Omaha, Neb., March 25, 2020 – The Greater Omaha Chamber today released Monthly Economic Indicators (MEI) for January, 2020, in what may reflect the region’s most comprehensive pre-pandemic, economic baseline.
In January, jobs in the construction industry, leisure and hospitality and financial activities experienced the most growth, while Omaha’s Eppley Airfield “saw an increase in passenger enplanements compared to January 2019,” according to the report.
Highlights
UNEMPLOYMENT (OMAHA CSA)
3-MONTH AVERAGE
January 2020: 2.8%
January 2019: 2.8%
EMPLOYMENT GROWTH (OMAHA CSA)
3-MONTH AVERAGE
January 2020: 507,187
January 2019: 492,031
Greater Omaha has had a net increase of 15,100 employed workers compared to the same time period in 2019.
PRIVATE HOURLY WAGES (OMAHA MSA)
3-MONTH AVERAGE
January 2020: $28.73
January 2019: $27.52
Average private hourly wages rose about $1.21 since last year.
SINGLE FAMILY CONSTRUCTION PERMITS (CSA)
3-MONTH AVERAGE
January 2020: 172
January 2019: 140
More families built new homes in January, compared to last year. These new home permits are valued at $37.0 million.
AIRLINE PASSENGERS (OMAHA ENPLANEMENTS)
3-MONTH AVERAGE
January 2020: 199,382
January 2019: 196,321
January 2020 had more passenger enplanements compared to the same time period last year.
About Greater Omaha
Greater Omaha is a No. 1 ranked up-and-coming-tech hotspot and Time magazine’s 2017 No. 3 Most Up-and-Coming City in America. Recognized for its “We Don’t Coast” attitude, and named America’s No. 2 Best Small City, Greater Omaha is home to more than 30 communities and nearly 1 million people, with a youthful population (more than 40 percent are age 24 or younger), low cost of living and steady economic growth that outpaces the nation. Berkshire Hathaway, Mutual of Omaha, Peter Kiewit Sons’ Inc. and Union Pacific – all Fortune 500 companies – call Greater Omaha “home.”
About the Greater Omaha Chamber
The mission of the Greater Omaha Chamber is to champion a thriving business community and a prosperous region through visionary leadership and collaboration.