Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety43#526/924
Economy15#789/925
Housing24#703/925
Health53#438/925
Healthcare26#686/923
Environment32#624/917
Education39#564/925
Infrastructure21#731/925
Community55#414/925
Leisure & amenities21#728/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Drug overdose deaths · low0.0 /100k
99/100Michigan 16.2 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.416
91/100Michigan 0.465United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Job growth · high2.0%
90/100Michigan 0.3%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional data
Public libraries · high1.4 /10k
88/100Michigan 0.7 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Hot days · low6 days
82/100Michigan 5 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Preventable hospital stays · low2,047 /100k
82/100Michigan 3,367 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Average weekly wage · low$881
2/100Michigan $1,362United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Unemployment rate · high6.8%
3/100Michigan 5.2%United States 4.3%2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPartial year
Depression · high30.1%
4/100Michigan 26.5%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Income adjusted for local prices · low$51,766
5/100Michigan $66,194United States $73,2042024U.S. Bureau of Economic AnalysisEstimated from related areas or data (see the source notes)Aggregated from counties
Pharmacies · low0.7 /10k
6/100Michigan 1.9 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Broadband subscriptions · low82.0%
7/100Michigan 90.5%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Traffic deathsWorsening
6.9 /100k (2015-2019) → 16.0 /100k (2020-2024)
+131%5 yearsUS 11.3 /100k → 12.3 /100k
Drug overdose deathsImproving
16.3 /100k (2021) → 0.0 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−100%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
New business applicationsImproving
5.3 /1k (2020) → 9.9 /1k (2025)
+84%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
New homes permittedImproving
1.9 /1k (2021) → 3.4 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+75%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Child care cost burdenImproving
37.9% (2020 & 2021) → 25.1% (2023 & 2024)
−13 pts3 yearsUS 24.5% → 27.9%
Drought exposureWorsening
18% (2021) → 27% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+9.2 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area improved on 8 of 30 measures with a comparison and declined on 8. 7 moved within the margin of error and 7 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved8

Inequality−0.0390.456 → 0.416
Overdose deaths−100%15.2 /100k → 0.0 /100k
Grocery stores+19%1.0 /10k → 1.2 /10k
New businesses+84%5.3 /1k → 9.9 /1k
Household income+35%$45,018 → $60,951

Declined8

Traffic deaths+131%6.9 /100k → 16.0 /100k
Firearm deaths+63%9.2 /100k → 15.0 /100k
Pharmacies−43%1.2 /10k → 0.7 /10k
Arts & recreation−19%3.2 /10k → 2.6 /10k
Uninsured+1.6 points8.0% → 9.6%

All 30 measures

Change of every measure of Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.2 /10k2020	2.6 /10k2025	−19%	Declined	6%
Average commute time	23.1 min2015-2019	23.7 min2020-2024	+0.6 min	Within the margin of error	43%
Average weekly wage	$8492020	$8812025	+3.8%	Little change	0%
Bachelor's degree or higher	22.7%2015-2019	22.5%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	7%
Broadband subscriptions	77.1%2015-2019	82.0%2020-2024	+4.9 points	Improved	8%
Child poverty rate	23.9%2015-2019	24.6%2020-2024	+0.7 points	Within the margin of error	17%
Distance to an airport	54 mi2020	54 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	15.2 /100k2020	0.0 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−100%	Improved	99%
Effective property tax rate	1.07%2015-2019	0.93%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Little change	55%
Firearm deaths	9.2 /100k2020	15.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+63%	Declined	6%
Grocery stores	1.0 /10k2020	1.2 /10k2025	+19%	Improved	88%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.7 /10k2020	0.7 /10k2025	−4.5%	Little change	31%
High school diploma or higher	90.2%2015-2019	91.4%2020-2024	+1.1 points	Within the margin of error	34%
Home price to income ratio	2.7×2015-2019	2.9×2020-2024	+0.2×	Declined	77%
Income adjusted for local prices	$41,7352019	$51,7662024	+24%	Improved	6%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4562015-2019	0.4162020-2024	−0.039	Improved	98%
Median household income	$45,0182015-2019	$60,9512020-2024	+35%	Improved	87%
New business applications	5.3 /1k2020	9.9 /1k2025	+84%	Improved	89%
Pharmacies	1.2 /10k2020	0.7 /10k2025	−43%	Declined	3%
Poverty rate	21.2%2015-2019	19.9%2020-2024	−1.4 points	Within the margin of error	62%
Property crime rate	965 /100k2020	922 /100k2025	−4.4%	Little change	9%
Public libraries	1.4 /10k2019	1.4 /10k2024	+3.9%	Little change	83%
Rent as share of income	32.6%2015-2019	31.0%2020-2024	−1.6 points	Within the margin of error	83%
Rent-burdened households	54.7%2015-2019	52.1%2020-2024	−2.6 points	Within the margin of error	77%
Restaurants and bars	8.7 /10k2020	8.0 /10k2025	−7.2%	Declined	19%
Suicide rate	14.1 /100k2020	16.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+19%	Declined	26%
Traffic deaths	6.9 /100k2015-2019	16.0 /100k2020-2024	+131%	Declined	0%
Unemployment rate	9.4%2020	6.8%2025	−2.6 points	Improved	39%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	8.0%2015-2019	9.6%2020-2024	+1.6 points	Declined	12%
Violent crime rate	342 /100k2020	341 /100k2025	−0.3%	Little change	27%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area itself moved −6 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

