Population 16,455 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Grand Rapids
Household size in Grand Rapids
| Period | Grand Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.26 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.33 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.22 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Grand Rapids are small: just 2.32 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. Household size has crept up from 2.26 in 2006–10, 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 Grand Rapids
| Period | Grand Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.1 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.4 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.3 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.6 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 48.3, Grand Rapids is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 44.7, in line with the national trend. Of the 188 Minnesota cities with 5,000+ people, only eight are older.
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 Grand Rapids
| Period | Grand Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Grand Rapids: 7.9% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 1.8 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 Grand Rapids
Renters in Grand Rapids
| Period | Grand Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.1% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.0% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.6% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Grand Rapids own their homes; 26.6% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 42.7% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.3 points, mirroring the country.
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 Grand Rapids
| Period | Grand Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.4% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Grand Rapids: 13.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Of the 188 Minnesota cities with 5,000+ people, only 18 have a higher vacancy rate.
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 Grand Rapids
| Period | Grand Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Grand Rapids are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1978, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the north.
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 Grand Rapids
| Period | Grand Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $760 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $750 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $807 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,023 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$263 | +$522 | +$606 |
The median renter in Grand Rapids pays $1,023 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $263 a month from 2006–10, a 35% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 36.8% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Grand Rapids
Bachelor's degrees in Grand Rapids
| Period | Grand Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.1% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.7% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.2% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.1% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Grand Rapids than nationally: 29.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 3.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the center.
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 Grand Rapids
| Period | Grand Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.9% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.5% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.4% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.4% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Grand Rapids: 95.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.5 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Grand Rapids
| Period | Grand Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Grand Rapids than nationally: unemployment was 4.5%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.7 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Grand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | 2.32 | 48.3 | 7.9% | 26.6% | 13.4% | 1978 | $1,023 | 29.1% | 95.4% | 4.5% |
| La Prairie | 2.52 | 45.9 | 6.6% | 13.6% | 3.8% | 1977 | $1,278 | 19.4% | 97.1% | 3.8% |
| Coleraine | 2.67 | 41.1 | 14.9% | 10.3% | 15.4% | 1977 | $1,022 | 23.8% | 95.3% | 4.4% |
| Cohasset | 2.51 | 47.4 | 5.3% | 7.9% | 21.6% | 1984 | $1,112 | 33.6% | 95.7% | 9.2% |
| Bovey | 2.46 | 43.7 | 8.6% | 14.0% | 24.6% | 1973 | $1,037 | 20.2% | 94.8% | 2.4% |
| Taconite | 2.42 | 41.0 | 10.8% | 18.5% | 21.4% | 1968 | $956 | 17.4% | 93.5% | 1.0% |
| Marble | 2.36 | 41.8 | 7.2% | 14.6% | 20.1% | 1966 | $720 | 15.4% | 96.1% | 3.9% |
| Warba | 2.32 | 55.5 | 4.4% | 6.1% | 23.3% | 1980 | $1,310 | 22.5% | 95.2% | 8.5% |
| Calumet | 2.46 | 43.8 | 7.0% | 10.9% | 20.9% | 1969 | $953 | 27.2% | 97.1% | 6.2% |
| Zemple | 2.51 | 45.8 | 10.9% | 13.4% | 27.0% | 1981 | $962 | 23.1% | 93.2% | 5.1% |
| Hill City | 2.15 | 50.5 | 6.4% | 24.1% | 37.0% | 1979 | $651 | 15.6% | 94.7% | 10.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Clewiston, FL · Tuckerton, NJ · Trinity, NC · Trenton, OH · Tobyhanna, PA · Sunny Vista, CA · Summerfield, NC · Sterling, CO · Russellville, AL · Riverton, WY
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 Grand 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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