Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Grand Island, NE

    Is Grand Island a good place to live?

    Watch Grand Island

    Grand Island ranks #8 of 8 Nebraska cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (18/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.1% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $202,600
    +10.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $913
    per month
    Household income
    $62,439
    median
    Unemployment
    3.6%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Grand Island

    The median home value in Grand Island is $202,600 and median rent is $913 a month, against a median household income of $62,439. Homes cost about 3.2× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Grand Island crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Nebraska the 2025 rate was 223 violent and 1,404 property crimes per 100,000 people — #32 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Grand Island, NE

    Grand Island has about 52,761 residents, 3.6% unemployment and 13% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Grand Island with

    Grand Island vs OmahaGrand Island vs LincolnGrand Island vs BellevueGrand Island vs KearneyGrand Island vs FremontGrand Island vs NorfolkGrand Island vs Hastings

    More: Where to move in Nebraska · Best counties in Nebraska

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report