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Grand Rapids metropolitan area

Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience

A satellite view of Grand Rapids, Michigan, showing the city and its surrounding areas from space.

The Grand Rapids metropolitan area is a triangular-shaped region in West Michigan. It stretches westward from the main city of Grand Rapids, Michigan to include two other important towns, Muskegon and Holland. Many people live in this area.

This region is well-known for its beautiful beaches along the shore of Lake Michigan. During the summer, many visitors enjoy spending time in popular beach towns such as Grand Haven, Holland, Muskegon, and Saugatuck.

The metropolitan area has many interesting places to visit. You can explore the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park near Grand Rapids, or visit Michigan's Adventure theme park north of Muskegon. Other spots include the Gun Lake Casino Resort near Wayland, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, and the DeVos Place Convention Center in downtown Grand Rapids. The Grand River runs through the area and is great for fishing, kayaking, and canoeing.

Definitions

See also: Michigan census statistical areas

The Grand Rapids–Wyoming–Kentwood Metropolitan Statistical Area is a group of five counties in western Michigan. It is centered around the cities of Grand Rapids, Wyoming, and Kentwood. In 2020, about 1,150,015 people lived there. The five counties are Kent, and the surrounding counties of Barry, Ionia, Montcalm, and Ottawa.

The Grand Rapids–Wyoming Combined Statistical Area is the second largest in Michigan, just after Metro Detroit. In 2020, about 1,486,055 people lived in this larger area. The main cities are Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and Holland. It includes the five counties from the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood area, plus one more area around Muskegon, and two smaller areas around Holland and Big Rapids, for a total of eight counties.

The Grand Rapids metropolitan area is part of the Great Lakes Megalopolis, home to around 54 million people.

Communities

The Grand Rapids metropolitan area has many places where people live. Some places have lots of people, and others have fewer.

Places with more than 50,000 inhabitants

Places with 20,000 to 50,000 inhabitants

Places with 10,000 to 20,000 inhabitants

Places with 5,000 to 10,000 inhabitants

Places with 2,500 to 5,000 inhabitants

Places with fewer than 2,500 inhabitants

Unincorporated places

Demographics

2010 Census

In 2010, 774,160 people lived in the area. Most people, about 83%, were White. About 8% were African American. Smaller groups included Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. Some families were from other races or a mix of races. About 8% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

2000 Census

In 2000, 740,482 people lived in the area. Most people, about 86%, were White. About 7% were African American. Smaller groups included Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. Some families were from other races or a mix of races. About 6% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

Grand Rapids-Kentwood Metropolitan Statistical Area

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1900236,464—
1910270,06514.2%
1920294,2298.9%
1930357,93321.7%
1940370,2893.5%
1950431,21416.5%
1960540,83325.4%
1970624,73315.5%
1980701,05012.2%
1990798,48213.9%
2000935,39317.1%
2010993,6706.2%
20201,087,5929.5%
U.S. Decennial Census
CountySeat2021 Estimate2020 CensusChangeAreaDensity
KentGrand Rapids658,046657,974+0.01%847 sq mi (2,190 km2)777/sq mi (300/km2)
OttawaGrand Haven299,157296,200+1.00%563 sq mi (1,460 km2)531/sq mi (205/km2)
MontcalmStanton67,22066,614+0.91%705 sq mi (1,830 km2)95/sq mi (37/km2)
IoniaIonia67,19766,804+0.59%571 sq mi (1,480 km2)118/sq mi (45/km2)
Total1,091,6201,087,592+0.37%2,686 sq mi (6,960 km2)406/sq mi (157/km2)

Education

Further information: List of colleges and universities in Michigan and List of high schools in Michigan

The Grand Rapids area has many places for learning. Schools like Aquinas College, Calvin College, and Grand Rapids Community College give students chances to study and grow.

Other schools such as Baker College, Ferris State University, and Western Michigan University also have campuses in the area, offering more choices for students.

Economy

Further information: List of Michigan companies

Companies in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area

The Grand Rapids area has many businesses and companies. Some of these include Alticor, which used to be called Amway, in Ada. Other companies are American Seating, Baker Books, Bissell, and Eerdmans, all in Grand Rapids. There are also many companies in nearby towns, like GE Aviation in Cascade and Gentex in Zeeland.

Culture and tourism

Further information: List of shopping malls in Michigan

The Grand Rapids area has many places to visit and shop. Popular malls include Centerpointe Mall, The Lakes Mall, Rivertown Crossings Mall, Tanger Outlet Mall, and Woodland Mall. Other fun spots are the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, and the Grand Haven Musical Fountain.

Images

Map of the Grand Rapids-Kentwood-Muskegon area in Michigan.
Map of the ChiPitts megaregion showing major metropolitan areas across several states and provinces.

Related articles

Lake Michigan

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