Kentwood, MI — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Michigan·Kentwood

Kent County · Grand Rapids-Kentwood · population 54,768

Kentwood, MI
Image: Wikipedia · Kentwood, Michigan
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
73
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Kentwood stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 4.1% in the last year. rents up 7.3% in the last year.

Median home $336,682
1-year +4.1%
5-yr CAGR +6.2%
vs 5-yr peak -0.1%
Population +0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-03$337k$149k$216k$283k$350k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
40/100
Car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
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
$1,625/mo$1,250$1,486$1,722202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent115122100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 17.3
Lean buy

At a 17.3 price-to-rent ratio, Kentwood 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
71 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
71 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
49 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
79 · w10%
Long thesis

Kentwood 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

Kentwood'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 Kentwood

Kentwood is a city in Kent County, Michigan, with an estimated population of 54,768. It anchors the Grand Rapids-Kentwood metro area. The median home value in Kentwood is $336,682 as of 2026-04, up 4.1% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Kentwood average $1,625 per month, up 7.3% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 73 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +6.2% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +4.1% 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.
●Hot rental market: rents up 7.3% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

●Rental squeeze: rents up 7.3% YoY — tenants face tough renewals. Affordability deteriorating fast.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Kentwood (Wikipedia)

Kentwood is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 54,304 as of the 2020 census. The city is bordered on the northwest by Grand Rapids and is the third most-populated municipality in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area.

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

City facts

MayorStephen Kepley
Area20.96 sq mi
Elevation738 ft
Incorporated1967
Density2596.41/sq mi

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

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.

Cities like Kentwood

East Lansing, MI73 · RisingKalamazoo, MI68 · RisingBattle Creek, MI72 · RisingWyoming, MI75 · Rising

Run the numbers for Kentwood

ToolCan I afford Kentwood?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Kentwood rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Kentwood to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolKentwood 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 Kentwood 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 Kentwood

Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.

See all Michigan cities →    Browse best-of lists →