CostIndexUSA

College Station, TX vs Grand Rapids, MI Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableTX
College Station
91
overall index
$1,700/mo rent
MI
Grand Rapids
95.5
overall index
$1,650/mo rent

College Station is slightly cheaper than Grand Rapids — 4.9% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in College Station, you would need $84,000 in Grand Rapids. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+15.3%
College Station
75.1
Grand Rapids
86.6
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
College Station
93.8
Grand Rapids
93.7
🚗 Transportation+3.4%
College Station
101.1
Grand Rapids
104.5
🏥 Healthcare+3.5%
College Station
91.4
Grand Rapids
94.6
Utilities+11.1%
College Station
84.4
Grand Rapids
93.8

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in College Station to see what you'd need to earn in Grand Rapids to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Grand Rapids, MI
$84,000
$4,000 more needed in Grand Rapids

Formula: salary × (95.5 ÷ 91) = salary × 1.0495. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

College Station, TX

Median Home Price
$301,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
75.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

Grand Rapids, MI

Median Home Price
$339,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,650
Housing Index
86.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.1×

Grand Rapids has 15.3% higher housing costs compared to College Station.

Income & Job Market

College Station, TX

Median Household Income
$54,700
Per Capita Income
$31,200
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Population
120,511
Top Industries
EducationTechnologyHealthcareGovernmentResearch

Grand Rapids, MI

Median Household Income
$78,000
Per Capita Income
$44,500
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Population
198,917
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareFinanceEducationTechnology

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

College Station, TX
2.7×income-to-rent ratio

63% of income left after rent (median)

Grand Rapids, MI
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.