Grand Rapids is a city located in Kent County Michigan. Grand Rapids has a 2024 population of 195,908. It is also the county seat of Kent County. Grand Rapids is currently declining at a rate of -0.36% annually and its population has decreased by -1.41% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 198,707 in 2020.
The average household income in Grand Rapids is $78,386 with a poverty rate of 19.04%. The median age in Grand Rapids is 31.8 years: 31.4 years for males, and 32.2 years for females.
The most common ancestry groups in the city are German (24%), Dutch (21%), English (16%), Irish (11%), Polish (6.5%), and French (5%).
Grand Rapids has a large Dutch Reformed community. The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) has more than 230 congregations in the state with many in Grand Rapids. CRCNA followers are largely located in the western region of Michigan where many Dutch immigrants settled. The Reformed Church in America (RCA) also has a large following in Grand Rapids. Other major congregations in the city include the Protestant Reformed Churches in America, the United Reformed Churches in North America, and the United Methodist Church.
The Metro Grand Rapids area surpassed 1 million residents for the first time in 2013 with the most substantial population growth among all Michigan metro areas. As more people in Michigan continue to move to urban areas, Grand Rapids is expected to continue its steady growth that surpasses the state average.
The Grand Rapids area has been inhabited by many indigenous peoples for thousands of years, including the Hopewell people and the Ottawa, who founded many villages along the river. European fur traders and missionaries began building trading posts in the area among the Ottawa people in the 19th century. The first permanent European American settler established a missionary in 1825.
The official founder of Grand Rapids was Louis Campau, who build a blacksmith shop and trading post in the area in 1826. In 1831, he purchased 72 acres from the government and named the track Grand Rapids. This original track is today's downtown business area. By 1838, the community was incorporated as a village. In 1845, it had a population of 1,510. Grand Rapids was included five years later with a population of 2,686.
In 1880, Grand Rapids became the early center for America's auto industry. During the mid-19th century, Grand Rapids also became a significant timber center and the largest furniture manufacturing city in the country. Grand Rapids was nicknamed the Furniture City, and it's still the leading U.S. city for office furniture manufacturing.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Grand Rapids was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 124,770 | 62.98% |
| Black or African American | 35,425 | 17.88% |
| Two or more races | 21,494 | 10.85% |
| Other race | 9,759 | 4.93% |
| Asian | 5,591 | 2.82% |
| Native American | 992 | 0.5% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 65 | 0.03% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 79,009 | 2.41 | 54.5 | 45.5 |
| Non Family | 36,380 | 1.4 | 39.8 | 60.2 |
| Married | 28,119 | 3.15 | 79.3 | 20.7 |
| Female | 10,234 | 3.67 | 39.7 | 60.3 |
| Male | 4,276 | 3.08 | 52 | 48 |
3.13
Average Family Size
2.41
Average Household Size
54.5%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 7,095 | 5.53% |
| Associates Degree | 9,635 | 7.51% |
| Bachelors Degree | 33,563 | 26.15% |
| Graduate Degree | 16,878 | 13.15% |
| High School Graduate | 28,703 | 22.36% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 6,678 | 5.2% |
| Some College | 25,814 | 20.11% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 83,441 | 79,465 | 40,458 |
| Black | 20,962 | 18,023 | 4,010 |
| Hispanic | 15,624 | 9,402 | 2,362 |
| 2+ Races | 9,646 | 7,155 | 2,135 |
| Other Race | 5,151 | 3,237 | 968 |
| Asian | 3,880 | 3,381 | 1,960 |
| Native American | 631 | 453 | 64 |
| Islander | 65 | 53 | 13 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 95.23%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 50.52%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $54,028 | $61,534 | $48,985 |
| Graduate Degree | $64,085 | $72,108 | $60,434 |
