Grand Rapids has made a TON of best of places to live lists, which makes this totally sensible. Thrillist has made their list of "Underappreciated American Cities You Should Totally Move To", and Grand Rapids is featured prominently in their list!

Taking into consideration things like population (to make sure the area isn't completely packed), cost of living, traffic, and quality of life, Grand Rapids totally deserves to be in this list. They call these "dark horse" cities, since they might not be the first ones people think of when thinking about moving to a great city.

In their article, Thrillist explains to everyone that doesn't already live here that we're 11% below the US average for cost of living, and:

"...it offers much of the art, food, and music trappings you'd find in Chicago or Detroit, only at half the price and one-quarter the commute times".

via Thrillist

Add in all the breweries in Grand Rapids, as well as the nearby beaches, and all the getaway places nearby, like Traverse City, and you have an incredibly desirable place to live! We have affordable housing, a great downtown with lots to do, "sleepy" suburbs, and everything in between.

Well, duh!

If you know people who don't live here, show them this, and tell them to get their butts out here! We're WAY better than whatever other city they might be living in!

Other cities that make the list:

  • Kansas City, Missouri
  • Chattanooga, Tennessee
  • Houston, Texas
  • Boise, Idaho
  • St. Petersburg, Florida
  • Providence, Rhode Island
  • Baltimore, Maryland
  • Greenville, South Carolina
  • San Diego, California
  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Gulfport, Mississippi
  • Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Fayetteville/Bentonville, Arkansas
  • Des Moines, Iowa
  • Birmingham, Alabama

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