Kalamazoo vs Kentwood
Kalamazoo, Michigan versus Kentwood, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Kalamazoo and Kentwood score about the same overall (47 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kalamazoo | Kentwood |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $67k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $51k |
| Home Value | $153k | $227k |
| Monthly Rent | $974 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.72% | 1.33% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.69% | 10.80% |
| Unemployment | 8.1% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.2 in | 39.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.6 in | 74.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 163 days | 163 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 95 days | 100 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 28.7 | 14.0 |
| Air Quality | 57 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 62.1 | 59.6 |
| Violent Crime | 4682/100k | 2533/100k |
| Property Crime | 4516/100k | 2242/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 73,342 | 54,042 |
| Median Age | 25.9 | 34.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.52 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+19 | Even |
| White (%) | 61.3% | 57.4% |
| Black (%) | 21.4% | 18.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.4% | 10.4% |
| Asian (%) | 2.4% | 9.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.5% | 4.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 8.3/20 | 11.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 42 mi | 4 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.3% | 90.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 40.50 | 55.88 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
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 Kalamazoo or Kentwood more affordable?
- Kalamazoo has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Kalamazoo's $44k and Kentwood's $51k. Median rent is $974 in Kalamazoo versus $1k in Kentwood.
- Is Kalamazoo or Kentwood safer?
- Kentwood has the lower violent crime rate. Kalamazoo reports 4682/100k and Kentwood reports 2533/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kalamazoo or Kentwood?
- The median home value is $153k in Kalamazoo and $227k in Kentwood, so homes are more affordable in Kalamazoo.