Rankings/Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI

Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI

NeutralTier 1CBSA 24340Compare

Risk Rank: #55 of 274Month: 2026-05Score change (12m):— +3

58score

Composite risk percentile vs 274 metros (higher = higher risk)

Executive Summary

Grand Rapids's housing market shows average risk, ranking 55th of 274 metros. The market recently entered Expansion. Current conditions are balanced with stable liquidity. Broad-based growth with healthy fundamentals.

Grand Rapids experienced a market correction from mid-2025 through mid-2025. The market has since normalized and entered Expansion.

Inventory is roughly flat (+0% YoY) with homes selling at a normal pace — a balanced market.

Rent growth is roughly keeping pace with price appreciation, suggesting valuations are not stretched.

Cycle Phase

RecoveryExpansionHypersupplyRecession

1 month in current phase

Normal growth conditions with balanced fundamentals

Key Dynamics

Risk is primarily driven by employment and permit growth, while permits per capita provides the most support.

Top Drivers

Employmentp79

12-month employment change (risk inverted)

Permit Growthp67

YoY permit change

Migrationp61

Net AGI migration (risk inverted)

Market Signals

Inventory is roughly flat (+0% YoY) with homes selling at a normal pace — a balanced market.

Liquidity

Stable↑

Active Listings YoY

+0.1%p49

Days on Market YoY

-3.2%p41

Months in status1

Data through May 2026

Valuation

Balanced—

Rent vs. Price Growth

+1.7%p85

Months in status1

Data through May 2026Rent growth vs price growth (rent support). Note: Affordability and Valuation measure different structural dimensions and can diverge.

Factor Details

Lower riskHigher risk

Low RiskBelow AvgNeutralElevatedHigh Risk

Price MomentumNeutral

+1.6%p50

12-month HPI change — higher = overheating

Permit GrowthElevated

+6.6%p67

YoY permit change — higher = supply pressure

Permits per CapitaNeutral

3.50p44

Permits per 1,000 residents — higher = overbuilding risk

AffordabilityNeutral

0.28p45

Mortgage payment / income — higher = more burdened

EmploymentElevated

-0.6%p79

12-month employment change (risk inverted)

MigrationElevated

-$6Kp61

Net AGI migration (risk inverted)

National Context

Credit Conditions

Credit Regime

Stable—

Normal expansion. Credit is available, transactions are healthy — no constraints on current growth momentum.

Bank Lending Standards

-3.7Normal

Rate Change (YoY)

-38 bpsNormal

Mortgage Risk Premium

+199 bpsElevated

Stable for 9 quartersData through 2026-Q2

Supply Pipeline

Supply Regime

Accumulating—

Supply pipeline is building up while credit remains available. New units are accumulating in the system — watch for delivery pressure in coming quarters.

Pipeline Ratio

0.90Elevated

Completion-Permit Divergence

-5.9 ppNormal

Accumulating for 5 quartersData through 2026-Q2

Local Signals

Metro Permit Activity

Permit Activity

Normal

YoY Permit Growth

+6.6%Within norm

Raw signal — not the composite percentile

Relative to 2016–2019 norms for this metro

Supply and demand are in equilibrium. No unusual activity on either side of the market.

Employment Concentration

Employment

Concentrated

Largest SectorManufacturing 28.4%

QCEW 2024 annual averages

Internal Structure

Grand Rapids's counties diverge significantly — Ottawa County (High Risk) contrasts sharply with Montcalm County, making the metro average potentially misleading.

High20.5

5 of 5 counties scored

Grand Rapids, MI shows High internal divergence — the metro composite may obscure significant county-level differences. Ottawa County contributes the most structural risk (High Risk, driven by permits per capita), while Montcalm County anchors the lower end (Low Risk).

Within-metro factor percentiles (0 = lowest risk, 100 = highest risk)

County	Score ▼	Band	Pop %	Price	Permits	Afford
Kent County	81	High Risk	57.1%	50	100	100
Ottawa CountyRisk Driver	81	High Risk	25.9%	75	75	75
Barry County	50	Average	5.5%	100	25	50
Ionia County	19	Low Risk	5.7%	0	50	25
Montcalm CountyStabilizer	19	Low Risk	5.8%	25	0	0

Score History

Month	Phase	Score	Price	Permits	Afford	Employ	Migr
2025-12	Exp	55	68	68	47	40	61
2025-10	Rec	47	76	58	46	35	28
2025-08	Rec	51	67	58	46	65	28
2025-06	Ress	55	77	58	49	78	28
2025-04	Rec	55	66	58	49	89	28
2025-02	Ress	52	60	58	44	78	28
2024-12	Ress	52	53	58	41	89	28
2024-11	Hyp	52	59	58	41	83	28
2024-09	Ress	55	79	58	45	81	28
2024-07	Ress	56	77	58	45	90	28
2024-06	Hyp	55	82	58	47	74	28
2024-04	Hyp	54	67	58	47	80	28
2024-03	Exp	51	67	58	42	72	28
2024-02	Rec	53	80	58	42	69	28
2023-12	Rec	51	79	58	42	56	28
2023-11	Exp	48	76	58	42	46	28
2023-09	Exp	44	78	58	40	19	28
2023-07	Rec	44	71	58	40	26	28
2023-05	Rec	44	77	58	42	20	28
2023-04	Hyp	44	71	58	42	26	28
2023-02	Ress	38	40	58	37	25	28
2022-12	Ress	39	48	58	27	33	28
2022-10	Rec	43	50	58	27	51	28
2022-08	Ress	42	51	58	27	47	28
2022-06	Hyp	40	57	58	29	25	28
2022-04	Exp	39	52	58	29	26	28
2022-02	Exp	41	47	58	26	43	28
2022-01	Rec	40	55	58	26	30	28
2021-11	Rec	44	53	58	29	36	48
2021-10	Exp	46	51	58	29	48	48
2021-08	Exp	46	62	58	29	35	48
2021-05	Rec	44	80	58	30	5	48
2021-03	Rec	53	68	58	26	76	48
2021-01	Exp	53	65	58	26	78	48
2020-11	Exp	52	73	58	31	75	34
2020-10	Rec	52	74	58	31	71	34
2020-08	Rec	52	74	58	31	73	34
2020-07	Exp	52	71	58	31	80	34
2020-05	Exp	52	55	58	29	94	34
2020-04	Rec	52	57	58	29	95	34
2020-02	Rec	48	61	58	30	61	34
2019-12	Exp	50	61	58	29	63	46
2019-10	Exp	53	68	58	29	75	46
2019-09	Rec	55	83	58	30	74	46
2019-07	Rec	56	85	58	30	74	46
2019-04	Ress	53	80	58	29	65	46
2019-02	Ress	54	86	58	29	61	46
2019-01	Hyp	53	87	58	29	56	46

Data Vintages

Price (HPI)2026-Q1

Permits2026-05

Income2024

Employment2026-05

Migration2023