Affordable Grand Rapids Storage Units

Moving and storage go hand in hand. Whether traveling across town or the country, moving is an exciting and fresh start. While Storage Rentals of America is here to help you with all your storage needs, we also want to help you get familiar with the area. We put together this resource guide for Grand Rapids, Michigan.

About Grand Rapids, Michigan

Located on the Grand River, Grand Rapids is the biggest city in West Michigan. The population is 1,321,557, so if you want a little hustle and bustle, this is your city. However, there are plenty of quiet, peaceful spots to escape while living in such a lively city.

Historically, Grand Rapids was a furniture manufacturing center. Today, it's nicknamed "Furniture City" as it's home to five of the world's leading office furniture companies. That's not this city's only nickname. It's also called "River City" and "Beer City" but has many industries flourishing here today.

What to do in Grand Rapids

U.S. President Gerald Ford was born here and is buried alongside his wife, Betty, at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Other historical sites include the Meyer May House, Leonardo da Vinci's Horse, Heritage Hill Historic District, the Cathedral of St. Andrew, and La Grande Vitesse. Countless museums and historic sites dot the city, and many weekends will be booked up for months.

If you love to get outdoors, this city has plenty of natural wonders. The John Ball Zoo and Blanford Nature Center feature 143 acres of land, wildlife, and four miles of trails. The Calvin Ecosystem Preserve & Native Gardens boasts over 100 acres of native gardens, wetlands, and forests. Provin Trails Park is an excellent option for hikers. Go ice skating at Rosa Park Circle and visit the city's many parks and nature preserves.

Grand Rapids has plenty of fine eateries and eclectic restaurants. The Great Lakes Pub Cruiser is an adult party bike built for 16 people who pedal the bike around the city. This is a fun way to explore Grand Rapids on a two-hour tour. Residents have many options for worldwide cuisine, including Indian, barbecue, seafood, Chinese, Italian, steakhouse, Mexican, pizza, and more.

Some of the most famous attractions to put on your list include the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, a peaceful space that can be enjoyed year-round. It offers a tropical setting among bronze sculptures and galleries with work from famous artists worldwide. The Grand Rapids Children's Museum is in "Little Grand Rapids." It features a mini-city with a doctor's office, a grocery store, art activities, and more. There's also the Grand Rapids Public Museum and Downtown Market Grand Rapids, to name a couple more.

Working in Grand Rapids

There are 10 major employers in this city who employ 66,000 people. These companies across a wide spectrum, including health care, technology, manufacturing, grocery, and more. These top-performing companies help strengthen Grand Rapid's economy, making this an excellent place to settle down with a stable job and attractive salary and benefits. Some top companies include Spectrum Health, Meijer, Mercy General Health Partners, Amway Corporation, and Gentex Corporation. While the furniture industry helped build Grand Rapids and is still thriving, the area has seen substantial growth in many other sectors.

Grand Rapids Neighborhoods

If you consider moving to Grand Rapids, you'll want to find one of the best neighborhoods. One with no crime, affordable living for your budget, and good schools. Listed below are some of the best neighborhoods in the city:

• Michigan Oaks: The median home value in this neighborhood is $178,800. The median income is $67,069, and the population is 1,776.
• Ridgemoor: The median home value in this neighborhood is $184,033. The median income is $66,714, and the population is 2,764.
• Eastown: Considered the Greenwich Village of Grand Rapids, the median home value in this neighborhood is $153,925. The median income is $59,200, and the population is 5,495.

Grand Rapids School District

The Grand Rapids school district serves 17,000 students and employs 2,700 people. The student population is diverse, representing 55 countries and 54 different languages. Parents and their children have many choices in West Michigan, including charter, theme, neighborhood, Center of Innovation, and special education schools. These schools offer global studies, arts and music, environmental science, Montessori, and more. Neighborhood schools provide traditional education. The Centers of Innovation offer a rigorous education paired with mentoring and internships.

Moving to Grand Rapids Resource Guide

To find out how to hook up your water, sewer, utilities, and more, consult this list:

• To hook up your water/sewer, visit the City of Grand Rapids or the Plainfield Charter Township.
• For natural gas, visit DTE Energy.
• For electricity, visit Consumers Energy.
• To get your telephone and internet service hooked up, there are many companies to choose from, including AT&T, Comcast/Xfinity, Dish Network, and many others.

Grand Rapids Housing

This city's cost of living is 92.7, with 100 being the U.S. average. This means Grand Rapids is slightly cheaper than the national average. Home prices weigh heavily on the scoring process, and the median home price in Grand Rapids is $157,200. Housing scores 77.5 out of 100. Utilities score 99.9 out of 100, making their cost on average with the rest of the country. Overall, Grand Rapids scores 92.7 in cost of living.