Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Grand Rapids, MI
🏆 Arlington leads 15 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Grand Rapids
Michigan
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$61,634
Violent Crime Index
240⚠ High
Population
198,096
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $75,753 more per year on average
72% less violent crime than Grand Rapids
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.8 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 31°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Grand Rapids
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Grand Rapids, MI
Pros
Homes cost $629k less ($203,900 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1089/mo less ($1,138 vs $2,227)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 90°F
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $75,753/yr
Violent crime (910.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2480.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$75,753
$137,387 vs $61,634/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
72% lower
254.4 vs 910.1 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
2.8 pp lower
2.8% vs 5.6% unemployment
Arlington
Summer Heat
7.2°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 82.4°F
Grand Rapids
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 95.2 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Grand Rapids
Median Home Value
$629k less
$203,900 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Grand Rapids, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 95.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $203,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,138 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $61,634 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 191⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 240⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 118⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 39.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 89.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Grand Rapids Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer | 30.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 82.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 39.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" ✓ Less | 74.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 198,096 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 31.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 54.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 12.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Grand Rapids's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Grand Rapids is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 15 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 15 and Grand Rapids wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Grand Rapids or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $203,900 median home), income ($137,387 vs $61,634), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Grand Rapids, MI are about 528 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.