City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Big Rapids, MI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Big Rapids - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

7,847
Residents
$40,197
Median income
$134,200
Median home
$1,010
Median rent (state)

Big Rapids - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Big Rapids places in the 8th percentile for household income and the 36th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

8th
percentile, household income
22nd
percentile, home value
21st
percentile, median rent
36th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Big Rapids, MI

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 7,847 residents in Big Rapids, a small town within Michigan. The typical household in Big Rapids brings in $40,197 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 18.5%. Typical homes in Big Rapids are valued around $134,200, and the median resident age is 23.0 years. 28.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 60.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Big Rapids reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1819.1 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Michigan scores 96.2 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,010 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Michigan's average monthly utility costs around $238 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 69.8 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

7,847 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$40,197 /yr

Poverty 18.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Big Rapids compare to other US cities?

Big Rapids measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 8% higher than other cities
Home value 22% pricier than other cities
Median rent 21% pricier than other cities
Safety 36% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Michigan, Big Rapids ranks #178 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Big Rapids against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Michigan only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Michigan-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Big Rapids toward the top of Michigan's cities

Among the 727 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Big Rapids ranks #91 - the 87th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Big Rapids only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#657 of 718
8th percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#522 of 727
27th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#407 of 721
43rd percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#91 of 727
87th percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#212 of 727
71st percentile in Michigan

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Michigan only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

8thIncome percentile
36thSafety percentile

8th percentile nationally for median household income · 36th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Big Rapids's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Big Rapids's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 41 Avg. percentile National median
Big Rapids's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Big Rapids's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$134,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 78% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Big Rapids $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Big Rapids, MI Big Rapids, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Big Rapids, MI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Big Rapids, MI median $40,197/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Big Rapids, MI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Big Rapids, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
7,847
Median Income
$40,197
Median Home Value
$134,200
Median Age
23.0
Poverty Rate
18.5%
Labor force participation
60.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1819.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
363.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1455.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,300 residents8,400 residents8,500 residents8,600 residents8,700 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,361 residents 8,623 residents ▲ +3.1%
Big Rapids's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
66.6%
Carpool
6.1%
Public Transit
1.4%
Walk
16.2%
Work from Home
7.1%
Other
2.6%

Based on 3,895 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Michigan - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$238
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Michigan state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Michigan state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Big Rapids sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,010/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
69.8 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

St. Joseph
7,805 people
Grand Ledge
7,797 people
Three Rivers
7,936 people
St. Johns
7,712 people
Hudsonville
7,711 people
Grand Blanc
7,995 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Big Rapids's 7,847 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lihue, HI
7,847 people
Pinson, AL
7,851 people
Plymouth, MA
7,852 people
Ponchatoula, LA
7,839 people
Thompson's Station, TN
7,855 people
Enoch, UT
7,856 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Big Rapids's $40,197 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Cornelia, GA
$40,192 median income
Iuka, KS
$40,192 median income
South Carrollton, KY
$40,192 median income
Clayton, NM
$40,192 median income
Cooper, TX
$40,189 median income
Cadiz, KY
$40,186 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Big Rapids, MI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Big Rapids, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.5% 6.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.2% White 86.5% Black or African American 6.5% Asian 1.1% American Indian 1.6% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 0.5% Two or more races 3.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Big Rapids compares to nearby Michigan cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Big Rapids (this city) 7,847 $40,197
St. Joseph 7,805 $77,765
Grand Ledge 7,797 $66,515
Three Rivers 7,936 $48,852
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Big Rapids, MI?

What is the population of Big Rapids, MI? +

The population of Big Rapids, MI stands at 7,847 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Big Rapids, MI? +

Median annual household income in Big Rapids runs $40,197, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Big Rapids? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Big Rapids; the closest available measure is the Michigan state average, a cost of living index of 96.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Michigan vary by metro area.

Is Big Rapids, MI safe? +

Big Rapids has a total crime rate of 1819.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Big Rapids, MI? +

Homes in Big Rapids carry a median value of $134,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.