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MICROPOLITAN AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Big Rapids Micro

Big Rapids, MI · 1 counties · 37,308 residents · 555 sq mi
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The short version

Big Rapids is a metro area of 37,308 people. This skews young, with a median age of 25.7. The poverty rate is 25.1%, above the 13.2% national rate. The typical home is worth $49,100. The median household earns $20,784, about 31% below the national median. Owners hold 70% of the housing stock.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 25.7
US median: 33.0
Average education
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 25%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

37,308
−8%vs 2000
vs 40,553 in 2000
1990 – 2025
67 / sq mi
−8%vs 2000
vs 73 / sq mi in 2000
25.7
−19%vs 2000
vs 31.9 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
555 sq mi
Population, 19902024
37K39K40K42K44K19902000201020202024Big Rapids
202441K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.1%(2,279)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 96.4%(2,387)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.9%(2,212)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 1913.6%(5,082)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2417%(6,343)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3412.4%(4,639)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4410.9%(4,069)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 548.5%(3,153)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 647.9%(2,962)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 746.8%(2,547)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 843.6%(1,335)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.8%(300)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$20,784
−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $33,849 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$9,271
−43%vs 2000
vs $16,372 in 2000
US average: $14,340
25.1%
+9.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 16.1% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$49,100
−25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $86,400 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$339
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $470 in 2000
US average: $450
69.9%
−3.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 73.7% in 2000
30.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic91.9%(37,259)
Black3.6%(1,450)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(520)
Asian0.9%(346)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic95.4%(35,588)
Black2.5%(951)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(499)
Asian0.6%(211)
Other1.5%(558)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.6%(666)
Cuban0.6%(241)
Puerto Rican0.3%(136)
Honduran0%(16)
Asian origin
Korean0.2%(79)
Asian Indian0.2%(68)
Chinese0.1%(61)
Bangladeshi0.1%(22)
Burmese0%(15)
Filipino0%(14)
Thai0%(4)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(6)
Ancestry
German20.6%(8,491)
English13.2%(5,451)
Irish11%(4,554)
Polish5.5%(2,248)
Dutch5.1%(2,113)
American3.7%(1,535)
French3.3%(1,361)
Italian2.2%(905)
Scottish2.1%(870)
Swedish1.5%(616)
Norwegian0.7%(289)
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.7%(281)
Danish0.5%(217)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(213)
Finnish0.5%(210)
Russian0.4%(161)
Welsh0.4%(152)
Belgian0.3%(142)
Swiss0.3%(139)
Austrian0.3%(127)
Canadian0.3%(117)
Czech0.2%(78)
Arab0.2%(70)
Greek0.1%(60)
Slovak0.1%(59)
Lebanese0.1%(58)
Romanian0.1%(46)
Turkish0.1%(41)
British0.1%(40)
Lithuanian0.1%(30)
Croatian0.1%(29)
Ukrainian0.1%(27)
West Indian0.1%(25)
Jamaican0.1%(25)
Serbian0%(16)
Bulgarian0%(14)
Armenian0%(11)
Syrian0%(5)
Latvian0%(2)
Section 05

Education

17.9%
−1.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 19.1% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
77.7%
−6.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 83.8% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
7.8%
+0.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 7.4% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

21.9 min
+18%vs 2000
vs 18.4 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married36.7%(6,400)
Married46.1%(8,043)
Widowed3.8%(664)
Divorced13.3%(2,325)
Women 15+
Never married29.8%(5,172)
Married47.9%(8,322)
Widowed10%(1,745)
Divorced12.3%(2,142)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

7.8%
−6.2 ptssince 2013
from 14.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
50.9%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 51.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.5%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 15.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
22.7%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 21.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
25.1%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 25.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
65.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 65.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
44.1%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 42.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

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.

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Frequently asked

How many people live in Big Rapids, MI?

Big Rapids, MI has about 37,308 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Big Rapids, MI?

The typical household in Big Rapids, MI earns about $20,784 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Big Rapids, MI expensive?

In Big Rapids, MI, the median home is worth about $49,100, and the typical rent is about $339 a month.

How educated are people in Big Rapids, MI?

About 17.9% of adults age 25 and over in Big Rapids, MI hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Big Rapids, MI?

About 25.1% of people in Big Rapids, MI live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

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