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ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN
Economic Indicators

Grand Island is the fourth largest city in the state of Nebraska and is the county
seat for Hall County. It has a population base of 50,895 (2016, Data USA). For
the purpose of this scan, the Grand Island Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA),
includes Hall, Merrick, Howard, and Hamilton Counties, with a combined
population base of 84,381 (2016, Data USA).
Population of Grand Island grew by .62% from 2015 to 2016, compared to
Nebraska’s overall growth of .60% during that same period.

The rate of poverty in Grand Island is 16.4%, compared to the Nebraska rate of
poverty of 11.4%.
The median age of an “Islander” is 34.8 and the median household income is
$49,118, compared with the state median household income of $56,927.
Nebraska’s median household income grew by 4.88% from 2015 to 2016 (Data
USA).

Grand Island has a workforce of 25,985 employees and a workforce growth rate
of 1.46% from 2015 to 2016.

The median home property value in Grand Island has grown by 3.15% from
2015 to 2016 and is $27,000 less than the state median (Data USA).
Top businesses in Grand Island, according to the Grand Island Economic
Development Corporation’s website:
Employer No. of Employees
JBS 3,200
CHI HEALTH ST. FRANCIS 1,300
GRAND ISLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1,250
HORNADY MANUFACTURING 751
CNH INDUSTRIAL 679
WALMART 662
CHIEF INDUSTRIES 650
McCAIN FOODS 550
CITY OF GRAND ISLAND 535
PRINCIPAL 484

( www.grandisland.org/workforce/top-employers.html)
Income inequality in Grand Island (measured using the
Gini index) is 0.441, which is lower than the national average.

The largest demographic living in poverty in
Grand Island is 25-34-year-old females (Data USA).

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