Walker receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Walker
Grand Rapids
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 45%
vs30 · Bottom 6%
Growth
42 · Bottom 35%
vs57 · Top 38%
Climate
62 · Bottom 22%
vs62 · Bottom 22%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs94 · Top 6%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs85 · Top 43%
Schools
64 · Top 34%
vs39 · Bottom 33%
Access
96 · Top 31%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
75 · Top 17%
vs57 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Walker | Grand Rapids | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,386 | 198,535 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,360 | $69,108 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,951 | $35,921 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,033/sq mi | 4,434/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $295,200 | $244,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,202 | $1,266 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.2% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.4% | -7.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.6% | 41.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 16.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 57 | 874 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 4.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 16.3% | 91.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.4" | 39.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 20.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 32.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 60 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.77 | 16.35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.4% | 25.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 57.7% | 38.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 40.7% | 61.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Walker
72
Your Score
69
Area Score
Grand Rapids
65
Your Score
61
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Walker, MI · Grand Rapids, MI · How this is calculated: methodology