Living in Grand Rapids, MI
Mid-size city in Michigan
Grand Rapids is a mid-size city in Michigan, home to about 198,000 people, with 665,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Grand Rapids a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 6 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Mild summers: highs around 81°F
- Low natural disaster risk: 3 federally declared disasters since 2000
- Easy flying: GRR is 9 mi away
👎 Cons
- Cloudier than most places
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Smaller job market: about 665,000 people live within 31 mi
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Grand Rapids ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Grand Rapids: common questions
What is the cost of living in Grand Rapids?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $304k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,980 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 96, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Grand Rapids?
Michigan collects about $1,246 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.06% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Grand Rapids safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.7× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Grand Rapids?
Grand Rapids has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 33°F and summer days around 81°F, with roughly 75″ of snow a year.
Does Grand Rapids get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and tornadoes: 3 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.39 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Grand Rapids?
The nearest major airport is GRR, about 9 mi away.
How Grand Rapids scores
Each bar compares Grand Rapids with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Grand Rapids right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.