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Grand Rapids, MI
CITY STATS
Top 100 rank: N.A.C
Population: 193,600
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Grand Rapids stats
Median family income
(per year)		 $55,671 $97,441
Job growth %
(2000-2008)*		 -4.42% 19.58%
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Median home price $83,300 $262,148
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Test scores reading
(% above/below state average)		 -7.0% 25.6%
Test scores math
(% above/below average)		 -9.1% 28.2%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) 10 1
Property crime incidents (per 1,000) 52 19
Restaurants
(within 15 miles)		 1,275 1,923
High temp in July ° F* 82.4° 85.5°
Low temp in Jan ° F* 15.1° 21.0°
Median age 31.3 36.6
Median family income
(per year)		 $55,671 $97,441
Family purchasing power
(annual, cost-of-living adjusted)		 $58,417 $95,041
State sales tax 6.00% 5.63%
State income tax rate
(highest bracket)		 4.35%I 6.06%
State income tax rate
(lowest bracket)		 4.35%I 3.07%
Auto insurance premiums
(Average price quotes, for the state)		 $1,998 $1,744
Job growth %
(2000-2008)*		 -4.42% 19.58%
See jobs near Grand Rapids
Median home price $83,300 $262,148
Average property taxes
(2008)		 $2,415 $3,853
See Grand Rapids homes for sale
Colleges, universities and
professional schools (within 30 miles)		 9 20
Test scores reading
(% above/below state average)		 -7.0% 25.6%
Test scores math
(% above/below average)		 -9.1% 28.2%
% students attending public/private
schools (located within town limits)		 77.1/22.9 90.1/9.9
Air quality index*
(% of days AQI ranked as good)		 68.0% 78.6%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) 10 1
Property crime incidents (per 1,000) 52 19
Median commute time (in minutes) 17.0 22.5
% population with commute
45 mins. or longer		 6.0% 13.8%
% population walk or bike to work 5.4% 2.3%
Movie theaters
(within 15 miles)		 14 24
Restaurants
(within 15 miles)		 1,275 1,923
Bars
(within 15 miles)		 104 174
Public golf courses
(within 30 miles)		 117 148
Libraries
(within 15 miles)		 42 53
Museums (accredited by AAM;
within 30 miles)		 3 7
Ski resorts (within 100 miles) 10 17
Arts funding (Dollars per person of state funds spent on arts) 0.8 1.2
Annual rainfall
(inches)		 36.66 39.77
% clear days in the area 18 27
High temp in July ° F* 82.4° 85.5°
Low temp in Jan ° F* 15.1° 21.0°
Median age 31.3 36.6
Completed at least some college
(% of residents)		 56.9% 71.9%
Married % 40.6% 62.9%
Divorced % 10.6% 7.7%
Racial diversity index
(100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity)		 162.9 58.9
From the August 2009 issue
Notes:
* County data
(C) = Only cities with populations between 8,500 and 50,000 were eligible for this year's Best Places to Live list.
(I) Income tax notes:
Local rates are excluded; 14 states have county or city level income taxes. In each of these states the average rate for all counties and cities, weighted by total personal income within each jurisdiction, is: 0.19% in Ala.; 0.06% in Ark.; 0.16% in Del.; 1.16% in Ind.; 0.3% in Iowa.; 0.76% in Ky.; 2.98% in Md.; 0.44% in Mich.; 0.12% in Mo.; 0.09% in N.J.; 1.7% in N.Y.; 1.82% in Ohio; 0.36% in Ore.; and 1.25% in Pa.
Deduction or exemption tied to federal tax system. Federal deductions and exemptions are indexed for inflation.
Additional $600 exemption per dependent under 18 years old.
Help your town win!
Money picked the top 100. Now it’s your turn: Which town will be our fan favorite? Become a fan of your town and it might just make it to No. 1. Results updated monthly.
Town Become a fan # of fans
1. Louisville, CO Become a fan on facebook Add me! 4,256
2. Chanhassen, MN Become a fan on facebook Add me! 2,410
3. Papillion, NE Become a fan on facebook Add me! 1,581
4. Middleton, WI Become a fan on facebook Add me! 1,481
5. Milton, MA Become a fan on facebook Add me! 1,425
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Ranking
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Population
8.3M
8,500
Home Prices
2008 median sales prices
$1.7M
$49K
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Data partners
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Information powered by Onboard Informatics
Some data may be provided courtesy of its partners.
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Homes for sale provided by Trulia Real Estate Search.

How we picked the Best Places
Using statistics from data provider Onboard Informatics, we crunched the numbers in order to zero in on America's best small towns for families. (Last year, we looked at small cities, with populations between 50,000 and 300,000.) More

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