| High School Graduate | $33,742 | $38,888 | $24,740 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $26,823 | $33,058 | $21,295 |
| Overall | $42,895 | $47,268 | $38,428 |
| Some College | $37,495 | $43,033 | $31,823 |
$42,895
Average Earnings
$47,268
Average Male
$38,428
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
83.69% of Grand Rapids residents speak only English, while 16.31% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 10.6% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 110,559 | 13,894 | 12.57% |
| Black | 34,220 | 10,520 | 30.74% |
| Hispanic | 31,109 | 9,474 | 30.45% |
| Multiple | 20,978 | 5,344 | 25.47% |
| Other | 9,583 | 2,683 | 28% |
| Asian | 5,277 | 683 | 12.94% |
| Native | 955 | 437 | 45.76% |
| Islander | 65 | 12 | 18.46% |
19.04%
Overall Poverty Rate
16.91%
Male Poverty Rate
21.06%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Grand Rapids is Native, with 45.76% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Grand Rapids is White, with 12.57% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.71%. Among those working part-time, it was 23.94%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 33.8%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 32.57% |
| High School | 22.46% |
| Some College | 15.65% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 5.11% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 43.43% |
| Male Unemployed | 43.24% |
| Female Employed | 10.17% |
| Male Employed | 6.84% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $77,651 | $92,825 |
| Households | $61,634 | $78,386 |
| Married Families | $96,946 | $112,131 |
| Non Families | $45,553 | $58,009 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
37.8%
Overall Marriage Rate
39.7%
Male Marriage Rate
36.1%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
6,619
Number of Veterans
5,998
Male Veterans
621
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 2,564 |
| Second Gulf War | 1,392 |
| First Gulf War | 854 |
| Korea | 321 |
| World War II | 191 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 2,098 |
| 75+ | 1,377 |
| 35 to 54 | 1,335 |
| 55 to 64 | 1,184 |
| 18 to 34 | 625 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 4,770 | 4.52% |
| Black | 1,511 | 6.06% |
| Hispanic | 263 | 1.28% |
| 2+ Races | 204 | 1.58% |
| Other Race | 111 | 1.67% |
| Native American | 15 | 1.99% |
| Asian | 8 | 0.17% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
10.21%
Veteran Poverty Rate
28.53%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
68.7%
Labor Force Participation
64.8%
Employment Rate
5.6%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
70.72%
Born in Grand Rapids
89.47%
Native Born
10.53%
Foreign Born
6.94%
Non Citizen
3.59%
Naturalized
89.47% of Grand Rapids residents were born in the United States, with 70.72% having been born in Michigan. 6.94% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 192,410 | -699 | -0.36% |
| 2028 | 193,109 | -700 | -0.36% |
| 2027 | 193,809 | -700 | -0.36% |
| 2026 | 194,509 | -699 | -0.36% |
| 2025 | 195,208 | -700 | -0.36% |
| 2024 | 195,908 | -700 | -0.36% |
| 2023 | 196,608 | -584 | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 197,192 | -516 | -0.26% |
| 2021 | 197,708 | -999 | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 198,707 | -2,210 | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 200,917 | 741 | 0.37% |
| 2018 | 200,176 | 952 | 0.48% |
| 2017 | 199,224 | 2,602 | 1.32% |
| 2016 | 196,622 | 1,557 | 0.8% |
| 2015 | 195,065 | 731 | 0.38% |
| 2014 | 194,334 | 1,359 | 0.7% |
| 2013 | 192,975 | 2,171 | 1.14% |
| 2012 | 190,804 | 1,726 | 0.91% |
| 2011 | 189,078 | 1,103 | 0.59% |
| 2010 | 187,975 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 197,800 | 8,674 | 4.59% |
| 1990 | 189,126 | 7,283 | 4.01% |
| 1980 | 181,843 | -15,806 | -8% |
| 1970 | 197,649 | 20,336 | 11.47% |
| 1960 | 177,313 | 798 | 0.45% |
| 1950 | 176,515 | 12,223 | 7.44% |
| 1940 | 164,292 | -4,300 | -2.55% |
| 1930 | 168,592 | 30,958 | 22.49% |
| 1920 | 137,634 | 25,063 | 22.26% |
| 1910 | 112,571 | 25,006 | 28.56% |
| 1900 | 87,565 | 27,287 | 45.27% |
| 1890 | 60,278 | 28,262 | 88.27% |
| 1880 | 32,016 | 15,509 | 93.95% |
| 1870 | 16,507 | 8,422 | 104.17% |
| 1860 | 8,085 | 5,399 | 201.01% |
| 1850 | 2,686 | -189,724 | -98.6% |