Grand Rapids’s story
154 years in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1872Grand Rapids is settled
Grand RapidsMN
A town of 11,207, settled in 1872. A regional job hub with 9,040 jobs.
5 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0
Population
11,207
+2.4% since 2010
Typical home
$283K
+2.5% in a year
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
44.3
years
Jobs based here
9,040
A job hub
What makes Grand Rapids stand out
The 3 things Grand Rapids does most differently from other towns.
9,040jobs here
Work
9,040 jobs
based in Grand Rapids, a regional job hub
50% of working residents work in town.
100 U.S. towns● Grand Rapids
Health
Healthier than 53%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than MN on 1 measures, worse on 12.
$283Ktypical home
Housing
$283K typical home
19% below the MN typical home
Up 2.5% in a year.
A job hub
Every workday, about 6,719 people come to Grand Rapids for work
Where Grand Rapids’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
9,040jobs based in Grand Rapids
50%of working residents work in town
3 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Grand Rapids’s report card
Commute3 miHalf of commuters travel lessHealthB−Healthier than 53% of U.S. townsHousing$283K19% below the MN typical homeOutdoors25 mi#47 for trails in MNSchoolsB+Beats 67% of MN districtsHazards27/100Low risk of storm & flood damageSafetyB+Less crime than 67% of U.S. townsClimate79°/-2°Summer high · winter low · 60″ snow
Now in Grand Rapids
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Grand Rapids is #145 of 147 in MN for “Housing hasn't kept up”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Grand Rapids’s Town Square.
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Local news
All →- Itasca County 4-H’ers participate in Minnesota 4-H State Horse ShowGrand Rapids Herald-Review · Oct 3
- Volunteer Itasca highlights October opportunities across Itasca CountyGrand Rapids Herald-Review · Oct 3
- Mizzou rules out both starting edge rushers against FloridaGrand Rapids Herald-Review · Oct 2
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Grand Rapids. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About half of working residents work right in Grand Rapids
50% of Grand Rapids’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Duluth (5%), Cohasset (4%) and Hibbing (3%). Half commute less than 3 miles.
50%work in town
Where working residents work
In Grand Rapids50%
Duluth5%
Cohasset4%
Hibbing3%
Deer River2%
3 mi
median commute distance
9,040
jobs based in Grand Rapids
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 53% of U.S. towns
Grand Rapids beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12.
B−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better19 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Grand Rapids | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 78.9% | 76.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.4% | 5.4% |
Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital
1.7 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
24th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Housing
A typical Grand Rapids home is worth about $283K
The typical Grand Rapids home is worth about $283,000, up 2.5% in a year, 19% below the Minnesota typical home.
$283KZillow home value
Typical home value
Grand Rapids$283K
Minnesota$351K
Market temperature
41
days on market
102.2%
sale-to-list price
+2.5%
value change, 1 year
10
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Outdoors
3.5% of Grand Rapids is conserved land
25 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves.
#47for trails in MN
3.5%
conserved · 533 of 15,412 acres
25 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. American Legion Memorial Park | 1.8 mi | 109 |
| 2. Veterans Memorial Park | — | 38 |
| 3. Grussendorf Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Schools
Grand Rapids’s public schools outperform 67% of Minnesota districts
The public schools Grand Rapids’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 67% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
B+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Rapids Elementary | 3–5 | 639 | A− |
| West Rapids Elementary | PK–2 | 612 | B |
| St. Joseph's Catholic School Private | PK–6 | 163 | |
| Robert J. Elkington Middle School | 6–8 | 764 | B+ |
| Middle Area Learning Center | 5–8 | 54 | D− |
| Grand Rapids Senior High | 9–12 | 1,091 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduationAll 12 schools →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 27% of U.S. communities.
27risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingStrong wind
1
paid flood claims since 1983
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 67% of U.S. towns
Grand Rapids reports less crime per resident than 67% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
B+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Grand Rapids0.6
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Grand Rapids9
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
67th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
53rd
percentile among MN towns
7
violent crimes reported in 2025
101
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Grand Rapids has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to -2°, and about 60 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
60″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter2–22°
Spring28–52°
Summer54–77°
Fall33–52°
Sep 24
typical first frost
May 17
typical last frost
+2.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
About Grand Rapids
City in Minnesota, United States
Grand Rapids is a city in, and the county seat of, Itasca County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 11,126 at the 2020 census. The city is named for the 3.5-mile (5.6 km) long rapids on the Mississippi River that was the uppermost limit of practical steamboat travel in the late 19th century. Today the rapids are hidden below the dam of UPM Paper Company.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1872
- Population
- 11,126
- Area
- 25 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,286 ft
- ZIP code
- 55730, 55744, 55745
- Area code
- 218
Grand Rapids’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Grand Rapids.
More about Grand Rapids
Still missing for Grand Rapids:archive photosupcoming events