Jobs & Economy in Bellevue
Bellevue's economy centers substantially on Offutt Air Force Base and U.S. Strategic Command, largely situated inside the city's own limits -- a real, currently-EXPANDING federal defense anchor, alongside Bellevue University's real nonprofit higher-education presence and a genuinely strong broader Omaha-metro job market.
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Learn moreOffutt Air Force Base and U.S. Strategic Command: A Real, Major, Expanding Federal Anchor
The 55th Wing, Offutt's host unit, carries a real, cited approximately 7,800 personnel and is described as the largest wing in Air Combat Command and second-largest in the entire Air Force, with more than 10,000 total on-base military and civilian workers. The Air Force's FY2026 budget request sought $593.5 million for STRATCOM headquarters operations, and Congress appropriated $593.8 million for that purpose. This record discloses honestly that a widely-cited ~$1.3 billion annual economic-impact figure traces to reporting from roughly the 2014-2019 period rather than an independently confirmed current-year restatement.
A New 95th Wing and the Long-Horizon SAOC Program
The Air Force selected Offutt in December 2024 for a new 95th Wing (Air Force Global Strike Command), centralizing nuclear command-control-and-communications functions and overseeing the E-4B 'Doomsday plane' fleet; in April 2026 the Air Force activated separate operations and maintenance command groups under the 95th Wing at Offutt. Separately, the real, current $13 billion Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) program will replace the four E-4Bs with six to eight new SNC E-4C aircraft, slated to be stationed at Offutt, with full program completion targeted as far out as 2036.
Bellevue University's Real, Nonprofit Higher-Education Anchor
Bellevue University, founded in 1966 substantially to serve military personnel and working-adult learners, is a real, current nonprofit, HLC-accredited institution with more than 70,000 all-time graduates and more than 85 degree programs, carrying a Military Friendly® Gold School designation. Enrollment is cited between approximately 10,400 and 11,096 students depending on source -- a real, disclosed cross-source spread this record does not resolve.
A Real, Genuinely Strong Broader Omaha-Metro Job Market
The Omaha, NE metro area's unemployment rate ran a real, cited approximately 2.7% in April 2026, the 7th-LOWEST among 108 U.S. metro areas with more than 250,000 people in the labor force. Sarpy County's own employment grew a real, cited approximately 2.3% from September 2024 to September 2025, with an average weekly wage of approximately $1,137 in Q3 2025 (up ~2.2% YoY).
A Real, Disclosed Gap on Bellevue's Broader Private-Employer Base
This record did not independently research Bellevue's broader non-military private-employer base (beyond Bellevue University and its healthcare anchors, detailed on the healthcare topic page) to the same depth as its Offutt-specific research this pass -- a real, disclosed gap. Movers should research a specific target employer's current Bellevue-area or Omaha-metro presence directly.
Key takeaways
- Offutt Air Force Base / U.S. Strategic Command (~7,800 55th Wing personnel, 10,000+ total on-base workers) anchors Bellevue's real, current economy and sits largely inside city limits.
- A new 95th Wing (selected Dec. 2024, further organized April 2026) and the real, current $13 billion SAOC program represent genuine, currently-expanding federal investment at Offutt, with a long horizon to 2036.
- Bellevue University's real, nonprofit, HLC-accredited presence (10,400-11,096 students depending on source) adds a genuine higher-education anchor built for military and working-adult learners.
- The Omaha metro's real, current 2.7% unemployment rate (April 2026) ranked 7th-lowest among 108 large U.S. metro areas.
- This record did not independently research Bellevue's broader non-military private-employer base to comparable depth this pass -- a real, disclosed gap.
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