Kent County · Michigan · Midwest · 199k residents
Grand Rapids, MI: cost of living, taxes & quality of life
Residential facts for Grand Rapids: housing, taxes, monthly costs, climate, schools, and household income, with the Michigan median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
The median home value in Grand Rapids is $290,000, 35% above the Michigan median. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,500/mo. Day-to-day costs index at 92 against a national baseline of 100. The median household here earns $65,000 a year.
What the numbers show
Source-confirmed findingsLimited coverage: This profile does not yet have enough source-confirmed local data for a city brief.
This profile does not yet have enough source-confirmed local data for a city brief.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates(2024 ACS 5-year; tables B01003, B15003, B19013, B25077). Geography: Census place where available. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
WhereToHQ calculates the comparisons. Figures are estimates for context, not a guarantee or personal financial advice. Read the methodology or send a correction.
What makes this place distinctive
A factual snapshot of the place, based on the profile data. It is not a tourism or cultural claim.
A river city where furniture design, craft beer, and West Michigan arts make a strong combination.
Known for: Furniture, craft brewing, public art, riverfront districts, and the arts.
Calendar note: ArtPrize and the Festival of the Arts are signature annual events.
Story source: Experience Grand Rapids
- Scale: A mid-sized city with a population between 50,000 and 250,000 in the profile data.
- Setting: The profile places Grand Rapids about 30 miles from the nearest tracked lake.
- Climate signal: The profile records 158 sunny days and 75 inches of annual snow.
- Daily pace: The profile records a walk score of 48 and an average commute of 21 minutes.
WhereToHQ derives these signals from the committed city dataset. Read the methodology for coverage and source limits.
Compare Grand Rapids side by side
Cost of living index
92
Median home value
$290,000
2-bedroom rent
$1,500/mo
Median household income
$65,000
Housing momentum
How fast Grand Rapids's housing market is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
59/100
Steady
Ranks Grand Rapids's home-price and rent growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. Not investment or relocation advice.
Adjusted by Grand Rapids's cost-of-living index versus the US average.
| Median home value | $290,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $185 |
| Property tax rate | 1.6% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,250/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,500/mo |
| State & local income tax | 5.75% |
| Sales tax | 6% |
| Cost of living index | 92 |
| Groceries index | 96 |
| Utilities | $160/mo |
| Transit pass | $50/mo |
| Gas price | $3.15/gal |
| Healthcare index | 97 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,200/mo |
| Median household income | $65,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% |
| Population | 199k |
| Crime index | 44/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 |
| Walkability | 48/100 |
| Disaster risk | 92/100 |
| Avg. commute | 21 min |
| Sunny days / year | 158 days |
| July high | 82°F |
| January low | 17°F |
| Annual snowfall | 75 in |
| Home price YoY | +2.7% |
| Home price MoM | -0.1% |
| Rent YoY | +2.5% |
| Rent MoM | +0.2% |
| Ocean coast | 626 mi |
| Big lake | 30 mi |
| Mountains | 436 mi |
| Major airport | 10 mi |
| Ski resort | 108 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Walker, MI · 25k
- Wyoming, MI · 77k
- Northview, MI · 15k
- Grandville, MI · 16k
- Kentwood, MI · 54k
Similar size
- Warren, MI · 138k
- Sterling Heights, MI · 134k
- Ann Arbor, MI · 122k
- Lansing, MI · 113k
- Dearborn, MI · 107k
Real listings in Grand Rapids
Homes on Zillow ↗Realtor.com ↗Rentals on Zillow ↗Apartments.com ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- What is the cost of living in Grand Rapids, MI?
- Grand Rapids indexes at 92 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,500/mo and a median home value of $290,000.
- How much does a house cost in Grand Rapids?
- The median home value in Grand Rapids is $290,000, 35% above the Michigan median (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Grand Rapids?
- A two-bedroom in Grand Rapids rents for about $1,500/mo.