Kent County, Michigan
Among the top 1% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 21% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 13% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 100% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 69% of US counties
- top 2% for airport distance
- top 8% for comfortable days
- bottom 2% for sunny days
Kent County is a county in Michigan with about 657,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, comfortable days, and walkability. It rates lower on annual snowfall and sunny days.
Official websiteaccesskent.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freez.
very cold
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60%19%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.6 in2.5 in
humid 81%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$76k84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$51kbetter than 19% of US counties
Home Value$242k78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 16% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 28% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.19%better than 27% of US counties
Income Tax4.97%better than 50% of US counties
State 4.30% + Local 0.67%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.73%better than 29% of US counties
Unemployment4.5%better than 55% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation39.6 in42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall72.4 inbetter than 5% of US counties
Sunny Days164 daysbetter than 2% of US counties
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 72% of US counties
Comfortable Days100 daysbetter than 92% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk92.2better than 8% of US counties
Air Quality49 AQIbetter than 19% of US counties
School Quality79.4better than 82% of US counties
Violent Crime2061/100kbetter than 6% of US counties
Property Crime1994/100kbetter than 14% of US counties
Community
Population657,32197th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.610th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4168th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9941st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)71.9%37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)9.2%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)11.1%74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.1%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.7%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 72% of US counties
Walkability9.7/20better than 92% of US counties
Airport Distance11 mibetter than 98% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.8%better than 87% of US counties
Amenities Nearby1.61better than 44% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 54% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Kent County an affordable place to live?
- Kent County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $51k, better than 19% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Kent County?
- The median home value in Kent County is $242k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Kent County?
- Median household income in Kent County is $76k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Kent County?
- Median gross rent in Kent County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Kent County safe?
- Kent County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2061/100k (better than 6%). Property crime is 1994/100k.
- What is the weather like in Kent County?
- Kent County averages 72°F in July and 25°F in January, with 39.6 in of annual precipitation and about 164 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Kent County?
- Public-school quality in Kent County is above average, scoring better than 82% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Kent County?
- The average one-way commute in Kent County is 21 min.
Other counties in Michigan
Explore Michigan
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)