Big Rapids City is a city in Mecosta County, Michigan, home to about 8,477 people across 4.5 square miles. Its ZIP code is 49307.
Homes sold for a median of $157 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Big Rapids City; also Big Rapids Charter Township and Green Charter Township
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Big Rapids City. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Big Rapids City’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR)56 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Milwaukee, WI132 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL170 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Big Rapids City; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Big Rapids City had 7,727 residents in the 2020 census, down 29% since 2000.
It’s the 234th largest of 1,531 towns in Michigan by population.
Mecosta County grew from 20,693 residents in 1900 to 39,714 in 2020.
Mecosta County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 81°F in summer, and winter lows average 12°F. About 38.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 61 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Big Rapids Wtp, MI weather station (about a mile away).
9,425 jobs at 727 businesses in Mecosta County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
304 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Big Rapids City.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 27 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 31 |
| Dentists | 17 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 58 |
| Mental health providers | 76 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 31 |
| Optometrists | 58 |
| Chiropractors | 6 |
| Pharmacies | 8 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (14 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1855.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Big Rapids Public Schools, Mecosta-Osceola ISD, Crossroads Charter Academy. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookside Elementary SchoolBig Rapids | Pre-K–4 | 336 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| EarlyOnBig Rapids | Pre-K | — | Special Education | 0.9 mi |
| Eastwood ElementaryBig Rapids | Pre-K–K | 209 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| MecostaOsceola Education CenterBig Rapids | Pre-K–12 | 121 | Special Education | 0.9 mi |
| Big Rapids Virtual SchoolBig Rapids | K–12 | 115 | Alternative Education | 1.7 mi |
| Crossroads Charter AcademyBig Rapids | K–12 | 117 | Charter | 0.7 mi |
| Crossroads Charter Academy K5Big Rapids | K–5 | 103 | Charter | 0.8 mi |
| Riverview Elementary SchoolBig Rapids | K–4 | 346 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Big Rapids Middle SchoolBig Rapids | 5–8 | 644 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Big Rapids High SchoolBig Rapids | 9–12 | 755 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| MecostaOsceola Career CenterBig Rapids | 11–12 | — | Career and Technical | 1.0 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Mary Catholic SchoolBig Rapids | Pre-K–8 | 113 | Roman Catholic | 1.4 mi |
| St Peters Lutheran SchoolBig Rapids | Pre-K–8 | 70 | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod | 1.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Big Rapids Charter Township, Green Charter Township, Colfax Township (Mecosta County), Mecosta, Grant Township (Mecosta County) and Norwich Township (Newaygo County).
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.