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Buying a home in Grand Rapids, Michigan

The typical owner-occupied home in Grand Rapids is worth about $244,500, 6% above the Michigan median of $231,600 and 27% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,493 a year in property taxes, about 1.02% of their home's value, lower than the Michigan rate of 1.25%. The median household earns $69,108 a year, so the median home costs 3.5 times the median income (3.2 times for Michigan). 54% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 66% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Grand Rapids at a glance

Grand Rapids Michigan U.S.
Median home value $244,500 $231,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,493 $2,904 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.02% 1.25% 0.94%
Median household income $69,108 $72,875 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 54% 73% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 66% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,393 $1,569 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.1% 19.3% 21.0%
Median rent $1,266 $1,129 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.6% 30.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1953 1972 1980
Vacant homes 5.5% 11.8% 10.1%
Population 198,535 10,077,761 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Grand Rapids

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Grand Rapids home of $244,500 with 20% down costs about $1,626 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,033, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $69,665 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 28% of the median Grand Rapids household income of $69,108; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $243,000.

The median rent here is $1,266 a month, so owning the median home costs about $360 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$48,900
Loan amount$195,600
Principal and interest$1,316
Property taxes (1.02% a year)$208
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$102
PMI$0
Total per month$1,626

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$8,558
Loan amount$240,071
Principal and interest$1,615
Property taxes (1.02% a year)$208
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$102
FHA mortgage insurance$108
Total per month$2,033

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Questions about home buying in Grand Rapids

What is the median home value in Grand Rapids?

About $244,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Grand Rapids?

Homeowners pay a median $2,493 a year, which is about 1.02% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Grand Rapids?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,626 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $69,665 a year.

More about Grand Rapids

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data