Population 16,306 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Big Rapids
Household size in Big Rapids
| Period | Big Rapids | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.24 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.29 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Big Rapids are small: just 2.29 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.24, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Big Rapids
| Period | Big Rapids | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.2 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.4 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.6 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.5 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.5, Big Rapids is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.2, mirroring the country. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only ten are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Big Rapids
| Period | Big Rapids | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Big Rapids (11.2%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 1.6 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Big Rapids
Renters in Big Rapids
| Period | Big Rapids | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 42.4% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.0% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.7% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Big Rapids than nationally: 39.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 38.9% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 6.0 points, even as the national share rose. Only 23 of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Big Rapids
| Period | Big Rapids | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.8% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 20.4% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.0% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.7 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Big Rapids: 13.0% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has fallen 6.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Big Rapids
| Period | Big Rapids | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +3 | +6 |
Housing in Big Rapids leans older: the median home dates to 1972, against 1980 nationally. The picture is much the same across Michigan. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Big Rapids
| Period | Big Rapids | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $673 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $651 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $764 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $965 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$293 | +$395 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Big Rapids costs $965 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $293 a month since 2006–10, up 44%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.7% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Big Rapids
Bachelor's degrees in Big Rapids
| Period | Big Rapids | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.8% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.9% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.7% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.4% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Big Rapids than nationally: 29.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 1.6 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the northeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Big Rapids
| Period | Big Rapids | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.9% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.3% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.2% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.6% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Big Rapids is above the national rate: 93.6% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.7 points, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Big Rapids
| Period | Big Rapids | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.4% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −11.3 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Big Rapids has been strong: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 11.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Big Rapids compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Rapids | 2.29 | 34.5 | 11.2% | 39.7% | 13.0% | 1972 | $965 | 29.4% | 93.6% | 3.1% |
| Paris | 2.66 | 33.4 | 20.4% | 15.3% | 16.6% | 1984 | $1,012 | 18.2% | 94.2% | 6.3% |
| Grant Center | 2.18 | 47.2 | 12.8% | 6.4% | 20.7% | 1979 | $1,175 | 17.5% | 92.7% | 2.3% |
| Stanwood | 2.73 | 43.5 | 8.2% | 12.5% | 14.1% | 1985 | $895 | 20.1% | 85.9% | 3.3% |
| Woodville | 2.54 | 47.7 | 6.7% | 7.7% | 31.4% | 1979 | $966 | 17.8% | 90.2% | 8.4% |
| Rodney | 2.21 | 54.5 | 6.5% | 10.2% | 31.4% | 1979 | $838 | 23.7% | 93.0% | 3.3% |
| Hawkins | 2.59 | 44.7 | 8.6% | 9.6% | 30.4% | 1980 | $1,038 | 16.8% | 91.2% | 8.9% |
| Chippewa Lake | 2.14 | 58.2 | 4.8% | 11.6% | 48.3% | 1976 | $798 | 13.0% | 88.1% | 4.1% |
| Canadian Lakes | 2.04 | 59.6 | 6.7% | 9.2% | 32.3% | 1984 | $636 | 34.3% | 95.5% | 1.1% |
| Hersey | 2.39 | 44.9 | 10.9% | 15.5% | 20.2% | 1984 | $864 | 16.8% | 92.2% | 4.3% |
| Pogy | 2.33 | 48.7 | 8.0% | 10.7% | 29.2% | 1981 | $854 | 15.3% | 92.8% | 5.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Kettering, MD · Worthington, MN · Woodward, OK · Wood Dale, IL · Key Biscayne, FL · Amherst, MA · Glenshaw, PA · Arkansas City, KS · Silsbee, TX · Wilkinsburg, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Big Rapids. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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