[xLn]

Hello I've been reading this forum for a while now and decided it was time to create an account and ask my own questions. My girlfriend and I are ready to move out of Florida and were looking around the country and Omaha is where we've tentatively decided on. We're planning on moving this summer and just have some questions about the city I thought would be better to ask here, a forum full of people who live there.

I admit it, we are big nerds and internet speeds are important. How is COX Communications? We would buy the fastest package they offer, and I'm just wondering what download speeds people are actually achieving. Also, is COX available all over the city? If not, which areas?

We've both always lived in suburbs our entire lives, so with that in mind, based off some research we've landed on west Omaha. It sounds like a lot of people on this forum really enjoy midtown though. I haven't been to midtown Omaha, as I've only visited once a few years back, but in the areas I've lived in the past the downtown areas usually have more crime rate or are more run down, less safe etc. I also worry about parking my car in said areas. Would this be a concern if we did look around the mid town areas?

We were planning on renting for sure, it's still up in the air whether it would be an apartment, townhouse, or home. We currently have a condo with no neighbors attached to us, and it's beautiful to not hear neighbors. If anyone has any recommendations that would be much appreciated. We don't want any frat boys or party people around us and would like a quiet community. I'm young, but I don't mind living in a community with older people if it's the only way to have quiet/respectful neighbors.

That's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure I will have more questions soon!

[joelwnelson]

Cox covers the entire city plus most of the suburbs (Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, Ralston, Gretna, Bennington, Waterloo, Valley, Crescent, Underwood, Carter Lake, Council Bluffs). Some of the outlying areas are covered by other providers (Springfield and Plattsmouth - Charter; Fremont - Time Warner; Blair - American Broadband).

I believe the max download speed is 50 Mbps on the Cox Ultimate tier.

Speeds are close to advertised. Upload actually tends to be a little above advertised, at least in my experience.

[Omahahonors]

Yeah, Cox has some unbelievable speeds and the price isn't too shabby for a 50mbps connection. If you guys are a couple of nerds (I am a huge nerd myself) then you are going to land in one of the nations hottest IT hubs. For that reason, i say congrats on a good selection.

As far as housing, you guys may really like the new Aksarben Village area. It's right near 72nd and Center, but is relatively dense with medium-high density projects being built consistently. Plus Aksarben Village is not far from midtown or downtown. Another consideration is somewhere near 144th-180th between Dodge and Q streets as there is a massive area of restaurants, stores, shopping malls, box stores, hospitals, car delearships and much more with many being mid to upper class stores. Another very nice area for upper scale living (but on a bit smaller scale [and growing]) is Papillion.

Omaha has all types of very livable neighborhoods. Just let us know more about what you are looking for and I'll gladly help!

[McBain II]

Originally Posted by xLn

Hello I've been reading this forum for a while now and decided it was time to create an account and ask my own questions. My girlfriend and I are ready to move out of Florida and were looking around the country and Omaha is where we've tentatively decided on. We're planning on moving this summer and just have some questions about the city I thought would be better to ask here, a forum full of people who live there.

I highly advise it. In 2002 me and my family moved from Omaha to Tampa and I've been dying to get back home for several years now.

We've both always lived in suburbs our entire lives, so with that in mind, based off some research we've landed on west Omaha. It sounds like a lot of people on this forum really enjoy midtown though. I haven't been to midtown Omaha, as I've only visited once a few years back, but in the areas I've lived in the past the downtown areas usually have more crime rate or are more run down, less safe etc. I also worry about parking my car in said areas. Would this be a concern if we did look around the mid town areas?

Downtown is arguably the safest part of Omaha, and much of Midtown is perfectly safe as well. As a rule, Omaha is pretty safe save for a few pockets in the northeast and southeast parts of the city and those pockets are gang territory, so you'd really never be there unless you were looking for trouble. For most of my early childhood we lived off 41st and Ames (an area considered "bad" by stereotype) and the worst crime I ever felt directly was someone stealing my bike off our porch.

If you find some places you are interested in, post up the address or neighborhood and we can give you more detail about the area.

We were planning on renting for sure, it's still up in the air whether it would be an apartment, townhouse, or home. We currently have a condo with no neighbors attached to us, and it's beautiful to not hear neighbors. If anyone has any recommendations that would be much appreciated. We don't want any frat boys or party people around us and would like a quiet community. I'm young, but I don't mind living in a community with older people if it's the only way to have quiet/respectful neighbors.

That's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure I will have more questions soon!

There are plenty affordable housing options in the Downtown and Midtown areas. Also consider checking out Benson and Dundee.

[Omahahonors]

David, when was the last time you were in Omaha?

the downtown has seen crazy construction since you left, and there is another large batch of new construction either underway or about to start.

[harshbarj]

Originally Posted by xLn

Hello I've been reading this forum for a while now and decided it was time to create an account and ask my own questions. My girlfriend and I are ready to move out of Florida and were looking around the country and Omaha is where we've tentatively decided on. We're planning on moving this summer and just have some questions about the city I thought would be better to ask here, a forum full of people who live there.

