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Grand Rapids

#43 in Best Cities to Buy a House in America
  • A-
    Overall Grade
  • City in Michigan
  • 401 reviews
    A-
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      C+
    2. Crime & Safety
      C
    3. Housing
      B
    4. Nightlife
      A
    5. Good for Families
      B+
    6. Diversity
      A
    7. Jobs
      B
    8. Weather
      C-
    9. Cost of Living
      B+
    10. Health & Fitness
      B
    11. Outdoor Activities
      A
    12. Commute
      A
    View Full Report Card
    Grand Rapids is a city in Michigan with a population of 195,355. Grand Rapids is in Kent County and is one of the best places to live in Michigan. Living in Grand Rapids offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Grand Rapids there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families and young professionals live in Grand Rapids and residents tend to have moderate political views.
    About Grand Rapids...
    Population
    195,355

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $121,800
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $854
    National
    $949
    Area Feel
    Dense Suburban
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      46%
    • Own
      54%
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    Grand Rapids Rankings

    Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

    Grand Rapids Neighborhood Map

    • Public Schools
    • Private Schools
    • Colleges

      Crime & Safety

      Crime & Safety
      C
      Based on violent and property crime rates.
      Violent Crimes
      • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
      National
      • Assault
        456.9
        282.7
      • Murder
        6.1
        6.1
      • Rape
        71.3
        40.7
      • Robbery
        177.4
        135.5
      Property Crimes
      • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
      National
      • Burglary
        385.6
        500.1
      • Theft
        1,504
        2,042.8
      • Motor Vehicle Theft
        183.5
        284

      Residents

      Diversity
      A
      Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
      Age
      • <10 years
        14%
      • 10-17 years
        10%
      • 18-24 years
        14%
      • 25-34 years
        19%
      • 35-44 years
        11%
      • 45-54 years
        10%
      • 55-64 years
        11%
      • 65+ years
        11%
      Education Levels
      National
      • Master's degree or higher
        12%
        12%
      • Bachelor's degree
        22%
        19%
      • Some college or associate's degree
        29%
        29%
      • High school diploma or equivalent
        22%
        28%
      • Less than high school diploma
        14%
        13%

      Working in Grand Rapids

      Jobs
      B
      Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
      Median Household Income
      $44,369
      National
      $55,322
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      Grand Rapids Reviews

      401 reviews
      All Categories
      Grand Rapids can be a very fun city to live in, but like all places, may get boring after a while. If you're up to date on current local events, you'll notice that there is always some kind of event occurring, such as a hockey game, concerts, festivals and more! My personal favorite event to go to is Art Prize Grand Rapids, a now semi-annual event featuring artist's work posted all around the Grand Rapids downtown area, which we are quite known for. One last important and interesting aspect of Grand Rapids would be the "Grand Rapids Medical Mile," where it is referred to as a "world-class healthcare destination" that attracts doctors worldwide.
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      The winters are pretty harsh, but once you get past that, Grand Rapids is great! They are growing rapidly. I attended a school that occasionally ranks top 1000 in the nation and there are many great options surrounding GR. It is family friendly and a pretty hipster city - so lots of health food and coffee shops. It's also beer city USA so you will never not have a place to drink and try something unique! It is 1 hour away from the GORGEOUS Lake Michigan. You get every season. Easily travel to Detroit or Chicago or fly right out of GR. Great city with amazing suburbs.
      Grand Rapids has a lot to offer. It is a half hour drive from Lake Michigan, has some fantastic venues for concerts and expo’s, and has festivals on many weekends. There are activities for all ages . For the size of the city, traffic isn’t bad. Also there are 5 colleges located in or around Grand Rapids. The downtown area is full of activity on especially on weekends. There is a high demand to live in the downtown area and new construction is going on constantly to keep up with this demand. Also very big in the Arts. One of the big highlights in the Fall is Art Prize, an art competition that brings in artists from all over the world. There is also a fantastic garden and sculpture park. Great place to live!