Residential comparison · 13 facts
Columbus, NE vs Grand Island, NE
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Columbus needs about $86,500 in Grand Island to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Grand Island, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $83,500 in Columbus.
A few differences
- Columbus is higher on median household income ($64,626 vs $63,795).
- Columbus is lower on cost of living index (79 vs 81).
- Columbus is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($924/mo vs $1,031/mo).
Columbus vs Grand Island · facet by facet
| Facet | Columbus, NE | Grand Island, NE |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $213,600 | $218,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $924/mo | $1,031/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.6% | 1.6% |
| State & local income tax | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 7% |
| Cost of living index | 79 | 81 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $64,626 | $63,795 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Crime index | 42/100 | 42/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 215 days | 215 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Columbus, NE · Grand Island, NE
Questions & answers
- Is Columbus cheaper than Grand Island?
- Columbus has the lower day-to-day cost index (79 vs 81 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Grand Island equals $85,000 in Columbus?
- A household earning $85,000 in Columbus needs about $86,500 in Grand Island to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Grand Island lifestyle costs about $83,500 in Columbus.