Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 19,981, settled in 1867.
Grand Haven Township grades A− overall, 133rd of 697 graded towns in Michigan, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Its public schools beat 89% of Michigan towns on state tests and graduation and the median household earns $100K. It also does better than most on health: residents are healthier than 78% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: homes are expensive, about $366K for a typical one and 4.4 times the Grand Rapids metro’s $83K median household income. Grand Haven Township’s trail density is 1.2 miles per square mile, against 0.3 in Michigan’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. On history, just 88 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns do worse. The biggest place to walk is Hofma Preserve, 452 acres with 12.3 miles of trail.
Where Grand Haven Township beats most towns.
15,178 counted in 2010 and 18,004 in 2020; an estimated 19,981 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 10.9% since 2020, after 18.6% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Grand Haven Township is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 3,147 in 1870, 11,011 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1871 and a map from 1972 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Grand Haven Township, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Grand Haven Township.
Grand Haven Township sits where Michigan’s towns sit at 4.4% and U.S. towns at 4.3% on this measure. 37 miles of trail in 15 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hofma Preserve | 12.3 mi | 452 |
| 2. Hiawatha Forest Open Space | 4.8 mi | 358 |
| 3. Hofma Park | 3.2 mi | 129 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Grand Haven Area Public Schools. Its three schools are below. The largest public high school is Grand Haven High School, with 1,630 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peach Plains SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 328 | A |
| Grand Haven High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,630 | A− |
| Rosy Mound SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 243 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
28% of Grand Haven Township adults sleep under 7 hours. Grand Haven Township beats the Michigan average on 15 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 20% of Grand Haven Township adults get no exercise outside work.
| Grand Haven Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 34% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 25% | 25% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 82% | 80% | 79% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 19% | 19% |
| What stands out | Grand Haven Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.5% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Most working residents leave Grand Haven Township for work: only 8% work in town. Grand Haven Township’s average trip to work is 21 minutes. The top destinations are Grand Haven (18%), Holland Township (7%) and Grand Rapids (7%).
| Grand Haven Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $100,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 15% | 10% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
The Muskegon Co Ap weather station, 12 miles away, records that 87 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Grand Haven Township has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Grand Haven Township is 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities. Since 1985, 18 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Grand Haven Township.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Grand Haven Township. Close and well known come first.
26 mi MuseumGerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
30 mi MuseumFrederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park26 mi TheatreAcrisure Amphitheater
17 mi MuseumUSS LST-393
29 mi Theme parkRamona ParkGerald R. Ford Presidential Museum: Staff of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Public domain · Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: User Jeffness on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.5 · USS LST-393: USN, Public domain · Ramona Park: Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0
None within 15 miles of Grand Haven Township; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Grand Haven Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Where Grand Haven Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
City in Michigan, United States
Grand Haven is a city within the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2020 census, Grand Haven had a population of 11,011. It is located in the northern portion of Grand Haven Charter Township, but is administratively autonomous. The city is home to the Grand Haven Memorial Airpark (3GM). Grand Haven's ZIP code also serves most of Grand Haven and Robinson townships.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Grand Haven Township.
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Haven Township | #133 | A− | C+ | — | A | A− |
| Grand Haven | #117 | A | B− | B− | A | B+ |
| Spring Lake Township | #107 | A | C | — | A | A− |
| Port Sheldon Township | #249 | B+ | C | — | A− | A− |
| Robinson Township | #50 | A | B+ | — | A | A− |
| Spring Lake | #2 | A+ | B | — | A+ | A− |
Grand Haven Township, Spring Lake Township, Port Sheldon Township, Robinson Township and Spring Lake report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Grand Haven Township with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Grand Haven Township grades A− overall, better than 82% of U.S. towns and #133 of 697 in Michigan. It grades A− for health and A for schools.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
