City comparison
No. Omaha's crime index is 141 versus 212 in San Antonio, and its violent crime index is 102 versus 164, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Omaha is cheaper. Median rent is $1,187 a month versus $1,324 in San Antonio.
Safety is where San Antonio and Omaha split most clearly. Omaha scores 71 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,324 in San Antonio and $1,187 in Omaha.
Omaha is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. San Antonio makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Omaha is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Omaha has rougher pockets and San Antonio has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
San Antonio and Omaha are 830 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,324 a month in San Antonio to $1,187 a month in Omaha, down $137 a month (10%).
Median household income goes from $65,056 in San Antonio to $73,201 in Omaha, up $8,145 (13%).
The crime index goes from 212 in San Antonio to 141 in Omaha, down 71 points (33%).
The move
Omaha and San Antonio are 830 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,187 a month in Omaha to $1,324 a month in San Antonio, up $137 a month (12%).
Median household income goes from $73,201 in Omaha to $65,056 in San Antonio, down $8,145 (11%).
The crime index goes from 141 in Omaha to 212 in San Antonio, up 71 points (50%).
San Antonio, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Omaha, NE
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing San Antonio and Omaha? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
10% cheaper
Omaha rent is 10% cheaper than San Antonio
San Antonio
$1,324/mo
Omaha
Winner$1,187/mo
Typical rent runs $1,187 a month in Omaha versus $1,324 in San Antonio, so Omaha is 10% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $1,644, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Omaha still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in San Antonio.
Planning to buy in Omaha? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
13% higher
Omaha's median income is 13% higher than San Antonio
San Antonio
$65,056
Omaha
Winner$73,201
Median household income is $73,201 in Omaha versus $65,056 in San Antonio, so typical pay runs 13% higher in Omaha (about $8,145 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Omaha is the stronger labor market on paper. San Antonio can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
33% lower crime
Omaha's crime index is 33% lower than San Antonio
San Antonio
212 (100 = avg)
Omaha
Winner141 (100 = avg)
Omaha's crime index is 141 versus 212 in San Antonio (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 33% lower in Omaha. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Omaha is the easier city. San Antonio can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
20% more comfortable
San Antonio weather is 20% more comfortable than Omaha
San Antonio
Winner72°F avg · 82°F highs · comfort 100/100
Omaha
59°F avg · 68°F highs · comfort 83/100
San Antonio averages about 72°F (82°F highs); Omaha averages about 59°F (68°F highs). San Antonio sits near 72°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Omaha averages around 59°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. San Antonio scores 20% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Omaha if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick San Antonio if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (72°F) beat Omaha on this page's weather index by 20%. Omaha may pay more or cost less, but San Antonio is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Omaha is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 10% cheaper here at about $1,187 a month. Choose Omaha if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Omaha is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 13% higher here ($73,201). Start with Omaha if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Omaha is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 33% lower than San Antonio (141 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Omaha leads on safety (50/100 vs 37/100 in San Antonio). Typical rent is $1,187 in Omaha and $1,324 in San Antonio; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Safety still diverges (50/100 in Omaha vs 37/100 in San Antonio), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $73,201 in Omaha versus $65,056 in San Antonio.
Omaha is ahead on safety (50/100 vs 37/100); San Antonio is still viable when you have a vetted ZIP there and $1,324/month rent plus $65,056 income fit your budget better than the safety margin.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for San Antonio and Omaha, plus other cities in TX and NE.
