Report: Omaha, Lincoln trail peer cities in job growth, costing Nebraska billions

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Nebraska’s two largest cities are missing out on tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in wages and tax revenue, according to a new report commissioned by the Aksarben Foundation.

The report says Omaha and Lincoln are trailing behind comparable metro areas such as Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Huntsville, Alabama. Combined, the cities are short about 68,000 jobs, which translates to $11 billion in wages and between $600 million and $800 million in lost state tax revenue.

The findings are significant, the report notes, because Omaha and Lincoln generate about 60% of Nebraska’s state income and sales tax revenue.

Omaha’s annual job growth is currently less than half a percent, with Lincoln posting similar numbers. By comparison, peer cities are growing