01 · the cities
Grand Rapids
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.
full dispatch→South Bend
South Bend is Notre Dame, the Golden Dome, and the Touchdown Jesus mural visible from the football stadium. The St. Joseph River runs through downtown, and the East Bank district has the food and bar scene. The University of Notre Dame campus is genuinely beautiful (the basilica, the lakes, the grottos). Smaller than its national reputation suggests, with a steady college-town pulse.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,620/mo
$1,391/mo
$229/mo less than Grand Rapids (16%)
Median home price
Median home price
$353k
$230k
$122k less than Grand Rapids
State income tax
State income tax
4.3%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,359/mo
$6,692/mo
South Bend has $333/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
151 days
157 days
6 more than Grand Rapids
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
50 days
40 days
days below 20°F per year
Grand Rapids drops below 20°F on 10 more days per year than South Bend.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
56 / 100
53 / 100
3.0 pts behind Grand Rapids
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
20 routes
9 routes
11 fewer direct routes than Grand Rapids
Metro size
Metro size
1.2M metro
324k metro
Grand Rapids has 4.1x more events per month than South Bend.
the verdict
2
Grand Rapids
categories won
6
South Bend
categories won
South Bend wins on money and weather. Grand Rapids has the edge on lifestyle.
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