Kent County, Michigan: commercial real estate data.
Kent County, Michigan has a population of 663,150 across 847 square miles, up 2.3 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $60.32 bn in 2024, 17,799 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 1,511 7(a) approvals worth $482.6 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Kent County
How many people live in Kent County
- Population663,150
- Households256,648
- Average household size2.58
- Median household income$82,631
- Median age35.9
- Median gross rent$1,243 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$289,900
- Home value to household income3.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher40.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over445,698
- Population under 18155,818
- Share under 1823.5 percent
- Population 65 and over98,825
- Share 65 and over14.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64408,507
- Civilian labor force361,246
- Unemployment rate4.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over71.2 percent
- Rank by population among Michigan counties4th of 83
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents105th
Kent County is the 4th largest of 83 Michigan counties by population. A median home costs 3.5 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.5 percent against 14.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Kent County
Is Kent County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.28 percent
- Census 2020 base population657,980
- Births, 20247,888
- Deaths, 20244,786
- Natural change, 20243,102
- Net domestic migration, 2024-1,019
- Net international migration, 20245,791
- Total net migration, 20244,772
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-9,959
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1081st
The county has grown 2.28 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Kent County
Where people moving to Kent County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving14,398
- People arriving, from those returns22,962
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.21 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$84,215
- Largest single originKent County Non-migrants (258,432 households)
- Largest single destination (258,432 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County Non-migrants | 258,432 | 523,490 | $25.60 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 2,732 | 4,795 | $217.2 m |
| Ottawa County | 2,293 | 3,547 | $138.9 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,086 | 1,949 | $73.7 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 673 | 1,154 | $61.0 m |
| Allegan County | 606 | 1,028 | $35.6 m |
| Other flows - West | 546 | 958 | $50.5 m |
| Kalamazoo County | 492 | 675 | $28.2 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Kent County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Kent County
What the Kent County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$60.32 bn
- County GDP, 2023$57.71 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.5 percent
- GDP change over five years33.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among Michigan counties3rd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents99th
- GDP per resident$90,954
Output grew 4.5 percent in the latest year and 33.2 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Kent County
Who employs people in Kent County
- Covered employment, annual average415,565
- Establishments reporting17,705
- Average annual pay$62,288
- Average weekly wage$1,198
- Sector 62, employment67,987
- Sector 62, average annual pay$67,366
- Sector 31-33, employment62,796
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$76,496
- Sector 56, employment48,794
- Sector 56, average annual pay$34,367
- Sector 44-45, employment34,924
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$41,636
- Sector 72, employment31,658
- Sector 42, employment27,544
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 67,987 | 1,901 | $67,366 |
| Sector 31-33 | 62,796 | 1,281 | $76,496 |
| Sector 56 | 48,794 | 1,018 | $34,367 |
| Sector 44-45 | 34,924 | 1,884 | $41,636 |
| Sector 72 | 31,658 | 1,354 | $26,257 |
| Sector 42 | 27,544 | 942 | $82,540 |
| Sector 23 | 20,290 | 1,622 | $81,405 |
| Sector 54 | 19,530 | 2,017 | $98,202 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 67,987 jobs, 16.4 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Kent County
What businesses operate in Kent County
- Establishments, all industries17,799
- Employment at those establishments384,635
- Annual payroll$23.00 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents26.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Kent County
What is being built in Kent County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20242,090
- Declared construction value permitted$612.1 m
- Single family units authorised1,141
- Multifamily units authorised949
- Multifamily share of units45.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$292,874
- Units authorised per 1,000 households8.1
Multifamily is 45.4 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Kent County
How much SBA lending happens in Kent County
- 7(a) approvals recorded1,511
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$482.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$319,398
- Median 7(a) approval$96,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$830,800
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)11,676
- Jobs per approval7.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active84
- Distinct industries receiving approvals293
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer5.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms89
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter1,362
- Franchise loans149
- Franchise share of approvals9.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (225)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (983)
- 504 approvals recorded426
- 504 gross approval dollars$271.3 m
- Average 504 approval$636,852
- Median 504 approval$438,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval9.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved15.2
- Most active CDCGreat Lakes Commercial Finance (289)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals78.0 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$753.9 m
The average approval of $319,398 sits well above the median of $96,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 5.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Kent County
Do SBA loans in Kent County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded351
- Paid in full339
- Charged off12
- Charge off rate on resolved loans3.4 percent
- Status: Paid in full339
- Status: Exempt from disclosure902
- Status: Cancelled176
- Status: Charged off12
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed82
| NAICS | Industry | Resolved loans | Charged off | Charge off rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 484121 | General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload | 90 | 1 | 1.1% |
| 484110 | General Freight Trucking, Local | 29 | 1 | 3.4% |
| 236118 | Residential Remodelers | 11 | 0 | 0.0% |
| 722511 | Full-Service Restaurants | 10 | 1 | 10.0% |
Of the 351 loans that have reached a final outcome, 3.4 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong. Among industries with at least ten resolved loans, Full-Service Restaurants carries the highest charge off rate at 10.0 percent.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Kent County
Which parts of Kent County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending32
- Grand Rapids, approvals839
- WYOMING, approvals115
- Kentwood, approvals82
- CALEDONIA, approvals63
- Grandville, approvals62
- Byron Center, approvals60
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | 839 | $298,360,800 |
| WYOMING | 115 | $44,603,700 |
| Kentwood | 82 | $9,065,300 |
| CALEDONIA | 63 | $9,757,400 |
| Grandville | 62 | $15,419,400 |
| Byron Center | 60 | $15,240,700 |
| ROCKFORD | 58 | $23,401,700 |
| Comstock Park | 46 | $13,988,200 |
Grand Rapids accounts for 839 approvals against 115 in WYOMING. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Kent County
How big is Kent County
- Land area847 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Michigan counties16th of 83
- Width, east to west24.3 mi
- Height, north to south36.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land783
- Establishments per square mile21.01
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Kent County
What hazards affect Kent County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book28
- Of those, participating in the NFIP19
- NFIP participation rate67.9 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 9
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 9, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Kent County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Kent County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population663,150
- Households256,648
- Average household size2.58
- Median household income$82,631
- Median age35.9
Common questions
Kent County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Kent County, Michigan?
663,150, in 256,648 households, ranking 4th of 83 Michigan counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Kent County growing?
The population has grown 2.28 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 7,888 births against 4,786 deaths, with net migration of 4,772. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Kent County?
$82,631. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $289,900, which is 3.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,243 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Kent County?
17,799 establishments, employing 384,635 people with an annual payroll of $23.00 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Kent County?
Average annual pay is $62,288, or $1,198 a week, across 415,565 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Kent County?
1,511 7(a) approvals totalling $482.6 m since FY2020, across 84 lenders, with a median approval of $96,000, plus 426 504 approvals worth $271.3 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Kent County get paid back?
Of the 351 loans that have reached a final outcome, 339 were paid in full and 12 charged off, a charge off rate of 3.4 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Kent County?
2,090 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $612.1 m. Multifamily was 45.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Kent County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Kent County come from?
The largest single origin is Kent County Non-migrants, with 258,432 households. Arriving households report an average income of $84,215 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Kent County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Kent County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.