Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bend, OR
VS
Grand Rapids, MI
🏆 Bend leads 17 of 23 categories
Bend
Oregon
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,671 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
99,442
Grand Rapids
Michigan
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$61,634
Violent Crime Index
240⚠ High
Population
198,096 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bend, OR
Pros
81% less violent crime than Grand Rapids
Households earn $21,037 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (168.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 48.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 43°F vs 31°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $576,900
Higher rents — median is $1,649/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, MI
Pros
Homes cost $373k less ($203,900 vs $576,900)
Rent averages $511/mo less ($1,138 vs $1,649)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Bend
Smaller class sizes — 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bend by $21,037/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 3.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bend
Median Income
$21,037
$82,671 vs $61,634/yr
Bend
Violent Crime
81% lower
168.5 vs 910.1 per 100k
Bend
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
3.8% vs 5.6% unemployment
Grand Rapids
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 95.2 vs 105.8 (100 = US avg)
Grand Rapids
Median Home Value
$373k less
$203,900 vs $576,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bend, OR | Grand Rapids, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.8⚠ High | 95.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $576,900⚠ High | $203,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,649⚠ High | $1,138 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,671 ✓ Higher | $61,634 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter | 19.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.0% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 191⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 240⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 118⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 16.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.4% ✓ Higher | 39.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 89.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bend-LaPine Administrative SD 1 | Grand Rapids Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.5°F ✓ Warmer | 30.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 83.8°F ✓ Warmer | 82.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.6" ✓ Drier | 39.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.6" ✓ Less | 74.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,442 | 198,096 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 31.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% ✓ Higher | 54.5% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.0% ✓ More | 12.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bend's cost of living index is 105.8 vs Grand Rapids's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Grand Rapids is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bend leads 17 of 23 categories. Bend wins 17 and Grand Rapids wins 6. 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 Bend to Grand Rapids or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($576,900 vs $203,900 median home), income ($82,671 vs $61,634), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bend, OR and Grand Rapids, MI are about 1,774 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.