Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Grand Rapids, Michigan
A $226,000 home here costs
$1,901per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,162. The real number is $739 higher every month — 64% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Grand Rapids against Kent County and Michigan
| Measure | Grand Rapids | Kent County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $225,500 | $265,700 |
| Median property tax | $2,401 | $3,028 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.065% | 1.140% |
| Median gross rent | $1,191 | $1,176 |
| Population | 197,768 | 658,844 |
The weather behind that power bill
Grand Rapids sits in Kent County, which averages a high of 83.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 18.6°F in its coldest, with 39.4" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 732 cooling and 6,408 heating degree days, which is what sets the $198 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Kent County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Kent County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Grand Rapids?
A $226,000 home in Grand Rapids, Michigan costs approximately $1,901 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,162 principal and interest, $201 property tax, $84 homeowners insurance, $266 utilities and $188 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Grand Rapids?
Grand Rapids has an effective property tax rate of 1.065%, based on a median home value of $225,500 and median real estate taxes of $2,401. That is lower than the Kent County average of 1.140%.
What is the average home price in Grand Rapids?
The median owner-occupied home value in Grand Rapids, Michigan is $225,500, against $265,700 across Kent County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Grand Rapids?
Median gross rent in Grand Rapids is $1,191 a month, against $1,901 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Grand Rapids — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Michigan.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.