The city began to develop after the completion of the Okanogan Irrigation Project affecting the Grand Coulee Dam and other nearby electric facilities.

The name Omak comes from the Okanagan placename [umák],[4] or the Salishan term Omache—which is said to mean "good medicine" or "plenty", referring to its favorable climate, with an annual high of around 88 °F (31 °C).

Omak's economy is dominated by the primary sector industries of agriculture and forestry, although economic diversification has occurred with sawmills and recreational tourism.

The federal government decided to move Colville Indian Reservation's location west of Columbia River, reducing its area to 2,800,000 acres (1,100,000 ha).

Pogue was upset that his name was replaced, and requested that surveyor, civil engineer and settler Ben Ross establish another town 4 miles (6.4 km) to the north.

[4] Ross sold various items on the present townsite, trying to have his town recognized,[7] and built a cabin in 1907 to provide shelter for his daughter, son and grandchildren—becoming one of the first white men to settle the area.

The company ultimately went bankrupt, and in response, employees purchased the mill for 45 million dollars and renamed it Omak Wood Products in an attempt to save their jobs.

[6] Omak Woods Products' payroll decreased to 480 in the early 1990s and later went bankrupt themselves, along with Quality Veneer, who later owned the property for 19 million dollars until 2000.

[6] The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation later purchased the mill for 6.6 million dollars, having closed in 2009 because of low demand, ending over 130 jobs.

[28] The 80-acre (32 ha) Crawfish Lake is located about 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Omak at the border of the Colville Indian Reservation and Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest.

[39][40] Despite Omak's geographical location further north and very close to the Canadian border, the city of Wenatchee, further to the south has almost the same average annual temperature.

[33] Summers are hot and relatively dry, with a daily average of 72.2 °F (22.3 °C) in July, while winter is the wettest season of the year, with 22.3 inches (570 mm) of snowfall between November and February.

[44] In July 2012, a severe thunderstorm occurred in Omak, producing heavy rainfall, gusty winds and hail, and forced the temporary closure of U.S. Route 97 and requiring repairs to public streets.

[8][55] Within a year of its establishment, the town had a central business district with a public bank and hotel supported by the local agricultural industry.

[60] The post office in Omak—managed by United States Postal Service (USPS)—is the city's only listing of the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

Walmart hired approximately 200 employees, boosting the city's economy significantly and becoming among Okanogan County's largest retailer for a short period.

The local Harbor Freight, Big 5 Sporting Goods, North 40 and Walmart retail stores maintain license vendors for recreational activities.

[91] The Washington Department of Natural Resources announced on April 11, 2013, that Omak had again been named a "tree city" because of their continuous efforts to "keep urban forests healthy and vibrant" for 15 years.

[107] In an attempt to increase tourism, the City of Omak operates a Main Street Historical Tour in the central business district.

[115] The area's mild climate and its close proximity to lakes, rivers, and mountains make Omak an outdoor recreational destination.

[153] KZBE also broadcasts programming from Dial Global in the adult contemporary format,[154] while KQWS operates from Washington State University as Northwest Public Radio.

[167] The City of Omak's mayor–council government comprises a mayor—who also represents north-central Washington's separate economic development district[168]—and a seven-member council.

Federally, Omak is part of Washington's 4th congressional district,[173] represented by Republican Dan Newhouse, who was sworn in on January 3, 2015.

[183] The five-officer Omak Police Department detachment, which covered the municipality and nearby rural communities, reported over 180 criminal code offenses in 2010.

[190] The 2010 census estimated that 1,057 people in Omak have attended college, while 504 residents received an academic degree; more than five percent higher than the state average.

[206] Located approximately 95 miles (153 km) from the main campus in Wenatchee, it was established in the 1970s,[205] and offers adult education classes and two-year associate degrees.

[207] Based in Toppenish about 215 miles (346 km) away, Heritage University operates an Omak campus consolidated with Wenatchee Valley College's, providing degrees in several academic subjects.

Rail lines from Cascade and Columbia River Railroad enter Omak from Oroville in the north and Wenatchee in the south.

[222] The City of Omak measures residents' drinking water use and provides storm drains, solid waste, and garbage services since 1984.

[226] According to the Lieutenant Governor of Washington, Omak is a sister municipality with Summerland, British Columbia,[232] a district with a population of 11,280 people according to the 2011 Canadian census.