City safety & data profile

Grand RapidsMI

Grand Rapids, MI is a 195K-resident city in Kent County with a median household income of $69,108.

Kent County, Michigan. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Grand Rapids, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Grand Rapids has a population larger than 97% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $244,500, and 4 hospitals serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-19

195K
Population
Top 3%
By size
$69,108
Median income
$244,500
Median home
16.9%
Poverty rate

The read on Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids posts a median household income higher than 35% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 4 hospitals serve the Grand Rapids area.

Top 65%
by median income, US cities
4
hospitals in & near Grand Rapids

Where Grand Rapids income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$69,108 Bottom 35% higher than 35% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. MI $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading Grand Rapids, MI beyond the headline numbers

Grand Rapids sits inside Kent County, Michigan, at roughly 42.96°N, -85.67°W. Population 195,097, $69,108 median household income. Median home value $244,500, median rent $1,266. Poverty rate 16.9%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: Grand Rapids's highest-prevalence health measure is obesity at 36.4%, then short sleep duration at 35%. 4 hospitals in/around Grand Rapids, 3.5/5 avg rating, 2 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Grand Rapids from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
195,097
Grand Rapids
Median Income
$69,108
Near average
Median Home Value
$244,500
+7% vs avg
Median Age
32.3
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Kent County) - Grand Rapids's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
663K+9%
Median Income
$82,631+60%
Median Home Value
$289,900+111%
Poverty Rate
10.1%-35%
Unemployment
4.2%-58%

Economics

Economics indicators for Grand Rapids, MI
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$1,266/mo
Poverty Rate
16.9% +19% vs avg
Unemployment 5.2%
Bachelor's Degree+ 41.6%
Work From Home 13.9%
Public Transit 3%

Population

White 60.2%
African American 18%
Asian 2.8%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.7%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

Obesity
36.4%
Short Sleep Duration
35%
High Blood Pressure
31%
Physical Inactivity
23.9%
Frequent Mental Distress
18.9%
Binge Drinking
17.6%
Current Smoking
14%
Frequent Physical Distress
13%
Current Asthma
11.6%
Diabetes
10.4%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 65%
Annual Checkup 77.6%

Other Measures

Lack of Health Insurance
9.9%
Coronary Heart Disease
5.3%
Stroke
3%

Hospitals 4 total

Rating Distribution
★★★★★
0
★★★★
1
★★★
1
★★
0
★
0
Average Rating
3.5/5
Total Hospitals
4
With ER
2
SPECTRUM HEALTH
GRAND RAPIDS · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆
MERCY HEALTH SAINT MARY'S
GRAND RAPIDS · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★☆☆

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of Grand Rapids, MI? ▼
Grand Rapids, MI has a population of 195,097 people, located in Kent County, Michigan.
What is the median household income in Grand Rapids? ▼
The median household income in Grand Rapids, MI is $69,108 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 16.9%.
What is the median home value in Grand Rapids? ▼
The median home value in Grand Rapids, MI is $244,500. Median rent is $1,266/month.
What are the top health concerns in Grand Rapids? ▼
The top health indicators in Grand Rapids include Obesity (36.4%), Short Sleep Duration (35%), High Blood Pressure (31%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in Grand Rapids? ▼
Grand Rapids has 4 hospitals with an average rating of 3.5/5 stars. 2 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in Grand Rapids? ▼
The median age in Grand Rapids, MI is 32.3 years. 41.6% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

Grand Rapids, MI is located in Kent County, Michigan. With a population of 195K and a $69,108 median household income, the community faces health challenges including obesity and short sleep duration. Residents have access to 4 hospitals with an average rating of 3.5/5 stars. Safety alerts for the Grand Rapids area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

How Product Recalls Work

CPSC, FDA & NHTSA recall process explained

Understanding Weather Alerts

Watch vs warning vs advisory explained

Earthquake Magnitude Explained

What the numbers mean & when to act
All safety guides →

Primary source data

EPA Outdoor Air Quality Data

Federal monitoring network, every measurement we report

AirNow - Michigan

Real-time AQI for every monitored Michigan location

National Weather Service

NOAA active watches, warnings, advisories

CDC Air Quality & Health

Health-impact reference for every AQI category

EPA NAAQS standards

National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the regulatory thresholds

Nearby Cities 8

East Grand Rapids, MI 11K Wyoming, MI 75K Comstock Park, MI 10K Kentwood, MI 51K Northview, MI 15K Walker, MI 25K Grandville, MI 16K Cutlerville, MI 14K
All cities in Michigan → Compare Grand Rapids vs East Grand Rapids → All comparisons → Browse all cities

Using Grand Rapids's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Grand Rapids area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare Grand Rapids against Michigan peers on any ranking lens. Explore Michigan

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Kent County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.