Education is an Omaha forte, with its public school system consistently ranking in the top ten percent nationwide. Schools are known for low student to teacher ratio and most people are happy to have their children attend public school. Apart from this, Omaha is home to two nationally known universities, four private colleges, two community colleges, two medical schools, two pharmacy schools, one dental school, one law school and five nursing schools. Omaha's location on the west bank of the Missouri River in eastern Nebraska gives it a climate typical of the Great Plains. Most newcomers, however, comment that the amount of snow is less than they anticipated and that sunny days are well distributed throughout the year.
Winters are cold and dry, summers are warm and annual rainfall is at the national average.
Springs and autumns are beautiful. When it comes to recreation, Omaha has something to offer for everyone. The city is a stopping point for most touring shows, be they from Broadway or the latest popular group. Omaha has more restaurants per capita than nearly any other city in the nation and is home to four major shopping malls with world class shopping. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo is internationally known and contains the nation's largest indoor rainforest.