Is Grand Ledge, MI a Good Place to Live?
Grand Ledge is a small town of 7,795 in Michigan, with a median household income of $71,179 and a 5.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.
Strengths: Grand Ledge stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Grand Ledge is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Grand Ledge city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 92.8Grand Ledge's overall cost of living index is 92.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Grand Ledge costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Grand Ledge, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $188,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $934 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $71,179 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeGrand Ledge's violent crime rate is 282.7 per 100,000 residents — 26% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Grand Ledge is served primarily by Grand Ledge Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.9:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Grand Ledge, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Grand Ledge Public Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 17.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Grand Ledge sees average highs of 30.6°F in January and 82.8°F in July, with 34.6 inches of annual precipitation and 37.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Grand Ledge, MI |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 30.6°F |
| Average High — July | 82.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 37.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Grand Ledge, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,795 | — |
| Median Age | 41.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 20.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 20.9% | 16.8% |