Should I Move To
Grand Island, Nebraska is home to about 52,822 people. On cost of living, it lands in the very affordable band — 21% below the national average. The median renter pays around $886 a month against a typical household income of $59,061. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 67 out of 100 (grade B-), putting it at #35 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Grand Island's composite cost-of-living index lands at 79 (100 = US average), which puts it in the very affordable band. At $886/mo against $59,061 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 18% of income on housing — comfortably under the 30% rule of thumb, which is unusual. Median home value sits around $183,700.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is varied — summer averages around 87°F, winter averages around 17°F. Precipitation totals about 29 inches a year. Very walkable in most central neighborhoods — daily errands rarely require a car. Air quality reads good (AQI 32).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Grand Island reads as a moderate fit for families. It earns 55/100 (grade C) on the families profile. Strongest on affordability (98/100); weakest on education (14/100).
Grand Island reads as a moderate fit for retirees. It earns 65/100 (grade B-) on the retirees profile. Strongest on affordability (98/100); weakest on education (14/100).
Grand Island reads as a moderate fit for remote workers. It earns 74/100 (grade B) on the remote workers profile. Strongest on affordability (98/100); weakest on education (14/100).
Grand Island reads as a moderate fit for young professionals. It earns 62/100 (grade C+) on the young professionals profile. Strongest on affordability (98/100); weakest on education (14/100).
Grand Island, Nebraska pulls a 67/100 overall on the UrbRank Score (grade B-), currently ranked #35 nationally. The composite weights seven lifestyle dimensions: affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Grand Island's cost-of-living index is 79 (with 100 as the US average), which lands in the very affordable band — 21% below the national average. Median rent runs about $886/mo.
Varied — summer averages around 87°F, winter averages around 17°F, with about 29 inches of precipitation a year.
Walk Score: 72/100. Very walkable in most central neighborhoods — daily errands rarely require a car.
Grand Island has about 52,822 residents, 21% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher with a median age of 35.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Grand Island head-to-head against any other US city — housing, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life metrics side by side. The leaderboard pages also show how Grand Island stacks up for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals specifically.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Grand Island with other Nebraska cities scored on UrbRank.
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