Big Rapids
What’s happening
Weather
Forecast →Upcoming events
Put the next local happening — a market, a meeting, a concert — on the map.
Local news
Headlines via Google News · Articles belong to their publishers.
The Big Rapids album
Outdoors in Big Rapids
Parks & trails →Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
About Big Rapids
City in Michigan, United StatesBig Rapids is a city and the seat of government of Mecosta County, Michigan, United States. The population was 7,727 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 8,565 in 2024, The city is surrounded by Big Rapids Charter Township but they are completely separate jurisdictions. Big Rapids is home of the main campus of Ferris State University, a four-year public university.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
How Big Rapids ranks
All →Town numbers
Housing in Big Rapids
The median sale price was $198,000 in May 2026.
A seller's market
Safety in Big Rapids
Not graded
A grade needs all of the FBI's latest years (2023–2025). Big Rapids's police department reported only 2024 and 2025, so we don't grade it yet. The figures below are still real.
Work & commute in Big Rapids
Full picture →About one in 4 of Big Rapids’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Grand Rapids (7%), Big Rapids (6%) and Reed City (3%). Half commute less than 37 miles.
Health in Big Rapids
Health Grade B−
Healthier than 55% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 95% of towns with similar incomes.
Compared with Michigan
of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 14 are too close to call.
What stands out
Care nearby
Natural hazards in Big Rapids
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 74% of U.S. communities.
Climate in Big Rapids
Full climate →Big Rapids has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 61 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
Schools in Big Rapids
All Big Rapids schools →School Grade B-
The public schools Big Rapids’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 54% of Michigan’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within MI. Ratings are from neighbors.
Big Rapids’s library
Library details →Where Big Rapids is
Explore map →
Location map