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Grand Rapids's neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You've got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there's a neighborhood for everyone in Grand Rapids.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Grand Rapids. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.
So the question arises, which Grand Rapids neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?
Today, we'll use science and data to determine which Grand Rapids hoods need a little tender loving care - the sore thumbs of the Grand Rapids area if you will. Realistically, you can't expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Michgan Oaks ranks way above the rest.
We examined 32 of Grand Rapids's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Grand Rapids's reputation.
The Worst Neighborhoods In Grand Rapids For 2022
So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Grand Rapids for 2022? According to the most recent census data, Black Hills looks to be the worst neighborhood in Grand Rapids.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Grand Rapids that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don't blame the messenger.
Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Grand Rapids.
For more Michigan reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Michigan
- Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan
- Most Dangerous Places in Michigan
The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Grand Rapids For 2022
/10
Population: 457
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $50,400 (worst)
Median Income: $18,681 (worst)
More on Black Hills: Data
/10
Population: 3,964
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $75,778 (5th worst)
Median Income: $30,508 (4th worst)
More on South East Community: Data
/10
Population: 3,249
Rank Last Year: 4 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $67,125 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $27,014 (2nd worst)
More on Madison Area: Data
/10
Population: 2,519
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $83,425 (6th worst)
Median Income: $33,986 (7th worst)
More on Oakdale: Data
/10
Population: 6,573
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $55,380 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $30,715 (5th worst)
More on Roosevelt Park: Data
/10
Population: 2,355
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $98,800 (12th worst)
Median Income: $32,854 (6th worst)
More on Baxter: Data
/10
Population: 761
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $95,100 (9th worst)
Median Income: $43,048 (16th worst)
More on South Hill: Data
/10
Population: 16,114
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $69,967 (4th worst)
Median Income: $35,081 (8th worst)
More on Garfield Park: Data
/10
Population: 16,104
Rank Last Year: 9 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $92,481 (8th worst)
Median Income: $36,317 (9th worst)
More on West Grand: Data
/10
Population: 2,004
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $103,225 (15th worst)
Median Income: $42,868 (15th worst)
More on Fuller Avenue: Data
Methodology: How we determined the worst Grand Rapids neighborhoods in 2022
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Grand Rapids:
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one's willing to pay to live here)
- High crime (Estimated)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a "Worst Score".
The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Grand Rapids.
Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Grand Rapids to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 32 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Grand Rapids
Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Grand Rapids with Black Hills landing at the bottom of the pack.
As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Grand Rapids aren't all bad. Michgan Oaks takes the cake as the best place to live in Grand Rapids.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Michigan reading, check out:
Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Grand Rapids For 2022?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Hills | 457 |
| 2 | South East Community | 3,964 |
| 3 | Madison Area | 3,249 |
| 4 | Oakdale | 2,519 |
| 5 | Roosevelt Park | 6,573 |
| 6 | Baxter | 2,355 |
| 7 | South Hill | 761 |
| 8 | Garfield Park | 16,114 |
| 9 | West Grand | 16,104 |
| 10 | Fuller Avenue | 2,004 |
| 11 | Swan | 4,793 |
| 12 | John Ball Park | 3,923 |
| 13 | Auburn Hill | 175 |
| 14 | South East End | 4,933 |
| 15 | Highland Park | 3,339 |
| 16 | Fulton Heights | 1,169 |
| 17 | Belknap Lookout | 4,699 |
| 18 | Heartside | 3,007 |
| 19 | Alger Heights | 4,188 |
| 20 | Eastgate | 1,783 |
| 21 | Heritage Hill | 3,370 |
| 22 | Midtown | 3,926 |
| 23 | Ottawa Hills | 794 |
| 24 | Creston | 25,177 |
| 25 | Cherry Run | 665 |
| 26 | Millbrook | 5,914 |
| 27 | Norteast Citizens Action | 10,743 |
| 28 | East Hills | 4,048 |
| 29 | Westside Connection | 11,538 |
| 30 | Eastown | 5,495 |
| 31 | Ridgemoor | 2,764 |
| 32 | Michgan Oaks | 1,776 |
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