Cost Of Living
The overall cost of living in this area is much lower than average. This includes everyday goods and services, as well as housing, utilities and health care.
Housing
This area has received high scores in the housing category. This could be due to a positive home affordability ratio, high appreciation rates or elevated home values.
Health & Safety
A high score in the health and safety category is a result of good air quality and the accessibility to health facilities such as hospitals, clinics, doctors, pharmacies and fire stations.
Ratings
Local residents have positive things to say about the proximity of restaurants, grocery stores, parks, public transit, friendliness of neighbors, sense of community and overall safety of the area.
Amenities
A majority of amenities are not ideally situated within a reasonable walking distance, which may lead residents to rely on a vehicle or public transportation.
Commute
Public transportation is not readily available in this area and the average commute time to work could also be longer than the national average.
Crime
This area is reporting high crime rates per 100,000 people and could signify that it is a dangerous place to live. Crime rates include both violent and property crimes.
Employment
A low score in the employment category could indicate that this area struggles with high unemployment rates and low household income and income per capita levels.
Big Rapids is a moderately-sized city located in the state of Michigan. The city has a population of 10,358 residents. If we look at the most recent Census, Big Rapids is known to have a predominantly White population. The next two most common races are Black and Asian. With an average age of 23 years old, Big Rapids could be a great place to live for young adults as this age is well below the national average. All the single ladies and all the single fellas might want to take notice as only 21% of the Big Rapids population is married. If you are not a fan of long commutes, you will enjoy living in Big Rapids. With an average one way commute time of only 14 minutes, getting to and from work is a breeze compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Whether you’re relocating to a new city to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Big Rapids could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Michigan if you know where to look. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Finding the best places to live in Big Rapids and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes crime, cost of living, commute and other important metrics.
Using data and statistics Big Rapids has received a livability score of 76 out of 100. This score is ranked in the 90th percentile when compared to all other cities. Compared to the national average, Big Rapids ranks among some of the best places to live in the country! Big Rapids also ranks in the top 10 percent of all cities, which is no small feat! If we consider each of the categories individually, we see that Big Rapids ranks well for crime (A+), education (B-) and housing (B-). Unfortunately for Big Rapids, there are some categories for which it does not rank well, this includes: amenities (F) and employment (F).
A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Big Rapids has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.
Assuming that Big Rapids meets all of your requirements like low crime rates, good schools and great local amenities, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Big Rapids. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in Big Rapids are simply unattainable. The median home price for Big Rapids homes is $100,100, which is 21.7% lower than the Michigan average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Big Rapids, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 3.5, which is 40% higher than the Michigan average.
| Statistic | Big Rapids | Michigan | National |
| Average one way commute | 14min | 24min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 71.1% | 82.5% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 6.3% | 8.8% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 0.8% | 1.4% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 13.2% | 2.2% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 7.5% | 3.7% | 4.6% |
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