Jobs, pay and daily life in Grand Island, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Grand Island is a city in Nebraska with 52,884 residents. The median household earns $63,795 a year and the median rent is $947 a month, which is 17.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Grand Island, NE metropolitan area, where BLS counts 39,520 jobs.
How Grand Island compares. Among the 40 largest places in Nebraska, Grand Island is #4 by population, #32 for college degrees (#1 = most), #31 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #30 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Hall County, is #16 of 93 counties for average pay ($54,305).
Grand Island has 52,884 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 2.7% of the population of Nebraska. It covers 30 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,756 people per square mile. The median age is 34.7, 7% younger than the state median (34.7 against 37.2).
The median gross rent is $947 a month (rent plus utilities), 12% below the state median ($947 against $1,072). Over a year that is 17.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $218,600, which is 3.4 times the median household income ($63,795); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 57.8% of households own their home, 13% below the state average (57.8% against 66.5%).
The Grand Island, NE metropolitan area has 39,520 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,410 a year, 3% below the national median ($49,410 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (5,780 jobs, median $52,670); transportation and material moving (4,360 jobs, median $46,920); office and administrative support (4,200 jobs, median $44,620). The area is most specialised in production (2.6 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($52,670). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Hall County was 3.6%. 68.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Hall County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.5% drive alone, 0.6% use public transit, 0.5% walk, 4.2% work from home. 6.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 4% below the state average (6.7% against 7.0%).
20.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 40% below the state share (20.9% against 34.6%). 19.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 141% above the state share (19.4% against 8.0%). The poverty rate is 15.2%, 43% above the state rate (15.2% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 78°F (25.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 26°F (-3.6°C). About 715 mm (28 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (121 mm) and Jan the driest (15 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Aurora (19 miles, rent 19% lower); Hastings (23 miles, rent 9% lower); York (40 miles, rent 9% lower); Kearney (41 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Grand Island; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nebraska (294) →State guide: NebraskaCountry guideHall CountyNebraska rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 294 federal postings open in Nebraska (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Nebraska →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 830 | 0.97 | $82,590 | $61,900 | $105,940 | -15% |
| General and Operations Managers | 870 | 0.97 | $79,520 | $45,280 | $160,810 | -25% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 970 | 1.84 | $60,810 | $43,150 | $94,810 | +4% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 540 | 1.25 | $44,450 | $35,120 | $60,830 | -6% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 660 | 0.89 | $44,370 | $31,440 | $60,340 | +10% |
| Nursing Assistants | 590 | 1.60 | $38,880 | $36,660 | $48,350 | -8% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 670 | 0.94 | $34,650 | $28,980 | $40,020 | -7% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,070 | 1.08 | $30,830 | $28,080 | $41,150 | -13% |
| Cashiers | 860 | 1.10 | $30,050 | $28,080 | $35,720 | -9% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 570 | 0.99 | $29,840 | $28,080 | $58,120 | -15% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,250 | 1.27 | $29,150 | $28,080 | $35,620 | -7% |
These figures are for the whole Grand Island, NE metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,410 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 21.4% |
| Education and health care | 18.2% |
| Retail trade | 13.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.3% |
| Construction | 9.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.8% |
| Public administration | 3.3% |
| Other services | 3.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.2% |
| Information | 0.8% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Grand Island lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hall County | 62,536 | $5,285 million | $84,513 | 35,986 | 1,982 | $54,305 | +1.1% | 3.6% | 35,668 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,136 | 26.3% | $63,819 | 2.75 |
| Retail trade | 4,404 | 14.3% | $35,995 | 1.23 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,313 | 14.0% | $61,612 | 0.84 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,250 | 10.5% | $22,219 | 0.99 |
| Construction | 1,972 | 6.4% | $58,246 | 1.04 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,644 | 5.3% | $54,766 | 1.08 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,382 | 4.5% | $74,677 | 0.97 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,335 | 4.3% | $79,639 | 0.91 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,108 | 3.6% | $40,265 | 1.02 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,097 | 3.5% | $44,123 | 0.52 |
| Professional and technical services | 764 | 2.5% | $64,463 | 0.31 |
| Management of companies | 460 | 1.5% | $82,859 | 0.76 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 436 | 1.4% | $23,019 | 0.72 |
| Real estate and rental | 330 | 1.1% | $46,904 | 0.59 |
| Information | 171 | 0.6% | $57,905 | 0.25 |
| Educational services | 74 | 0.2% | $21,414 | 0.10 |
| Utilities | 28 | 0.1% | $96,905 | 0.20 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 78.5% |
| Public transit | 0.6% |
| Walk | 0.5% |
| Work from home | 4.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,795 |
| Income per person | $33,902 |
| Median gross rent per month | $947 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.8% |
| Median home value | $218,600 |
| Homeowners | 57.8% |
| Poverty rate | 15.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 86.7 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $49,410 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 4.55%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 34.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 83.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 20.9% |
| Born abroad | 19.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 68.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.6 | 26 | 15 |
| Feb | -2.3 | 28 | 18 |
| Mar | 4.3 | 40 | 35 |
| Apr | 10.6 | 51 | 72 |
| May | 16.6 | 62 | 121 |
| Jun | 22.8 | 73 | 111 |
| Jul | 25.7 | 78 | 78 |
| Aug | 23.7 | 75 | 91 |
| Sep | 19.3 | 67 | 66 |
| Oct | 10.8 | 51 | 60 |
| Nov | 4.0 | 39 | 24 |
| Dec | -2.4 | 28 | 24 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora | NE | 19 mi | 4,664 | $77,679 | $764 |
| Hastings | NE | 23 mi | 25,008 | $64,048 | $858 |
| York | NE | 40 mi | 8,141 | $63,265 | $862 |
| Kearney | NE | 41 mi | 34,246 | $69,724 | $949 |
| Holdrege | NE | 63 mi | 5,546 | $55,789 | $835 |
| Columbus | NE | 63 mi | 24,488 | $64,626 | $892 |
| Seward | NE | 66 mi | 7,678 | $72,564 | $1,018 |
| Lexington | NE | 73 mi | 10,862 | $67,666 | $966 |
| Crete | NE | 76 mi | 7,527 | $77,209 | $936 |
| Schuyler | NE | 77 mi | 6,578 | $80,399 | $1,049 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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52,884 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$947 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.8% of the median household income.
$63,795 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.6% (BLS county, Hall County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nebraska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.