44th St & Shaffer Ave Area

Driving through 44th and Shaffer feels like moving through the commercial spine of Kentwood—you're surrounded by restaurants, grocery stores, and transit stops that are basically within arm's reach, which means errands don't require a road trip. The neighborhood itself spans 1,164 acres of traditional homes that run around $365K, and you're positioned about 20 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids or 10 minutes from Gerald R. Ford International Airport if you're the type who needs either of those things regularly. With 90 restaurants and 60 grocery stores within a couple of miles, the area punches well above its weight for access—the kind of place where you can grab lunch in any direction without much deliberation. Kentwood Public Schools serves the area, and despite the commercial density along the main corridors, the residential blocks maintain their own quiet rhythm.