Cost of living in Grand Island, NE — Housing, Rent & Index

All states·Nebraska·Grand Island·Cost of living

Housing, rent, and a comparison to the US average.

$254,245
Median home value
$1,277/mo
Median rent
72
Cost index (US=100)
+2.0%
Home YoY change

The median home value in Grand Island, NE is $254,245 as of 2026-04. That places Grand Island below the US average for housing cost, with a cost index of approximately 72 versus a national baseline of 100.

Over the past 12 months, the median home value in Grand Island has climbed 2.0%, and over the past five years it has averaged +6.1% annual growth. The current price sits -0.3% from its 5-year peak in 2025-12.

Renters pay a median of $1,277 per month in Grand Island. Rents have changed +1.0% over the last year and averaged — per year over five years.

Beyond housing, day-to-day costs in Grand Island are shaped by state and local taxes, utility rates, transportation, and groceries. This page focuses on the housing component, which is the largest single line in most household budgets and the easiest to compare across cities using consistent national data.

Housing

Median home value$254,245
1-year change+2.0%
5-year CAGR+6.1%
10-year CAGR+6.0%
vs 5-year peak-0.3%

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI).

How Grand Island compares

Cost index72 (below US)
Median home vs US (~$355k)-28.4%
Population53,250
Momentum score65 (Rising)

Cost index is currently a housing-only proxy; full BLS basket coming with ACS pull.

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.