Grand Island vs Kearney
Grand Island, Nebraska versus Kearney, Nebraska: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Grand Island and Kearney score about the same overall (44 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Grand Island | Kearney |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $59k | $67k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $44k |
| Home Value | $184k | $219k |
| Monthly Rent | $886 | $897 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.46% | 1.57% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 6.97% | 6.97% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.25% | 13.85% |
| Unemployment | 3.1% | 2.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 28.7 in | 26.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.7 in | 21.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 265 days | 266 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 62 days | 61 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 60.1 | 56.0 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 44.6 | 35.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1979/100k | 1869/100k |
| Property Crime | 2575/100k | 1609/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 52,822 | 33,809 |
| Median Age | 35.0 | 31.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.49 | 0.24 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | R+36 | R+45 |
| White (%) | 59.2% | 83.1% |
| Black (%) | 3.5% | 1.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 34.0% | 10.4% |
| Asian (%) | 1.1% | 2.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.2% | 3.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 15 min |
| Walkability | 10.0/20 | 9.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 131 mi | 171 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.2% | 90.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 18.93 | 20.41 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Grand Island or Kearney more affordable?
- Kearney has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Grand Island's $45k and Kearney's $44k. Median rent is $886 in Grand Island versus $897 in Kearney.
- Is Grand Island or Kearney safer?
- Kearney has the lower violent crime rate. Grand Island reports 1979/100k and Kearney reports 1869/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Grand Island or Kearney?
- The median home value is $184k in Grand Island and $219k in Kearney, so homes are more affordable in Grand Island.