Grand Rapids MI
Michigan · Pop. 198,535
Grand Rapids, MI: median household income of $69,108, median rent of $1,266/mo, 5.2% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$69,108
per year
Median Rent
$1,266
per month
Median Home
$245k
home value
Unemployment
5.2%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
16.9%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
19 min
one way
City Reality Check balanced
"Grand Rapids, MI Reality Check"
In Grand Rapids, the rent-to-income burden runs around 22% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $69,108 and median rent is $1,266/month. 47% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $244,500 — that's 3.5× the median income. Employment picture: 5.16% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 16.9%. Average commute: 19 minutes — mercifully short. Violent crime: 74.5/100k avg monthly rate (7165 reported); Property crime: 218.4/100k avg monthly rate (21007 reported). Grand Rapids was founded in 1826 — that's 200 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 45.3 sq miles at 4,382 people/sq mile — moderately dense. Elevation: 640 ft — modest elevation. Grand Rapids has 6 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 69/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Safety
/100Violent crime: 74.5/100k avg monthly rate (7165 reported); Property crime: 218.4/100k avg monthly rate (21007 reported).