41,242 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

16,708 households (±368)

Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k19%3,115
$25k–50k22%3,758
$50k–75k19%3,166

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

16,708 households (±368)

Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area
United States share

Own77%12,851
Rent23%3,857

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+3.6 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

17,392 workers (±545)

Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone76%13,261
Carpool8.6%1,493
Public transit0.4%†67

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Big Rapids, MI has 727 employer establishments, 174 for every 10,000 residents (0.70× the US rate of 248), with 9,425 paid employees at an average annual pay of $42,607. The Census Bureau also counts 2,634 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 727; 2,634 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 174; US 248
Paid employees: 9,425
Average annual pay: $42,607; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Big Rapids, MI by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	64	15.3	0.84×About typical	1,003	$19,025	4
Ambulatory health care services	55	13.2	0.63×Fewer than typical	639	$56,224	100
Religious organizations	34	8.2	1.47×More than typical	212	$23,033	—
Specialty trade contractors	30	7.2	0.46×Fewer than typical	118	$52,475	234
Limited-service restaurants	28	6.7	0.84×About typical	442	$17,939	—
Lessors of real estate	27	6.5	0.53×Fewer than typical	72	$47,625	239
Full-service restaurants	25	6	0.78×Fewer than typical	480	$20,588	3
Construction of buildings	22	5.3	0.70×Fewer than typical	76	$39,855	166
Automotive repair and maintenance	21	5	1.00×About typical	111	$43,270	37
Gasoline stations	19	4.6	1.40×More than typical	235	$25,451	—
Offices of other health practitioners	19	4.6	0.75×Fewer than typical	124	$50,024	56
Insurance agencies and brokerages	18	4.3	0.98×About typical	70	$56,814	49

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 41,715 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $39.8M on contracts performed in Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area: $941 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $39.8M; +94% vs FY2025
Per resident: $941; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Defense Logistics Agency$39.8M100%

Top recipients

ORIGINAL FOOTWEAR MANUFACTURING BR INC$39.8M100%

Spending by fiscal year

432.8KFY2017
9.1MFY2018
11.3MFY2019
4.1MFY2020
1.8MFY2021
52KFY2022
17.4KFY2023
6.2MFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Footwear manufacturing · 3162$39.8M100%

Largest awards

8511880848!SHOES,MEN'S$9.7M
ORIGINAL FOOTWEAR MANUFACTURING BR INC· Mecosta County, MI· Other equipment & supplies· Feb 4, 2026 – Feb 4, 2026· SPE1C126F2031
8511801956!SHOES,MEN'S$4.1M
ORIGINAL FOOTWEAR MANUFACTURING BR INC· Mecosta County, MI· Other equipment & supplies· Dec 10, 2025 – Dec 10, 2025· SPE1C126F1153
8512012695!SHOES,MEN'S$4.1M
ORIGINAL FOOTWEAR MANUFACTURING BR INC· Mecosta County, MI· Other equipment & supplies· Mar 31, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026· SPE1C126F3456
8511433630!SHOES,MEN'S

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $307.5M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area: $7,267 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $307.5M; −5.5% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,267; US $12,955
Loan face value: $11.3M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 1.5%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$194.8M63%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$29.5M9.6%

Counties in Big Rapids, MI

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Mecosta CountyCentral county2742,320

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

Big RapidsPrincipal city8,477

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Michigan

Areas based in Michigan, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M13660

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved8

Declined8

Metro and micro areas like Big Rapids, MI micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Counties in Big Rapids, MI

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Michigan

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved8

Declined8

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Top programs

What was bought

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

By type

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates