Grand Island cost of living
Prices in the Grand Island, NE metro area run at 86.7 against a national average of 100, ranking it #358 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 61.7.
What drives the number
Prices in Grand Island run at 86.7 where the national average is 100, so about 13.3 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #358 of 387 metro areas. Against Nebraska as a whole it is 3.4 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
Housing is unusually cheap relative to everything else here. Rents sit at 61.7 against goods at 94.1 and other services at 74.2, so the overall figure of 86.7 understates how affordable the housing itself is. It is the opposite of the usual pattern, where housing is what makes a place expensive. Goods at 94.1 are themselves 5.9 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
The number is most useful in reverse: a job here can pay less in cash and still leave a household better off, by roughly 13.3 per cent before anything else is considered.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Grand Island is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,260 | $29,480 | $34,002 | $30,480 |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,050 | $30,120 | $34,740 | $34,580 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 960 | $59,690 | $68,847 | $57,440 |
| Cashiers | 860 | $29,480 | $34,002 | $31,190 |
| Registered Nurses | 830 | $79,940 | $92,203 | $93,600 |
| General and Operations Managers | 810 | $76,680 | $88,443 | $102,950 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 770 | $33,920 | $39,123 | $37,090 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 650 | $44,530 | $51,361 | $38,940 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 86.7.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | 91.9 | 86.4 | #247 |
| Lincoln | 91.6 | 84.2 | #256 |
| Sioux City | 86.5 | 57.8 | #359 |
Grand Island: common questions
Is Grand Island expensive?
Prices are 13.3% below the national average, a parity of 86.7 where the country is 100. It ranks #358 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Nebraska as a whole it is 3.4 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Grand Island?
The median worker there earns $48,660, which buys what $56,125 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 61.7 against goods at 94.1. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.