Side-by-side comparison of Grand Rapids, MI and Ann Arbor, MI — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Grand Rapids has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 3.63% compared to Ann Arbor's 2.61%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $270,000 in Grand Rapids vs $395,000 in Ann Arbor, while rents come in at $1,380/mo and $1,680/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Grand Rapids is growing faster at 1.1% annually vs Ann Arbor's 0.8%. Grand Rapids leads on home value appreciation at 3.2% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.38% in Grand Rapids vs 1.48% in Ann Arbor. Vacancy rates of 5.2% and 4.2% are both healthy, suggesting strong tenant demand in both markets.
Bottom line: Grand Rapids edges out Ann Arbor on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.63%, Grand Rapids's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Grand Rapids or Ann Arbor.