Residential comparison · 13 facts
Forest Hills, MI vs Kentwood, MI
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Forest Hills needs about $71,000 in Kentwood to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Kentwood, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $99,000 in Forest Hills.
A few differences
- Forest Hills is higher on median household income ($158,005 vs $74,373).
- Kentwood is lower on cost of living index (90 vs 113).
- Kentwood is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,398/mo vs $2,093/mo).
Forest Hills vs Kentwood · facet by facet
| Facet | Forest Hills, MI | Kentwood, MI |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $498,500 | $268,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,093/mo | $1,398/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.35% | 1.35% |
| State & local income tax | 5.25% | 5.25% |
| Sales tax | 6% | 6% |
| Cost of living index | 113 | 90 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $158,005 | $74,373 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.1% |
| Crime index | 45/100 | 45/100 |
| School rating | 5.3/10 | 5.3/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 175 days | 175 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Forest Hills, MI · Kentwood, MI
Questions & answers
- Is Forest Hills cheaper than Kentwood?
- Kentwood has the lower day-to-day cost index (90 vs 113 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Kentwood equals $85,000 in Forest Hills?
- A household earning $85,000 in Forest Hills needs about $71,000 in Kentwood to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Kentwood lifestyle costs about $99,000 in Forest Hills.