The Town FilesGrand Island, New York
Town in Erie County · population 21,389 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $327,000
- Household income
- $115,991
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 72 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 45.7
Grand Island is a town of 21,389 people in Erie County, New York. The median home is worth $327,000, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more upscale than 77% of New York towns, better for families than 71% of New York towns, better for retirees than 70% of New York towns.
How Grand Island ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Grand Island is worth $327,000, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $115,991, which is more affordable than 52% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,199 a month. 81.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Grand Island | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $327,000 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,199 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $115,991 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 81.6% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Grand Island
| People | Grand Island | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.7 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.3% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.5% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.2% | — |
| Work from home | 18.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.9% | 91.1% |
Weather in Grand Island
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 18.6°F. About 34.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 72.4 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grand Island since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 7, 1961 about 1.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 9, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on September 27, 1998.
Severe weather in Erie County since 1996
Erie County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 15, 2023 | Snowstorm | DR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| December 26, 2022 | Winter Storm | EM-3590: Severe Winter Storm |
| November 20, 2022 | Winter Storm | EM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Erie County
Erie County had 466,138 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,971 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Grand Island itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Grand Island
5 public schools with 2,801 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRAND ISLAND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 883 | 11.2 |
| VERONICA E CONNOR MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 637 | 11.0 |
| HUTH ROAD SCHOOL | 2-5 | 439 | 12.9 |
| CHARLOTTE SIDWAY SCHOOL | PK-1 | 437 | 11.5 |
| KAEGEBEIN SCHOOL | 2-5 | 405 | 12.7 |
Towns near Grand Island
- Grandyle Village, NY2.1 mi · 4,805 people · home $227,300
- Tonawanda, NY4.0 mi · 15,129 people · home $173,600
- Tonawanda Town, NY4.9 mi · 57,431 people · home $215,200
- Tonawanda, NY5.0 mi · 72,636 people · home $213,900
- North Tonawanda, NY5.1 mi · 30,496 people · home $197,200
- Niagara Falls, NY5.8 mi · 48,671 people · home $115,300
- Kenmore, NY5.9 mi · 15,205 people · home $208,600
- Wheatfield, NY6.6 mi · 18,638 people · home $314,900
Grand Island questions
Is Grand Island, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Grand Island scores better for retirees than 70% of New York towns and quieter than 33%. 22.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.7).
How much does a house cost in Grand Island?
The median owner-occupied home in Grand Island is valued at $327,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $115,991, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,199 a month.
What is the weather like in Grand Island?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 18.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.7 inches of precipitation a year and 72.4 inches of snow.
Does Grand Island get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grand Island since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 7, 1961. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)