Grand Rapids, MI — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Michigan·Grand Rapids

Kent County · Grand Rapids-Kentwood · population 200,117

Grand Rapids, MI
Image: Wikipedia · Grand Rapids, Michigan
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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69
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Grand Rapids stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $309,801
1-year +2.9%
5-yr CAGR +5.9%
vs 5-yr peak -0.1%
Population +0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-03$310k$124k$190k$256k$323k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
52/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
38/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
82/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,636/mo$1,151$1,443$1,734202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent133134100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.8
Lean buy

At a 15.8 price-to-rent ratio, Grand Rapids is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
64 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
69 · w22%
Distance from peak
89 · w18%
Population growth
48 · w16%
Rent YoY
64 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
84 · w10%
Long thesis

Grand Rapids is a Rust Belt market with +0.2% population growth — a rare combination. You're buying real housing for less than the cost of a coastal studio in a city the data says is finally turning.

Short thesis

Grand Rapids's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids is a city in Kent County, Michigan, with an estimated population of 200,117. It anchors the Grand Rapids-Kentwood metro area. The median home value in Grand Rapids is $309,801 as of 2026-04, up 2.9% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.9% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Grand Rapids average $1,636 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.8%). The composite momentum score is 69 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +5.9% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +2.9% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently -0.1% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Grand Rapids (Wikipedia)

Grand Rapids is a city in and the county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. It is the second-most populous city in Michigan, with a population of 198,917 at the 2020 census. The Grand Rapids metropolitan area, with over 1.18 million residents, is the 49th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Grand Rapids is situated along the Grand River approximately 25 miles (40 km) east of Lake Michigan and is the economic and cultural hub of West Michigan.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorDavid LaGrand
Area45.63 sq mi
Elevation640 ft
Founded1826
Motto''Motu Viget'' (Latin)(English: "Strength in activity")
Density4442.49/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Things to see in Grand Rapids(Tourism)

  • Gerald R. Ford Museum
  • President Ford
  • Betty Ford
  • John Ball Zoological Garden
  • Belknap Hill
  • Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
  • DeVos Place Convention Center
  • Van Andel Arena
  • Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
  • JW Marriott Hotel
  • Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts
  • Grand River

+14 more on Wikipedia.

Extracted from the Wikipedia article. Names linked in the source — open the city’s Wikipedia page for details.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Kent County right now.

NWS active alerts (MI)Michigan Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Kent County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Grand Rapids

33 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Heritage Hill$455,139+4.4%
2Michigan Oaks$441,152+5.2%
3Cherry Run$412,501+3.8%
4Ridgemoor$407,845+3.2%
5Heartside$404,036-12.7%
6Shawnee Park$369,862+3.8%
7Eastgate$368,655+3.2%
8Eastown$365,361+1.6%
9Fulton Heights$359,580+3.1%
10Millbrook$348,963+1.3%
11Northeast$336,887+3.9%
12Westside Connection$334,180+2.7%
13East Hills$327,841+2.1%
14Ken-O-Sha Park$318,898+3.6%
15Shangrai-La$316,421+5.9%
16Alger Heights$298,200+3.7%
17John Ball Park$297,833+3.5%
18Creston$296,391+2.5%
19Midtown$295,979+2.1%
20South East End$288,333+4.6%
21South Hill$283,622+1.3%
22Belknap Lookout$274,936+2.7%
23Highland Park$272,266+0.7%
24Fuller Avenue$269,831+4.6%

See the full neighborhood ranking →

Cities like Grand Rapids

Sterling Heights, MI68 · RisingWarren, MI68 · RisingLansing, MI71 · RisingTroy, MI65 · Rising

Run the numbers for Grand Rapids

ToolCan I afford Grand Rapids?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Grand Rapids rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Grand Rapids to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolGrand Rapids cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
30° / 16°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 61°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
175
~48% of year
Annual precip
33″ rain
50″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Grand Rapids listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Grand Rapids-Kentwood area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
72%
Humid climate
Median household income
$68,500
Michigan state median
Top industries (state-level)
Manufacturing (auto)HealthcareTech (Detroit)

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Grand Rapids

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