Thinking of moving to Grand Rapids? Here’s what you need to know.

Grand Rapids has hit its stride in the last few years, and the national media has caught on. In 2014 it was named #1 U.S. Travel Destination by Lonely Planet, a Top 14 Destination for Your 2014 Travel Bucket List by Huffington Post, and Best Beer Town by USA Today and 10Best. The low cost of living, good public transportation and community atmosphere round out the lengthy list of attractive qualities for residents.

Who’s There?

The more than 1 million inhabitants of the metropolitan area work in a variety of industries, however the area’s heyday in logging and furniture production can still be felt. After WWII, the office furniture sector blossomed and has remained an important part of the economy. The area is also a major producer of automotive parts, industrial machinery, plastics and chemicals. There are two major medical centers in the region. Spectrum Health System has 23,000 employees and 1,300 physicians, many of whom are in Grand Rapids; it’s been ranked among the top hospitals in the country. And St. Mary’s Health Care opened a $42 million cancer center in 2005.

What’s Around?

The city, located 30 miles from Lake Michigan’s Gold Coast, is divided into nine neighborhoods. The walkable downtown district sits along the Grand River and is filled with more than 100 restaurants. Heritage Hill, a five-minute walk from downtown, has 1,300 buildings dating to 1844. A little further to the east, Uptown is home to specialty shops and boutiques, while the East Side is a family-friendly suburb. To the north, the Medical Mile and North Quarter feature new residential and retail developments and the city’s largest park. And the West Side has an eclectic mix of the old character of the city and new businesses.

What Do You Do?

Among the 40-plus craft breweries in Grand Rapids are the nationally acclaimed Founders and HopCat breweries. The Food Trail Map is a culinary exploration that includes the restaurants, food vendors and farmers’ market of downtown. The cultural highlight of Grand Rapids is ArtPrize, a 19-day civic project that invites attendees to vote on more than a thousand works at over 100 venues.

Avanterra Forest Hills Preserve

928 Calvin Ave SE

Hopson Flats

The Lofts @ 5 Lyon

Off Broadway Apartments - Price Per Bedroom

547 Paris Ave SE #1

650 Innes St NE

(Undisclosed Address)

1960 Prospect Ave SE

353 Freyling Pl SE

624 Kellogg St SE

2124 Eastern Ave NE

630 Plett St SW

707 Livingston Ave NE #2

2951 Englewood Ave SE

425 Fuller Ave SE

700 Prince St SE

16 Union Ave SE

161 Prospect Ave NE #B

927 Arianna St NW

1016 Sibley St NW #1

851 Fulton St W #105

5622 Far Hill Dr SE

824 Lyon St NE

1011 Worden St SE

310 Eastern Ave NE

2116 Lafayette Ave NE

1675 Fuller Ave NE

1057 12th St NW

311 Jean St SW

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