With 52,884 people, Grand Island is a city in Nebraska. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. This skews young, with a median age of 34.7. The average commute runs 17 minutes. The typical home is worth $218,600, having more than doubled since 2000. The population is up 23% since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $63,795, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 48%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Grand Island
What changed most since 1990
Hispanic share5.2% → 36.4%(+31.3 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
White share92.9% → 55.8%(−37.1 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree14.6% → 20.9%(+6.3 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)19.6%(400)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)14.7%(299)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era29.8%(606)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War12%(244)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II4.9%(100)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 2,036 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Grand Island, decade by decade
Grand Island population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
39,386
$60,047
$113,043
14.6%
16.7
2000
42,940
$65,660
$147,554
15.8%
38.9
2010
48,520
$62,571
$147,885
15.6%
57.2
2020
53,131
$68,496
$179,624
20.3%
67.8
2024
52,884
$63,795
$218,600
20.9%
69.2
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
