Updated January 2025, Originally Published 2021

[2024]

National Association of Realtors® Unveils 10 Top Housing Hot Spots for 2025
    – Most of these markets outperform the national average in at least six of NAR’s 10 criteria

10 Best Towns to visit in 2024 by CNN

Best “Right-Size” City by Forbes

[2023]

Best Places to live in the US (#20, quality of life, value) by US News & World Report

#1 City in US for Millennial Homeownership (63%) by Apartment List

10 Best Cities to See Amazing Art by 10 Best

The Ten Best Real Estate Markets of 2023 by USA Today

The 25 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2022-2023 by US News

US Cities Offering the Most Bang for Your Buck in 2023, GoBankingRates

Most Beautiful & Affordable Cities to Live in the U.S., Travel + Leisure

Top 10 Cities for Young Female Professionals, Pheabs

The Best Places to Live in the U.S., U.S. News & World Report

Best Places to Retire in the U.S., U.S. News & World Report

Best Place to Live in Michigan, U.S. News & World Report

Best Places to Live for Quality of Life, U.S. News & World Report

Best Cities for Young Professionals in America, Niche

America’s Best Cities, World’s Best Cities

America’s Best Run Cities, Wallethub

Best Cities for Wallet Fitness, Wallethub

Healthiest Cities in America, Wallethub

Best Cities to Start a Career, Wallethub

Best Places to Find a Job, Wallethub

Best Cities to Work for a Small Business, Wallethub

Best Cities in Michigan to Live and Visit, Touropia

Best Suburbs to Buy a House in Michigan – Hudsonville and Forest Hills, Niche

Best Place to Raise a Family in Michigan – Forest hills and East Grand Rapids, Niche

Best Neighborhoods to Buy a House in America – Eastgate, Grand Rapids, Niche

Best Business Climate (Mid-Sized), Business Facilities

#1 – Best Manufacturing Hubs (Large) – Grand Rapids–Kentwood, Business Facilities

Where GR fits into Niche.com + anonymous reviews

[2022]

Rocket Mortage Names Grand Rapids #1 Place to Raise a Family

USA Today Reader Voting Awards Best Beer, Best Label 2021

SmartAsset: Grand Rapids #1 on Top 40 Cities for First-Time Buyers (Fall 2020)

Reuters: Grand Rapids named ‘Superstar’ City

Business Facilities: Grand Rapids ranked #1 Mid-size City for Economic Growth Potential

Fox Business: Best US Cities for Early Retirement (highest-ranked Midwestern city)

Realtor.com: Hottest Zip Codes in US – #1 is 49505

Cities Most Dependent on Small Businesses, Global Trade Magazine

Reuters: Grand Rapids MI Recognized as “Superstar” City

Wallethub: Grand Rapids among Best Cities to Buy a Home in 2019

Realtor.com: #1 Safest, Affordable Metro

Business Insider: The top 10 cities to buy a house in 2019, where jobs are plentiful, construction is booming, and young people are moving in

Realtor.com: The 10 Surprising Housing Markets Poised to Rule in 2019

Trulia: So Long Silicon Valley, Hello Heartland: Top 10 Markets in 2019

MLive: Millennials put down roots

Lending Tree: #3 for first time buyers

Forbes: Americas Fastest Growing Cities

Forbes: Where to Invest in Housing in 2018

Realtor.com Market Hotness Index

Realtor.com: The New Boomtowns

Rentcafe: August Rents Rose at Fastest Pace in 18 Months

USA Today: Top 10 US Housing Markets

US News: #12 Best Places to Live in USA

Wallethub: Fastest Growing Cities in America

Wall Street Journal: #2 Best Place to live in USA

Global Trade Magazine: Top 10 Emerging Cities

Forbes: Best City for Raising a Family

Wallethub: Best Cities to Flip Houses

Rightplace.org: Why West Michigan?

Best Convention Cities and Centers Global Trade Magazine

Amazon’s Giant Leap to Grand Rapids, Global Trade Magazine

Top Cities for Global Trade (2018) Top 5 Best Cities to Start or Relocate a Business, Global Trade Magazine