What Does $500,000 Buy You in 2025? (Omaha vs 5 Major Cities)

by Chris Jamison

If you're planning to buy a home in 2025, you've probably wondered: "What does $500K actually get me these days?" The answer? It depends a lot on where you live.

As a local Realtor® in Omaha, Nebraska who specializes in helping relocation buyers, I recently put together a video that compares what $500,000 can buy in Omaha versus five other major U.S. cities. The difference might surprise you.

📺 Watch the full video comparison here:

See real listings, value breakdowns, and my honest thoughts on what you get for your money in each market.

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The Cities We Compared

To keep things fair, we looked at homes listed around $500,000 in:

Los Angeles, CA (Compton)
Denver, CO (Thornton)
Minneapolis, MN
Dallas, TX (Farmers Branch)
Chicago, IL (Willowbrook)
Omaha, NE (Elkhorn and Midtown)

Each home was either currently listed or recently sold and reflects typical options for buyers at this price point in each metro.

$500K in Los Angeles, CA

Home: 2 bed, 1 bath, 784 sq ft
Lot: 2,935 sq ft (no yard)
Price/Sq Ft: $636
Property Taxes: ~$6,900/year
Notable Drawbacks: No A/C, dated finishes, no garage

LA is all about location — and at $500K, you're paying for sunshine and zip code, not space. Explore LA on Bestplaces.

$500K in Denver, CO

Home: 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,320 sq ft
Neighborhood: Thornton
Price/Sq Ft: $378
Property Taxes: ~$2,794/year
Features: Central A/C, updated flooring, 2-car garage

In suburban Denver, this budget buys you a livable, well-kept home — but you're still well under 1,500 sq ft with no basement.

$500K in Minneapolis, MN

Home: 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,750 sq ft
Lot: 3,920 sq ft
Price/Sq Ft: $286
Property Taxes: ~$5,421/year
Drawbacks: Boiler heat, no central A/C

This home had charm and historic features, but older systems and a single-car garage limit its value for many families.

$500K in Dallas, TX

Home: 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,942 sq ft
Lot: 0.3 acres
Neighborhood: Farmers Branch
Price/Sq Ft: $257
Property Taxes: ~$9,461/year (!!)

This fully renovated ranch had solid interior updates and a decent yard, but Dallas-area taxes are among the highest in the country. Explore property taxes across the US.