Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fishers, IN
VS
Grand Rapids, MI
🏆 Fishers leads 16 of 23 categories
Fishers
Indiana
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$126,548 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
99,041
Grand Rapids
Michigan
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.2
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.
Fishers, IN
Pros
Households earn $64,914 more per year on average
92% less violent crime than Grand Rapids
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (2.5%)
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (72.9 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.6)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $339,000
Higher rents — median is $1,478/mo
Grand Rapids, MI
Pros
Homes cost $135k less ($203,900 vs $339,000)
Rent averages $340/mo less ($1,138 vs $1,478)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Fishers by $64,914/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 2.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fishers
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 95.2 (100 = US avg)
Fishers
Median Income
$64,914
$126,548 vs $61,634/yr
Fishers
Violent Crime
92% lower
72.9 vs 910.1 per 100k
Fishers
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
2.5% vs 5.6% unemployment
Grand Rapids
Median Home Value
$135k less
$203,900 vs $339,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fishers, IN | Grand Rapids, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper | 95.2 |
| Median Home Value | $339,000⚠ High | $203,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,478⚠ High | $1,138 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $126,548 ✓ Higher | $61,634 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.5% ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.8% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 24 ✓ Safer | 191⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 240⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 118⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.5:1 | 16.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 39.3% |
| High School or Higher | 98.0% ✓ Higher | 89.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hamilton Southeastern Schools | Grand Rapids Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F ✓ Warmer | 30.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F ✓ Warmer | 82.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" | 39.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.7" ✓ Less | 74.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,041 | 198,096 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.1 ✓ Older | 31.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.1% ✓ Higher | 54.5% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 21.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 12.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fishers's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Grand Rapids's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Fishers is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fishers leads 16 of 23 categories. Fishers wins 16 and Grand Rapids wins 7. 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 Fishers to Grand Rapids or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,000 vs $203,900 median home), income ($126,548 vs $61,634), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fishers, IN and Grand Rapids, MI are about 208 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.