with $100k coming in, swapping out of Roanoke
changea dispatch from
grand rapids
MI
42.96°N
85.67°W
Grand Rapids has won Beer City USA multiple times, hosts ArtPrize (one of the world's largest open art competitions every fall), and built itself on furniture (Steelcase, Herman Miller). The Frederik Meijer Sculpture Park is a sleeper world-class attraction. Downtown is walkable, the surrounding farmland is gorgeous in autumn, and Lake Michigan beaches are 30 minutes west. Quietly excellent.
the verdict
more expensive each month than Roanoke
A small premium for Grand Rapids. Worth it only if the rest of the city earns it back.
a quick ledger.
$1,620/mo
17% more expensive than Roanoke(vs $1,382/mo)
4.25%
$125/mo less in state tax than Roanoke
vs 5.75% in Roanoke
$6,359/mo
$113 less than Roanoke
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$353k
19% more expensive than Roanoke
vs $296k in Roanoke
1.2M
vs 314k in Roanoke
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in grand rapids.
Roanoke actually gets more: 179 pleasant days a year. Cold snaps are part of the year: 50 days below 20° here, 21 in Roanoke.
A month here packs 5.8× the events of Roanoke.
56/100
19% lower than Roanoke
vs 69/100 in Roanoke
Closest outdoor draw: White Pine Trail State Park, 5.4 mi.
97/100
3% higher than Roanoke
vs 94/100 in Roanoke
20
122% more than Roanoke
vs 9 nonstops in Roanoke
if grand rapids appeals, also worth a look:
