Crime
The crime rate is far lower than the national average per 100,000 residents. As such, it should be considered a very safe place to live when compared to other areas.
Housing
High scores in the housing category are attributed to this area, possibly pointing to a favorable home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.
Health & Safety
Achieving a high health and safety score relies on factors including great air quality and convenient access to vital health facilities such as hospitals, doctors, clinics and police stations.
Commute
Access to public transportation in this particular area may be limited, which can result in longer-than-average commute times to reach workplaces.
Grand Rapids is a mid-sized city located in the state of Minnesota. The city has a population of 11,218 inhabitants. According to the most recent Census, 96% of Grand Rapids residents are White, 1% Black and 1% American Indian and Alaskan. Not a fan of sitting in traffic during your commute to work? Grand Rapids offers shorter work commutes, with an average one-way commute time taking only 16 minutes, far lower than the national average of 26 minutes.
Whether you’re relocating to a new city to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Grand Rapids could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Minnesota if you know where to search. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Using the livability score which includes data from categories like amenities, cost of living, commute, education, employment, you can easily compare the best places to live in Grand Rapids and also determine if there are any nearby cities that might be a better match for your lifestyle. You can also compare Grand Rapids to Minnesota and the national average.
The livability score in Grand Rapids is 76 out of 100 and the city is ranked in the 91st percentile of all cities across America. Clearly, Grand Rapids is doing something right, as this score ranks well above the average of most cities. Another exciting tidbit, is that Grand Rapids ranks better than 90% of all US cities! If we take a closer look at each of the categories individually, we see that Grand Rapids ranks well for crime (A+), cost of living (B-), education (B-) and housing (B).
Crime rates can be the deciding factor for anyone looking to relocate to a new area, as the result is often a greater level of safety and security as well as an improved quality of life. Grand Rapids gets top scores for their low violent crime rates of 149 crimes per 100,000 residents, which are significantly lower than the national average.
For home buyers, real estate will be the largest purchase they will ever make and it will also be their most valuable asset. For renters, the monthly rent paid on their Grand Rapids apartments will most likely be their largest expense. Based on tangible metrics like home and rental affordability and appreciation rates, housing in this area has received a score that is well above the average of every other US city. A thriving real estate market can also generate strong local economic activity and job creation.
Assuming that Grand Rapids meets all of your requirements like low crime rates, good schools and great local amenities, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Grand Rapids. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in Grand Rapids are simply unattainable. The median home price for Grand Rapids homes is $153,200, which is 20% lower than the Minnesota average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Grand Rapids, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 3.2, which is 6.7% higher than the Minnesota average.
| Statistic | Grand Rapids | Minnesota | National |
| Average one way commute | 16min | 23min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 71.4% | 78.0% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 10.4% | 8.7% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 1.8% | 3.5% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 1.6% | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 4.8% | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 7.4% | 5.3% | 4.6% |
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