Areas We Serve
Bellevue, Nebraska
Bellevue, Nebraska is located in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan statistical area, which consists of five counties in Nebraska and three counties in Iowa. Bellevue’s 13 square miles of land mass is bordered on the east by the Missouri River, to the north by the City of Omaha and to the west by La Vista. The famous Louis & Clark Scenic Byway, also known as Highway 75 passes to the west, with the outer perimeter of Offutt Air Force Base to the south and west.
The U.S. Census Bureau stated in its latest published estimate that the city population is 47,594, but Bellevue's Web site claims an unofficial count of more than 50,000 residents in 2010. Those statistics show a range of 7.1 percent to 12.0 percent growth since the official 2000 census. Median residential housing prices for Bellevue are estimated at $137,216, up from $96,900 in 2000. The median household income is at $56,189, up from the 2000 mark of $47,201. Both housing and income value are ahead of the Nebraska statewide averages. While the area felt the brunt of the housing slump from 2004 to 2006, recent sales figures show the Bellevue area in particular, and all of Sarpy County in general, ahead of the nationwide recovery for number of units sold and dollar amount of average sales.
Bellevue, NE, situated in Sarpy County, is the third largest city in Nebraska (behind Omaha and Lincoln). It is Nebraska's oldest city. Incorporated in 1855 as the City of Bellevue, French for Beautiful View, the name honors the view from the bluffs area along the Missouri River.
Bellevue grew from a modest beginning as a fur trading post in 1822. Bellevue’s building boom began in 1854, when eastern Nebraska was officially opened for settlement. Bellevue was supposed to be the capitol for this new Nebraska Territory. However a change in governors, due to a death, moved the establishment of a capitol building to Omaha. This change placed the growing Bellevue back into the shadows of the new building boom to the north of it. An economic foothold was re-established by the offer of inexpensive land to Fort Crook in 1891, and grew to the military complex now known as Offutt Air Force Base. This land has had many uses since it was first purchased by the military and continues to be the impetus for growth in Bellevue. In 1941, the base was the reason for Nebraska’s first divided highway, the Fort Crook Road. It runs from the air base gates to the Omaha city limits and is an economic artery for Bellevue and Omaha as well. Offutt Air Base is the largest employer in the area, with almost 10,000 civilian employees.
Bellevue, Nebraska founded Bellevue College in 1966. It is now Bellevue University and is enjoying recent popularity for its new International Security and Intelligence Studies program, which provides unmatched learning opportunities for candidates to our country's top intelligence and security agencies.
Quality education is provided by a strong and sizeable school system. The Bellevue Public Schools are the second largest employer in the area with over 1,000 employees dedicated to educating the young residents of the Bellevue and Offutt communities. Ameritrade, a well known partner to many who trade in stocks, has a local workforce of 1,000 in downtown Bellevue. Thanks to Offutt once again, there are two related employers in the area adding a high-tech profile: Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. Wal-Mart Super Center on South 15th Street rounds out the list of large corporate employers serving the area.
A welcome addition to Bellevue, Nebraska will be the opening of the Bellevue Medical Center. This much anticipated hospital has already grown from its initial plan of 100 beds to another 100 beds on additional floors. Completion date is scheduled for Mid-2010.
