What percentage of people rent in Big Rapids, MI?

Name: Renters and owners in Big Rapids, MI, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

58.5% (±5.5 points) of the occupied homes in Big Rapids, MI are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 1,834 renting households against 1,299 that own their home.

In Big Rapids, the share of households that rent went from 63.3% in 2015–2019 to 58.5% in 2020–2024 (−4.8 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 58.5% (±5.5 points)
Renting households: 1,834 (±223)
Median renter income: $30,709 (±$6,722)

Who rents and who owns in Big Rapids

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Big Rapids	Mecosta County	Michigan	United States
Renter-occupied share	58.5% (±5.5 points)	23.1% (±1.9 points)	26.8% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	1,834 (±223)	3,857 (±343)	1,092,179 (±7,674)	45,017,354
Owning households	1,299 (±178)	12,851 (±381)	2,984,190 (±12,886)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.0 (±0.2)	2.2 (±0.1)	2.1 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.2 (±0.2)	2.4 (±0.1)	2.5 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$30,709 (±$6,722)	$33,794 (±$4,377)	$42,352 (±$376)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$62,865 (±$9,761)	$69,853 (±$2,638)	$87,130 (±$344)	$100,009

In Big Rapids, the renter share is higher than in Mecosta County (23.1%).

It is also higher than in Michigan (26.8%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In Mecosta County, Big Rapids ranks 1 of 17 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 10 of 1,520.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Big Rapids has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	63.3% (±4.0 points)	58.5% (±5.5 points)	−4.8 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$670 (±$100)	$929 (±$68)	+38.7%	No measurable change after inflation
Median household income	$26,227 (±$4,203)	$43,858 (±$4,640)	+67.2%	Up after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Big Rapids

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Big Rapids
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Big Rapids	—	58.5% (±5.5 points)	—
Big Rapids Charter Township	1.7 mi	30.7% (±5.9 points)	Lower
Green Charter Township	5.1 mi	11.9% (±6.5 points)	Lower
Colfax Township (Mecosta County)	5.4 mi	7.4% (±4.1 points)	Lower
Mecosta Township	6.8 mi	18.7% (±5.0 points)	Lower
Grant Township (Mecosta County)	7.2 mi	8.7% (±5.6 points)	Lower
Norwich Township (Newaygo County)	7.7 mi	6.2% (±4.2 points)	Lower
Stanwood	8.4 mi	13.0% (±11.6 points)	Lower
Austin Township (Mecosta County)	8.8 mi	8.4% (±4.3 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Big Rapids Charter Township, MI (30.7%), Green Charter Township, MI (11.9%), Colfax Township (Mecosta County), MI (7.4%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across Mecosta County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	Big Rapids	58.5% (±5.5 points)
2	Big Rapids Charter Township	30.7% (±5.9 points)
3	Wheatland Township (Mecosta County)	24.6% (±8.4 points)
4	Mecosta Township	18.7% (±5.0 points)
5	Deerfield Township (Mecosta County)	17.1% (±9.1 points)
6	Fork Township	14.8% (±4.4 points)
7	Millbrook Township	14.0% (±6.3 points)

Showing 7 of 17 places in Mecosta County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Big Rapids

How many renters are there in Big Rapids?

Big Rapids has an estimated 1,834 (±223) renting households, 58.5% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Big Rapids?

In Big Rapids, the share of households that rent went from 63.3% in 2015–2019 to 58.5% in 2020–2024 (−4.8 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Big Rapids?

A renting household in Big Rapids has 2.0 people on average, against 2.2 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Big Rapids?

The median renting household in Big Rapids, MI has an income of $30,709 (±$6,722) a year, against $62,865 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Big Rapids city, Michigan (place:08300, in state:26).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.