Signals
Garden City
Grand Island
Growth
67 · Top 24%
vs63 · Top 29%
Climate
60 · Bottom 25%
vs60 · Bottom 24%
Physical resilience
35 · Bottom 24%
vs26 · Bottom 14%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs99 · Top 34%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs42 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
82 · Top 11%
vs80 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Garden City | Grand Island | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,084 | 76,794 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,009 | $69,704 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,062 | $35,933 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 29/sq mi | 48/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $201,400 | $218,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,048 | $929 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.9% | 65.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 21.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 150 | 279 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 3.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 476.9% | 58.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.9" | 26.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 183 mi | 86 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.2 min | 19.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.9 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Garden City
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, cold wave.
Grand Island
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Your best match
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Garden City
57
Your Score
—
Area Score
Grand Island
62
Your Score
61
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Garden City, KS Micro Area · Grand Island, NE Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology