© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Grand Island.
About
Life in Grand Island
If you're considering Grand Island, here's the honest picture: it's a solidly functional Midwestern city that's been recognized multiple times for civic achievement, but it's not a destination—it's a place to build a life. The job market is decent with unemployment around 3.9%, and housing is genuinely affordable at a median home value of $218,600 and rent around $947 monthly. Your commute will be short, averaging just 17 minutes.
Grand Island at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.2%
Foreign-Born
19.4%
Broadband Internet
89.5%
of households
Population Growth
+1.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics19.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Grand Island: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Grand Island, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (27.8%), and 28.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.2%
of residents
65 and Older
14.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
36.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.9%
of households
Married Couples
44.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.51
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 12% below NE average
Rent, home values, and income in Grand Island
In Grand Island, rent runs 12% below the NE average, and home values are 8% below the NE average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
86.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,138
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
57.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1975
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $252,818 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts above NE average
Unemployment in Grand Island
Unemployment in Grand Island is 0.9 percentage points higher than the NE average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Grand Island Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.9 min avg
How Grand Island residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Grand Island, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 87% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Central Nebraska Regional Airport (GRI)
Regional airport · few flights76k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 17% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Grand Island runs 17% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
386.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,718.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Grand Island Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
74.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Hall County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Hall County, which includes Grand Island, the most common type is drought, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $9.1M |
| 2023 | 22 | Drought | $25,000 |
| 2022 | 30 | Drought | $2.4M |
| 2021 | 19 | High Wind | $1.4M |
| 2020 | 24 | Winter Weather | $350,000 |
| 2019 | 24 | Winter Weather | $1.2M |
| 2018 | 21 | Winter Weather | $400,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
7 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Hall County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Hall County, which includes Grand Island, is typically good — 278 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
34
Good Days
278
per year
Moderate Days
57
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Hall County, county-wide
Climate86°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Grand Island has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
38°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
29.0"
Annual Snowfall
27.7"
Hot Days/Year
36
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
145
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
90
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 16°F | 0.61" |
| Feb | 40°F | 19°F | 0.74" |
| Mar | 53°F | 29°F | 1.39" |
| Apr | 63°F | 39°F | 2.52" |
| May | 73°F | 51°F | 4.70" |
| Jun | 84°F | 61°F | 4.01" |
| Jul | 88°F | 66°F | 3.51" |
| Aug | 86°F | 64°F | 3.20" |
| Sep | 79°F | 54°F | 2.00" |
| Oct | 66°F | 41°F | 1.99" |
| Nov | 51°F | 28°F | 1.10" |
| Dec | 39°F | 19°F | 0.84" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Grand Island
Grand Island has 2 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
14.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
CHI Health St. Francis
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Grand Island Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Grand Island
Grand Island's student/teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 20.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
24
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
20.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Homestead National Historical Park, 91 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Grand Island
Grand Island has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Homestead National Historical Park (91 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Homestead National Historical Park
National Historical Park
91 mi awayPublic Libraries in Grand Island
Grand Island Public Library
1124 W. 2nd St., Grand Island
Cities Near Grand Island
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Grand Island?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Grand Island FAQ
Is Grand Island, Nebraska affordable?⌄
Grand Island's median rent is $947/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $63,795/year. Median home value is $218,600.
Is Grand Island, Nebraska safe?⌄
Grand Island's violent crime rate was 386 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1718 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Grand Island, Nebraska?⌄
Grand Island has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Grand Island, Nebraska?⌄
The cost of living in Grand Island is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $947/month and median household income is $63,795/year. The median home value is $218,600. About 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Grand Island, Nebraska?⌄
The average commute in Grand Island is 17 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from