The Grand Rapids metropolitan area is a triangular shaped Metro Triplex, in West Michigan, which goes westward from the primary hub city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, to the other two metro hubs of Muskegon and Holland. The metropolitan area had an estimated population of 1,159,616 in 2017. The region, noted in particular for its western edge abutting the Lake Michigan shoreline and its beaches, is a popular tourist and vacation destination during the summer. Noted popular metro area beach towns include Grand Haven, Holland, Muskegon, and Saugatuck.
The metropolitan area is home to many attractions. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is located in the outskirts of Grand Rapids. Michigan's Adventure theme park is just north of Muskegon, the Gun Lake Casino Resort is at the south gateway of the metro area in Wayland, and the Grand Rapids Art Museum and the DeVos Place Convention Center are both in downtown Grand Rapids. The Grand River flows through the metropolitan area and is noted for its fishing, kayaking, and canoeing.
Definitions
The Grand Rapids–Wyoming–Kentwood Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of five counties in western Michigan, anchored by the cities of Grand Rapids, Wyoming, and Kentwood. The MSA had a population of 1,150,015 at the 2020 census. It comprises five counties which include the central county of Kent, and the outlying counties of Barry, Ionia, Montcalm, and Ottawa.
CountySeat2025 Estimate2020 CensusChangeAreaDensityKentGrand RapidsOttawaGrand HavenMontcalmStantonIoniaIoniaBarryHastingsTotal
The Grand Rapids–Wyoming Combined Statistical Area is the 2nd largest CSA in the U.S. state of Michigan (behind Metro Detroit). The CSA had a population of 1,486,055 at the 2020 census. The primary cultural and financial centers of the region are Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Holland. It includes the five counties in the Grand Rapids–Wyoming–Kentwood MSA, the separate metropolitan area of Muskegon–Norton Shores (Muskegon County), and the two micropolitan areas of Holland (Allegan County) and Big Rapids (Mecosta County), for a total of eight counties.
Statistical Area2025 estimate2020 CensusChangeAreaDensityGrand Rapids–Wyoming–Kentwood, MI Metropolitan Statistical AreaMuskegon–Norton Shores, MI Metropolitan Statistical AreaHolland, MI Micropolitan Statistical AreaBig Rapids, MI Micropolitan Statistical AreaTotal
The Grand Rapids metropolitan area is part of the Great Lakes megalopolis containing an estimated 54 million people.
Communities
Places with more than 50,000 inhabitants Georgetown Charter Township Grand Rapids (Principal city of MSA and CSA) Kentwood (Principal city of MSA and CSA) Wyoming (Principal City of MSA and CSA)
Places with 20,000 to 50,000 inhabitants Allendale Charter Township Byron Township Forest Hills (CDP) Gaines Charter Township Holland Holland Charter Township Muskegon (Principal city of CSA) Norton Shores Plainfield Charter Township Walker
Places with 10,000 to 20,000 inhabitants Ada Township Algoma Township Allendale (CDP) Alpine Township Big Rapids Caledonia Township Cannon Township Cascade Charter Township Comstock Park (CDP) Cutlerville (CDP) East Grand Rapids Egelston Township Fruitport Charter Township Grand Haven Grand Haven Charter Township Grand Rapids Charter Township Grandville Ionia Jenison (CDP) Muskegon Charter Township Park Township Northview (CDP) Spring Lake Township Zeeland Charter Township
Places with 5,000 to 10,000 inhabitants
Belding Blendon Township Boston Township Courtland Township Dalton Township Dorr Township Fruitland Township Greenville Gun Plain Township Hudsonville Jamestown Charter Township Laketon Township
Laketown Township Leighton Township Lowell Charter Township Muskegon Heights Oakfield Township Olive Township Otsego Township Port Sheldon Township Robinson Township Rockford Salem Township Solon Township Sparta Township Tallmadge Charter Township Thornapple Township Tyrone Township Zeeland
Places with 2,500 to 5,000 inhabitants
Allegan Allegan Township Ashland Township Beechwood (CDP) Berlin Township Big Prairie Township Bowne Township Brooks Township Byron Center (CDP) Casco Township Casnovia Township Cedar Creek Township Cedar Springs Coopersville Crockery Township Croton Township Danby Township Easton Township Ensley Township Ferrysburg Fillmore Township
