BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? Grand Rapids, MI

B
Score
54/100
Rank #70 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Grand Rapids tends to score well for remote work—particularly on typical rent (2br) and broadband subscription. Overall, it’s above average in this set (#70 of 200). The main watch-out is median household income.

Methodology · Sources · MI rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Grand Rapids ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,206/mo (16% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 88% (3% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Bachelor’s+ rate: 40% (16% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Median household income: $65,526 (13% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Work-from-home share: 12% (0% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
197,768
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 49%Female 51%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,206/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
12%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
88%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$65,526
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
40%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
7%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
84/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
88/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
23/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
93/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

11%
Less than HS
49%
HS / Some college
26%
Bachelor’s
14%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

12%
Work from home
88%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

88%
Broadband
12%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,206/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
88%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
12%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$65,526
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
40%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
7%

Similar cities (by score)

#68 Chattanooga, TN
54/100
#69 Salem, OR
54/100
#71 Aurora, IL
54/100
#72 Tulsa, OK
54/100

FAQ

›What is Grand Rapids’s remote work score and rank?
Grand Rapids, MI scores B (54/100) and ranks #70 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Grand Rapids city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Grand Rapids, MI?
Population is about 197,768 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Grand Rapids, MI?
About 49% male and 51% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in Grand Rapids, MI?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,206/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in Grand Rapids, MI?
Work-from-home share is 12% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in Grand Rapids, MI?
Broadband subscription is 88% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Grand Rapids, MI?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 11%, HS/some college 49%, bachelor’s 26%, advanced 14%.
›Where does this data come from for Grand Rapids, MI?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).