IntelliMoveTake the quiz →Living in Big Rapids, MI
Big Rapids is a big small town of 8,477 people in Mecosta County, Michigan. It's about 51 miles from Muskegon, MI and 52 miles from Grand Rapids, MI, the nearest major city. Summer highs average 81°F and winter highs 28°F, with about 61 inches of snow a year. The typical home is valued around $156k and rent runs about $929 a month.
8,477people
$156kTypical home
$929/moRent
81° / 28°Summer / winter
61"Snow
195Sunny days
155Rain/snow days
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Size & setting
- Big small town of 8,477
- Its own small hub, not a suburb
- About 1,907 people per sq mi
- 52 mi to Grand Rapids, MI
- 51 mi to Muskegon, MI
- 36 mi to the nearest town of 10k+
Money
- Typical home $156k (≈$986/mo)
- Median rent $929/mo
- Median household income $44k
- Property tax about 1.6% of value
- 4.0% unemployment
Weather
- Summer highs around 81°F
- Winter highs around 28°F
- Somewhat humid summers (dew point 59°F)
- 195 sunny days a year (57 totally clear)
- 170 cloudy days a year
- 63 of 90 winter days are gray
- 155 days a year with rain or snow
- 61" of snow a year
- 19 days a year with 1"+ of snow
- Rarely hits 100°F
- 36 nights a year below 10°F
- Breezy
Safety
- About average violent crime (418 per 100k)
- Low property crime (1,236 per 100k)
People
- Median age 23
- 20% of households have kids
- 10% are 65 or older
- 27% have a college degree
- Not very diverse
- 41% of residents are college students
Getting around & homes
- Average commute 18 min
- 13% walk or take transit to work
- 53 mi to MKG airport
- 57 mi to GRR (major hub)
- 52 mi to the nearest Amtrak station
- 46% single-family homes
- Typical home built around 1965
- 82% of homes have broadband
Outdoors
- Gently rolling terrain
- Elevation 915 ft
- 539 mi to the ocean
- 48 mi to a big lake
- 7 mi to the nearest trailhead
- 39 mi to the nearest ski area
- 6 mi to the nearest campground
- 14 golf courses within 25 mi
Things to do
- 41 sit-down restaurants within 25 mi
- Few or no bars within 25 mi
- 12 coffee shops within 25 mi
- No music venues & clubs within 25 mi
- 6 museums within 25 mi
- No breweries & distilleries within 25 mi
- Farmers market in town
Everyday
- Schools in the top 34% of Michigan districts (reading)
- Grocery store in town
- 1 mi to the nearest ER hospital
- 37 mi to a 4–5★ hospital
- 28 mi to the nearest vet
- Dog park in town
- 8 congregations per 10k people
- College in town
Politics
- Mecosta County: R+30 in 2024
- Michigan: Purple — split almost evenly
Natural hazards
- Very low hurricane risk
- Low tornado risk
- Very low wildfire risk
- Very low earthquake risk
- Low flood risk
- Very low drought risk
- High winter storm risk
- Low heat wave risk
- Very low volcano risk