Why Gretna, Nebraska Is One of the Fastest-Growing Communities in the Omaha Metro

Drive through Gretna on any given week and the signs of growth are impossible to miss. New subdivisions are going up on land that was farmland just a few years ago. A second high school opened in 2024. The largest Hy-Vee grocery store in the region just debuted at 135,000 square feet. And a $3.2 billion expansion of Nebraska Crossing outlet mall recently received voter approval to transform into a full-scale retail, entertainment, and hospitality destination.

This is not a town that stumbled into growth. Gretna has been quietly building toward this moment for years, and families across the Omaha metro are taking notice. Here is a closer look at what is driving all of it, and why so many people are choosing to put down roots here.

The Numbers Tell a Pretty Remarkable Story

In 2000, Gretna had a population of roughly 3,000 people. By the 2020 census it had climbed to 5,083. Today, estimates place it above 9,000 and rising, representing population growth of more than 200 percent since the turn of the century. To put that in perspective, Gretna is growing faster than 98 percent of similarly sized cities across the entire United States.

That kind of sustained growth does not happen by accident. It happens when a community offers a combination of things that people genuinely want: good schools, safe streets, a reasonable commute, and room to build something new rather than settle for whatever happens to be available.

The Schools Are a Major Draw for Families

Ask almost any family why they chose Gretna and the school district comes up immediately. Gretna Public Schools has earned an “Excellent” rating from the Nebraska Department of Education, which is the highest classification available. The district ranks in the top 40 out of 118 Nebraska school districts overall, and several individual schools rank in the top 30 elementary schools statewide.

The district has been actively expanding to keep pace with new families moving in. Cedar Hollow Elementary opened in 2023. Gretna East High School opened in 2024, giving the community a second high school as enrollment continued to climb. Local real estate professionals who have been working in Gretna for years expect further expansion ahead, including the likelihood of additional elementary schools in the coming years.

For parents who are deciding where to build a home, the quality and trajectory of a school district matters as much as the house itself. In Gretna, the district is clearly keeping pace with the community rather than lagging behind it.

New Amenities Are Arriving to Match the Growth

One of the common critiques of fast-growing suburbs is that the rooftops go up before the retail does, leaving new residents driving elsewhere for everyday errands. Gretna is actively closing that gap. A few recent and upcoming additions worth knowing about:

• The largest Hy-Vee in the region opened in Gretna in 2024, spanning 135,000 square feet with an upscale deli, a Wahlburgers restaurant, and full grocery services.
• Gretna Crossing Park opened in 2023, offering a fishing pond, an 18-hole disc golf course, sports fields, and an amphitheater.
• Nebraska Crossing outlet mall received voter approval in early 2025 for a $3.2 billion expansion into a regional entertainment and retail hub, expected to include 1,000 hotel beds, thousands of residential units, and major new retail and sports attractions.
• A new I-80 interchange is in progress to improve traffic flow and access as the city’s population continues to expand.

The combination of new infrastructure, parks, shopping, and dining means Gretna is transitioning from a bedroom community into a self-sufficient city in its own right, while still maintaining easy access to Omaha proper.

Location Makes the Daily Commute Manageable

Gretna sits in Sarpy County, just southwest of Omaha, with direct access to I-80 and Highway 6. The average commute time for Gretna residents is around 22 minutes, which compares favorably to most suburban markets of similar size anywhere in the country.

That means you can get the space, the new construction, and the school district without sacrificing a reasonable drive to work in Omaha. For many families, that balance is exactly what they are looking for and harder to find than it sounds in most metro areas.

Property Values Reflect the Confidence Buyers Have in the Area

The median property value in Gretna reached $326,000 in 2023, up 13.7 percent from the year prior. The homeownership rate sits at 77.1 percent, well above the national average of 65 percent, which reflects a community of residents who are invested in the long term.

Median household income in Gretna is approximately $118,765, and the community skews younger, with a median age of just 34.5 years. That profile, young families, strong incomes, high homeownership, is exactly the kind of demographic foundation that supports continued appreciation over time.

Gretna Is Worth a Serious Look If You Are Thinking About Building in the Omaha Metro

There are a lot of suburban communities around Omaha that offer a good quality of life. What separates Gretna right now is the momentum. The schools are expanding, the amenities are arriving, the infrastructure is being built out, and the community still has room to grow. Getting in now means building in a place that is actively becoming more valuable, not one that has already peaked.

Charleston Homes builds in Gretna at Highland Pointe, a community located at 20702 Riviera Drive. If you are curious about what building in Gretna actually looks like, the model home is open and our team is happy to walk you through the process, the floor plans, and the neighborhood at your own pace.