83.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.1" ✓ Drier | 40.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.1" ✓ Less | 64.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 489,201 ✓ Larger | 103,084 |
| Median Age | 35.1 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.9% | 58.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | 26.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 13.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Omaha's cost of living index is 92.5 vs South Bend's 91.4 (US average = 100).
South Bend is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Omaha leads 15 of 23 categories. Omaha wins 15 and South Bend wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Omaha to South Bend or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($210,300 vs $113,800 median home), income ($70,202 vs $49,056), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Omaha, NE and South Bend, IN are about 507 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.