One of Grand Rapids' residences, 1909
Grand Rapids’s story
Grand Rapids in pictures
The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1909 and a map from 1985 on.
Explore the history →Population
7,622
2025 Census estimate · +0.6% since 2020
Median home value
$224K
Census ACS
Household income
$97K
median
Median age
50.5
years
Jobs based here
994
A commuter town
TownGrade
B+
#175 of 357 in WI
Is Grand Rapids a good place to live?
Grand Rapids gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $224K, 3.3 years of the Wisconsin Rapids area’s $68K median household income. It grades B+ overall, ranked 175th of 357 in Wisconsin. On the plus side, crime is low: it reports less per resident than 93% of U.S. towns. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 85% of U.S. towns. On history, just 46 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do worse. The biggest place to walk is South Wood County Park, 316 acres with 1.1 miles of trail.
What makes Grand Rapids stand out
Where Grand Rapids beats most towns.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Grand Rapids for work
Where Grand Rapids’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
994jobs based in Grand Rapids
4%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Grand Rapids grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Grand Rapids is from typical.
SafetyAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.1 of 20; 3.1% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB+Open →Jobs & income994 jobs based hereB+Open →Cost of livingB+Open →SchoolsC+Open →HealthAspirus Riverview Hospital & Clinics 3.7 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors8 miles of trails; 3% conserved landBOpen →History2 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life3.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Grand Rapids: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Grand Rapids, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWis Rapids Water Works & Lighting CommNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown of Grand Rapids ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5449454494 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids sends most of its workers to Wisconsin Rapids and beyond and sees little violent crime, but it trails even towns with similar incomes on health.
SafetyA
Grand Rapids’ grade for safety is an A
Violent crime is rare: 3 reported in 2025, 0.4 per 1,000 residents.
At 1.7 per 1,000 residents, Grand Rapids’ property crime rate is below both the Wisconsin town median (6.5) and the median of U.S. towns (9.9). Grand Rapids’ violent crime rate is 0.4 per 1,000 residents.
93%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Grand Rapids | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.7 per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.4 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Grand Rapids0.4
Wisconsin2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Grand Rapids1.7
Wisconsin10.3
U.S.15.5
93rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
96th
percentile among WI towns
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
13
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsC+
Public schools in Grand Rapids fall behind 65% of Wisconsin districts
Its public schools are run by the Wisconsin Rapids School District. Its one school is below.
35%of WI districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Cities HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 77 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
#167for trails in WI
| Grand Rapids | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 3.3% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
3.3%
conserved · 431 of 12,948 acres
7.7 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. South Wood County Park | 1.1 mi | 316 |
| 2. Weslan Park | — | 2 |
| 3. Nepco Lake County Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
About one in three of Grand Rapids’ working residents commute to Wisconsin Rapids
Grand Rapids has 994 jobs for its 3,379 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
Most working residents leave Grand Rapids for work: only 4% work in town. 5.9% of Grand Rapids workers work from home, against 12% in Wisconsin’s towns and 11% across U.S. towns. The median household income in Grand Rapids is $97,000.
4%work in town
| Grand Rapids | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 5.9% | 12% | 11% |
| Median household income | $97,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.4% | 8.4% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 6.3% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Grand Rapids4%
Wisconsin Rapids31%
Stevens Point10%
Plover5%
Wausau3%
14 mi
median commute distance
994
jobs based in Grand Rapids
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 15% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Grand Rapids, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Grand Rapids has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 81°, January nights drop to 7° and about 48 inches of snow falls in a winter.
48″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–28°
Spring33–55°
Summer56–79°
Fall37–57°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Wisconsin overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 14% of residents (22% statewide); people 65 and older are 23% of residents (19% statewide). 29% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
50.5median age · WI 40.2
| Grand Rapids | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.5 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 23% | 20% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 20% | 21% | 22% |
Grand RapidsWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school32%
Some college17%
Associate’s20%
Bachelor’s18%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Grand Rapids | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.1% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.9% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.1% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.6% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.7% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.4% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.8% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.7% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.6% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.2% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.2% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.6% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 19.9% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.8% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.4% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Grand Rapids
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 52% of U.S. communities. Since 1980, 10 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Grand Rapids.
52risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
10
paid flood claims since 1980
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB−
Residents of Grand Rapids are less healthy than 51% of U.S. towns
Against the 9,084 U.S. towns with household incomes like Grand Rapids’s, it is less healthy than 71%, so it trails even them.
Grand Rapids beats the Wisconsin average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 28% of Grand Rapids adults feel lonely.
49%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Grand Rapids | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 38% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
2 better25 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Grand Rapids | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.4% | 9.7% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 87.4% | 85.9% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.9% | 6.6% |
Aspirus Riverview Hospital & Clinics
3.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
24th
percentile among WI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Grand Rapids
20pages on Grand Rapids
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 65% of WI districts · 1 schoolSafetyA0.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB−Better than WI on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+Work & commuteB+$97K median household income · 994 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 52% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Grand Rapids
Mid-State Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Wisconsin Rapids1.7 mi$5,002 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens PointUniversity or college · Public · Stevens Point13.8 mi$9,488 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Grand Rapids residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About Grand Rapids
Town in Wisconsin, United States
The Town of Grand Rapids is located in Wood County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,576 at the 2020 census. The census-designated place of Lake Wazeecha is located in the town. The unincorporated community of Kellner is located also partially in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 21 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,040 ft
Grand Rapids’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Grand Rapids.
Wisconsin RapidsPort EdwardsBironGrantLake WazeechaSaratogaGrand Rapids
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | #175 | B+ | B+ | A | C+ | B− |
| Wisconsin Rapids | #343 | C− | B+ | C− | C+ | C |
| Port Edwards | — | — | B+ | — | C− | C− |
| Biron | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Grant | — | — | A− | — | C | B− |
| Lake Wazeecha | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Saratoga | #330 | C | B+ | — | C− | B− |
Port Edwards and Grant have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Port Edwards, Grant and Saratoga report no FBI crime data of their own. Biron and Lake Wazeecha aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Grand Rapids with a neighbor →
Questions about Grand Rapids
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Grand Rapids, WI a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Grand Rapids grades B+ overall, better than 68% of U.S. towns and #175 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades B− for health, A for safety and C+ for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Grand Rapids, WI expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.