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Moving to West Michigan, Michigan

West Michigan offers $5,000 in benefits through West Michigan Rooted. Here is what life costs in Kent County, home of West Michigan, where people work, what there is to do, and remote jobs you can bring with you.
  • YesPaid to move here$5,000 in benefits
  • $289,900Typical home value1Kent County
  • $1,243Typical rent1Utilities included
  • 675,232Population+2.6% since 2020

By Sol Lakein.Checked November 4, 2026.How we compare costs

Get paid to move to West Michigan

Tap a program for who qualifies, how it pays, whether it is open and the official link.

Every program in Michigan

Something to know about West Michigan

Did you know?

Grand Rapids is home to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, dedicated on September 18, 1981, and both Gerald and Betty Ford are buried on its grounds.

Source: 97.9 WGRD Grand Rapids, 2021

A fact about West Michigan

What it costs to live in West Michigan

Kent County next to Michigan and the US.1
MeasureKent CountyMichiganUnited States
Typical home value$289,900$231,600$332,700
Monthly owner costs with a mortgage$1,603$1,569$1,963
Typical rent, with utilities$1,243$1,129$1,413
Typical household income$82,631$72,875$80,734
Homes lived in by their owners70.3%73.2%65.2%
Households with broadband92.2%90.5%91.0%
Average commute, one way21 min24 min26 min

On the typical home here, the mortgage comes to about $1,593 a month2.

Jobs and work in Kent County

  • 384,635Jobs at local employers2023, +2.4% vs 2022
  • 17,799Employer businesses2023
  • 58,452Self-employed businessesNonemployer firms, 2024
  • 92.2%Households with broadbandUS: 91.0%

68.7% of residents 16 and older are in the labor force, the average commute is 21.0 minutes, and 40.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree1,3. Builders pulled permits for 2,398 new homes in 2025.

Remote jobs you can do from West Michigan

Current remote openings for people living in the US.

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Things to do in West Michigan

Notable places in Kent County, by type.4

Parks, lakes and the outdoors

  • Lamberton Lake
  • Fisk Lake
  • Reeds Lake
  • Lake Bella Vista
  • Murray Lake

Museums, theaters and libraries

  • Heritage Hill Historic District
  • Public Museum of Grand Rapids
  • Heartside Historic District

Colleges and universities

  • Grand Rapids Community College
  • Cornerstone University
  • Kirkhof College of Nursing

Sports and recreation

  • Blythefield Country Club

Attractions

  • Ramona Park

Thinking about West Michigan? Get the free moving guide

12 pages: what a move costs, hiring movers safely, an 8-week checklist and how to apply for programs like these.

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Moving to West Michigan: questions people ask

Does West Michigan pay you to move there?

Yes. West Michigan Rooted: $5,000 in benefits. Each program has its own rules, status and official link on its page, checked October 30, 2026.

How much does it cost to live in West Michigan?

In Kent County, the median owner-occupied home is valued at $289,900 and median gross rent is $1,243 a month (US Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Michigan: $231,600 and $1,129. United States: $332,700 and $1,413. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest on a home at the county median value come to about $1,593 a month (our arithmetic).

Is West Michigan a good place to live?

It depends on what you need. On the numbers: home values in Kent County are below the US median, household income is above the US median, and the population grew 2.6% from April 2020 to July 2025 (US Census Bureau). Visit before you decide.

Can I work remotely from West Michigan?

92.2% of households in Kent County have a broadband subscription (US: 91.0%; ACS 2020-2024). Check the program rules for job requirements.

What is there to do in West Michigan?

Notable places in Kent County include Lamberton Lake, Fisk Lake, Heritage Hill Historic District, Public Museum of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Community College. The full list by type is on this page (Wikidata).

Other Michigan towns that pay you to move

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Costs and people: US Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates (dollars in 2024 terms), read November 4, 2026. "Typical" is the median. Census figures cover all homes and renters, not just recent sales or new leases. QuickFacts
  2. 2Mortgage: principal and interest on the county's typical home value with 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026), our arithmetic. Rate source
  3. 3Jobs and businesses: US Census Bureau QuickFacts, County Business Patterns 2023, Nonemployer Statistics 2024, Building Permits Survey 2025, ACS 2020-2024.
  4. 4Things to do: notable places from Wikidata (CC0), read November 4, 2026. Know a place we should add? Email hello@slowersundays.com.
Sources for this page