City Report · NE

Grand Island

Pop. 52,884·9th most expensive in Nebraska·One of the most affordable rental markets in the US

Median rent (all units)

$1,342/mo

Year-over-Year

+2.2%

Month-over-Month

+1.1%

vs US Median

-$590

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Grand Island · $1,342

More affordable than 86% of US cities · National median $1,932/mo

Affordability

25% of income

AFFORDABLE

0%30% benchmark60%+

At $1,342/mo, rent takes about 25% of the local median household income, comfortably within the 30% benchmark.

Income to afford

$54,000/yr

Local median income

$63,795/yr

Based on the 30%-of-income rule using Grand Island's median rent and household income. See the full affordability breakdown →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$770

1 BR

$920

2 BR

$1,130

3 BR

$1,430

4 BR+

$1,840

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$1,130/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,342 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.

Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Past year vs. the rest of Nebraska

Rent in Grand Island changed +2.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 11 Nebraska cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.2%.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($63,795) is $1,595 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,430); a 4-bedroom is $1,840.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Grand Island. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$16,104/yr

At $1,342/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (2.2% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+2.2% YoY, +1.1% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Grand Island, NE is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 20.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

52,884

Median income

$63,795

Median age

34.7

Renters

42.2%

Age distribution

28.2%

22.1%

24%

14.8%

Under 1828.2%

18–3422.1%

35–5424%

55–6410.8%

65+14.8%

Gender

51.1%

48.9%

Male51.1%

Female48.9%

Race & ethnicity

60.2%

36.4%

White60.2%

Black4.6%

Hispanic36.4%

Asian1.3%

Education (25+)

16.5%

32.1%

30.5%

20.9%

No HS diploma16.5%

HS diploma32.1%

Some college30.5%

Bachelor's+20.9%

Housing tenure

57.8%

42.2%

Owner57.8%

Renter42.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How Grand Island, NE has changed in 5 years

Income

$58,162 → $63,795

up 9.7%

Population

52,755 → 52,884

up 0.2%

Renter share

40.3% → 42.2%

+1.9 pts

Bachelor's+

21.1% → 20.9%

-0.2 pts

Median household income rose from $58,162 to $63,795 between 2021 and 2024, a 9.7% shift. Renters now make up 42.2% of households, compared with 40.3% five years ago.

Community

Discussions about Grand Island

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View Grand Island rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Grand Island on your salary?

At $1,342/mo, how Grand Island rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $87,866/yr · Rent = 18.3% income

very comfortable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $62,384/yr · Rent = 25.8% income

affordable

Police Officer

Avg $71,861/yr · Rent = 22.4% income

affordable

Software Developer

Avg $128,442/yr · Rent = 12.5% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $164,117/yr · Rent = 9.8% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $58,413/yr · Rent = 27.6% income

affordable

Truck Driver

Avg $52,740/yr · Rent = 30.5% income

stretched

Electrician

Avg $65,007/yr · Rent = 24.8% income

affordable

By apartment size

Grand Island rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Grand Island. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Grand Island

About renting in Grand Island, NE

Last updated: October 17, 2026

The median rent in Grand Island is $1,342/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $770/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,130/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $920/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,430/mo.

At 25% of local median household income ($63,795/yr), Grand Island ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.2% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in Grand Island?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $54,000/year (about $26/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,342/mo in Grand Island. The local median household income is $63,795/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in Grand Island?

Rent in Grand Island has risen 2.2% over the past year.

Which Grand Island neighborhoods have the lowest rent?

The most affordable ZIP codes in Grand Island are 68803 ($1,329/mo), and 68801 ($1,339/mo). Citywide, the median rent is $1,342/mo.

How does Grand Island rent compare to other cities in Nebraska?

Grand Island is in the middle among Nebraska cities for rent, ranking #9 of 14 tracked cities at $1,342/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in Grand Island changed +2.2%, against a typical +2.2% across the 11 Nebraska cities Zillow tracks.