Grand Rapids, Michigan
Among the top 1% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 33% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 24% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 17% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 99% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 30% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 3% for airport distance
- bottom 2% for violent crime
Grand Rapids is a city in Michigan with about 198,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and commute time. It rates lower on sunny days and violent crime.
Official websitegrandrapidsmi.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freez.
very cold
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warm
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cold
v.cold
60%19%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.7 in2.5 in
humid 81%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$62k49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$51kbetter than 31% of US places
Home Value$204k62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 30% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 55% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.12%better than 43% of US places
Income Tax5.80%better than 37% of US places
State 4.30% + Local 1.50%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 86% of US places
Estimated total tax burden11.47%better than 32% of US places
Unemployment5.6%better than 35% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation39.6 in43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall74.9 inbetter than 6% of US places
Sunny Days163 daysbetter than 3% of US places
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 68% of US places
Comfortable Days100 daysbetter than 87% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk32.2better than 88% of US places
Air Quality55 AQIbetter than 5% of US places
School Quality74.1better than 70% of US places
Violent Crime3086/100kbetter than 2% of US places
Property Crime3006/100kbetter than 7% of US places
Community
Population198,096100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age31.812th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5690th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9644th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)58.2%22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)17.2%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)15.9%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.8%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.8%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 89% of US places
Walkability15.4/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance9 mibetter than 97% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.9%better than 52% of US places
Amenities Nearby25.14better than 25% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 45% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Grand Rapids an affordable place to live?
- Grand Rapids is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $51k, better than 31% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Grand Rapids?
- The median home value in Grand Rapids is $204k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Grand Rapids?
- Median household income in Grand Rapids is $62k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Grand Rapids?
- Median gross rent in Grand Rapids is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Grand Rapids safe?
- Grand Rapids is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 3086/100k (better than 2%). Property crime is 3006/100k.
- What is the weather like in Grand Rapids?
- Grand Rapids averages 73°F in July and 25°F in January, with 39.6 in of annual precipitation and about 163 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Grand Rapids?
- Public-school quality in Grand Rapids is above average, scoring better than 70% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Grand Rapids?
- The average one-way commute in Grand Rapids is 19 min.
Other places in Kent County
Places near Grand Rapids
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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)