Big Rapids is home to 41,242 people. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 22% of adults. The foreign-born share is 2%. 77% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $178,900, having more than doubled since 2000. 19.9% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $60,951, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Big Rapids
What changed most since 1990
Median age25.7 → 40.0(+14.3 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
White share94.6% → 89.6%(−5.0 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree17.9% → 22.5%(+4.5 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Among the 33 metro and micro areas based in Michigan
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)25.8%(621)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)16.2%(390)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.3%(945)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.7%(89)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.6%(14)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 2,403 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Big Rapids, decade by decade
Big Rapids population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
37,308
$49,883
$117,843
17.9%
13.1
2000
40,553
$61,661
$157,391
19.1%
19.2
2010
42,798
$51,626
$171,478
20.1%
17.6
2020
39,714
$55,508
$148,475
22.9%
24.8
2024
41,242
$60,951
$178,900
22.5%
24.2
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