I admit it, we are big nerds and internet speeds are important. How is COX Communications? We would buy the fastest package they offer, and I'm just wondering what download speeds people are actually achieving. Also, is COX available all over the city? If not, which areas?

Cox has very high speeds, though it is no uncommon for them to be down at night (3am or so). Most of the time I download at around 2MB/s (that's megabyte) and have hit 3.5MB/s but the speed you will see depends on the node your on and the website as well.
I pay $60 a month for that connection.

Cox should be available all over the city as they are the only game in town for cable tv and for high speed internet.

Originally Posted by xLn

We've both always lived in suburbs our entire lives, so with that in mind, based off some research we've landed on west Omaha. It sounds like a lot of people on this forum really enjoy midtown though. I haven't been to midtown Omaha, as I've only visited once a few years back, but in the areas I've lived in the past the downtown areas usually have more crime rate or are more run down, less safe etc. I also worry about parking my car in said areas. Would this be a concern if we did look around the mid town areas?

Crime in omaha has been on the decline for over 10 years now so it is better today than when you last visited. Midtown has compleatly changed over the last 2-3 years with a lot of new construction. Your car should be mostly safe, just keep valuables out of sight and your odds are good of returning to your car as you left it.

[McBain II]

Originally Posted by Omahahonors

David, when was the last time you were in Omaha?

the downtown has seen crazy construction since you left, and there is another large batch of new construction either underway or about to start.

I haven't been back to Omaha since we moved. Sadly, I have to watch Omaha's development happen in pictures.

[DavidGeorge]

Originally Posted by xLn

Hello I've been reading this forum for a while now and decided it was time to create an account and ask my own questions. My girlfriend and I are ready to move out of Florida and were looking around the country and Omaha is where we've tentatively decided on. We're planning on moving this summer and just have some questions about the city I thought would be better to ask here, a forum full of people who live there.

I admit it, we are big nerds and internet speeds are important. How is COX Communications? We would buy the fastest package they offer, and I'm just wondering what download speeds people are actually achieving. Also, is COX available all over the city? If not, which areas?

We've both always lived in suburbs our entire lives, so with that in mind, based off some research we've landed on west Omaha. It sounds like a lot of people on this forum really enjoy midtown though. I haven't been to midtown Omaha, as I've only visited once a few years back, but in the areas I've lived in the past the downtown areas usually have more crime rate or are more run down, less safe etc. I also worry about parking my car in said areas. Would this be a concern if we did look around the mid town areas?

We were planning on renting for sure, it's still up in the air whether it would be an apartment, townhouse, or home. We currently have a condo with no neighbors attached to us, and it's beautiful to not hear neighbors. If anyone has any recommendations that would be much appreciated. We don't want any frat boys or party people around us and would like a quiet community. I'm young, but I don't mind living in a community with older people if it's the only way to have quiet/respectful neighbors.

That's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure I will have more questions soon!

I've got Cox internet services - actually one of the slower speeds. I'm pretty happy with it.

If you love living in the suburbs, stay out west. Personally, I don't like the suburbs at all, and live near midtown. You're not going to find too many surprises here. There's a little crime, but it's not at all unsafe. There are houses, condos, town-houses and apartments all for rent in midtown. All sorts of price ranges.

I'd suggest you take a trip to Omaha & scope things out, then make a decision on where you want to live. Also, I assume that your job(s) will have a bearing on your location.

[Busguy2010]

If you're looking for a town home, appartment, or cheap house, look Northwest Omaha. It's an area from West Dodge Road, north and about 144th Street West. Lots of Appartments along West Maple Road and a lot of town homes around 144th and Fort, tons of "budget" homes from 168th and Blondo to near the Target at 168th and West Maple (those go by the name Hearthstone Homes)

[Omahahonors]

When you come back, you are going to think you are in an entirely different city. I'm not just talking about a completely different downtown, but midtown, north downtown, south downtown area, aksarben village, papillion, La Vista, Elkhorn, Old South Omaha, west omaha and the list goes on and on. One of the best things to ever happen here was something called 'Omaha By Design'. Many of the older strip malls etc have or are restructing their look to compete with some very nice new architecture.

I know you have been following the developments online for a while, but you are still going to be utterly blown away by the changes. You've seen many of the pictures, but it is WAY different seeing all of this at street level. My sister left for Tampa in 2005 and she came back last fall for less than a week. She couldn't believe her eyes. The city almost looked the same her entire life, then in a few short years (while in Tampa) the city transforms and ends up looks like something else (for the better); almost completely both on the outside as well as the inside. BTW, she is coming back for an entire month in August to get ready to move back, partly because Omaha became what she left the city for! She never expected the city to become this within 30 years, let alone 5. She cannot wait to get away from the oppressive heat/humidy, bad employment climate and simply (what she calls) a really bad vibe.

I cannot wait to hear what you have to say, when you make it back!