Residential comparison · 13 facts
Grand Island, NE vs Lincoln, 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 Grand Island needs about $87,500 in Lincoln to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Lincoln, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $82,500 in Grand Island.
A few differences
- Lincoln is higher on median household income ($71,867 vs $63,795).
- Grand Island is lower on cost of living index (81 vs 84).
- Grand Island is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,031/mo vs $1,102/mo).
Grand Island vs Lincoln · facet by facet
| Facet | Grand Island, NE | Lincoln, NE |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $218,600 | $264,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,031/mo | $1,102/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.6% | 1.6% |
| State & local income tax | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 7% |
| Cost of living index | 81 | 84 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $150/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $63,795 | $71,867 |
| 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: Grand Island, NE · Lincoln, NE
Questions & answers
- Is Grand Island cheaper than Lincoln?
- Grand Island has the lower day-to-day cost index (81 vs 84 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Lincoln equals $85,000 in Grand Island?
- A household earning $85,000 in Grand Island needs about $87,500 in Lincoln to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Lincoln lifestyle costs about $82,500 in Grand Island.