Fremont Ganges Township Garfield Township Grant Township Grattan Township Heath Township Holton Township Hopkins Township Ionia Township Lee Township Lowell Lyons Township Manlius Township Martin Township Middleville Nelson Township North Muskegon Odessa Township Orleans Township Otsego
Overisel Township Plainwell Polkton Charter Township Portland Portland Township Ravenna Township Roosevelt Park Saugatuck Township Sheridan Charter Township Sparta Spencer Township Sullivan Township Trowbridge Township Vergennes Township Wayland Wayland Township Whitehall Wolf Lake (CDP) Wright Township
Places with fewer than 2,500 inhabitants
Barton Township Beaver Township Berlin Township Blue Lake Township Bridgeton Township Caledonia Campbell Township Casnovia Cheshire Township Chester Township Chippewa Lake Clarksville Clyde Township Colfax Township Dayton Township Denver Township Douglass Everett Township Fennville Fruitport Goodwell Township Grant Hesperia
Home Township Hopkins Howard City Hubbardston (partial) Keene Township Kent City Lakewood Club Lakeview Lake Odessa Lilley Township Lincoln Township Lyons Martin Merrill Township Mecosta Moline Monroe Township Montague Township Monterey Township Moorland Township Morley Muir Newaygo North Plains Township Norwich Township
Orange Township Otisco Township Pewamo Pierson Ravenna Ronald Township Sand Lake Spring Lake Saranac Saugatuck Sebewa Township Sherman Township Stanwood Troy Township Twin Lake (CDP) Valley Township Watson Township Whitehall Township White Cloud White River Township Wilcox Township
Unincorporated places
Ada Alaska Alto Belmont Bitely Brunswick Campau Corner Canadian Lakes Cannonsburg Cascade Comstock Park Cooks Corners
Dutton Eastmanville Marne Orleans Palo Pullman Riverview Smyrna Wabaningo Woodland Park
Demographics
2010 Census As of the census of 2010, there were 774,160 people, 290,340 households, and 197,867 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 83.1% White, 8.1% African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.8% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.4% of the population.
2000 Census As of the census of 2000, there were 740,482 people, 272,130 households, and 188,192 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 85.71% White, 7.40% African American, 0.53% Native American, 1.51% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.82% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.02% of the population.
The median income for a household in the MSA was $43,251, and the median income for a family was $49,715. Males had a median income of $37,853 versus $25,483 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $19,173.
Education
Aquinas College Calvin College Cornerstone University Davenport University Grace Christian University Grand Rapids Community College Grand Valley State University Hope College Kuyper College Kendall College of Art and Design Muskegon Community College Thomas M. Cooley Law School Western Theological Seminary
The area also has campuses for Baker College, Ferris State University, Western Michigan University, and University of Phoenix, and the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
Economy
Companies in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area Alticor (formerly Amway), Ada American Seating, Grand Rapids Baker Books, Grand Rapids Bissell, Grand Rapids Eerdmans, Grand Rapids Family Christian Stores, Grand Rapids Farmers Insurance Group, Grand Rapids GE Aviation, Cascade Gentex, Zeeland Gerber Products Company, Fremont Goodrich Quality Theaters, Grand Rapids Gordon Food Service, Wyoming Haworth, Holland Herman Miller, Zeeland Howard Miller, Zeeland Loeks Theatres, Wyoming Meijer, Walker Mercantile Bank of Michigan, Grand Rapids Old Orchard Brands, Sparta Perrigo, Allegan Plascore Incorporated, Zeeland SpartanNash, Byron Township Steelcase, Grand Rapids Sun Chemical, Muskegon Universal Forest Products, Grand Rapids Wolverine World Wide, Rockford X-Rite, Kentwood Zondervan Publishing, Cascade
Culture and tourism
Centerpointe Mall The Lakes Mall Rivertown Crossings Mall Tanger Outlet Mall Woodland Mall
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Grand Rapids Public Museum Grand Haven Musical Fountain
See also
Michigan census statistical areas
References