Alger Heights
Urban energy, solid value
Median $325K·Walkability 7.9/10·Schools 3.6/10
The commercial strip runs along Eastern Avenue SE where it crosses Alger Street, a compact node rather than a long avenue of storefronts. It dates to 1946, built to serve the wave of houses that went up nearby in the early 1940s, and the original tenant list read like a small town's main street: Mersman's Super Market at 2420 Eastern, De Waard Jeweler, Alger Heights Hardware, Anton's Soda & Grill, Polly Anna Pastry, a barbershop. Some of that bones-of-the-place continuity survives in the buildings themselves. Ken's Fruit Market, a specialty grocer, opened in 2010 in the former Mersman's grocery space, keeping a food anchor on the same corner it held decades earlier. The current mix runs to independents you can reach on foot from one another: Brass Ring Brewing, The Old Goat and Making Thyme Kitchen on the food-and-drink side, Sip Coffee & Cocktails for the caffeine-to-cocktail arc of a day, and Heights Cream nearby for dessert. A branch library sits within the same walkable cluster. The scale is the defining trait, storefronts close together, parking modest, the whole district legible in a short stroll rather than a drive. The neighborhood association treats the corridor as its front porch, folding it into events and advocacy, and the annual Halloween 5K/10K and other gatherings tend to orbit these blocks. For the residential streets and parks that surround the strip, see the Alger Heights neighborhood page.
Why people love it here
Walkability
Good
Overall walkability score out of 10
Based on actual walk/bike/drive times to nearby amenities via Mapbox
$325K median
- 23 sales in last 12mo
Park-rich area
- 70 parks within 1 mile
- Unnamed park: 4 min walk
- Underground Trail (MTB): 13 min walk
Explore Alger Heights
Same name, different focus — Alger Heights is also covered as:
- Alger Heights Neighborhood — the neighborhood — homes for sale and what it's like to live there
- Alger Heights Association — the neighborhood association — community events, meetings, and who represents the area
Conventional Mortgage Calculator
Median home price in Alger Heights
Estimated Monthly Payment
$2,206/mo
Property tax and insurance are estimates you can edit — not a quote. Tap either figure to enter your own.
The interest rate shown is not an annual percentage rate (APR). Rate displayed is the current average 30-year fixed rate from the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey and is subject to change without notice. Your actual rate, payment, and costs may vary. Contact a loan officer for a personalized quote.
Guild Mortgage NMLS #3274. Equal Housing Opportunity. NMLS Consumer Access. Not a commitment to lend. All loans subject to underwriter approval; terms and conditions may apply. Subject to change without notice. Always consult an accountant or tax advisor for full eligibility requirements on tax deduction.
23 homes sold in Alger Heights this year. Thinking of selling?
See what your home is worthKen's Fruit Market
+1 more
Tacontento Taqueria
Sip Coffee and Cocktails
The Brass Ring
Unnamed park
Alger Community Playground
Fisk Lake
Unnamed beach
Underground Trail (MTB)
Hillcrest Dog Park
Unnamed bike path
Butterworth Park Launch
Blue's Gym
Eastern/Alger (NB)
+1 more
Walgreens
Seymour Library
+1 more
My Little Munchkins Childcare Learning Center
Wealthy Theater
Based on 19 rated schools nearby
Range: 1/10 to 8/10
School District: Grand Rapids Public Schools
Crime in Alger Heights is reported at the city level, not the neighborhood level. The FBI doesn't publish reliable crime rates for individual neighborhoods, and within any community crime varies street to street. For an accurate, comparable picture, see the jurisdiction-wide figures for Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids crime & safety stats →To buy a median-priced Alger Heights home (around $325,000) at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, you'd need roughly $58k/year in household income to qualify — an estimated monthly payment of $2,191 (principal, interest, property tax est., and insurance).
| Down payment | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|
| 20% | $2,191/mo | $58,422 |
| 10% (+PMI) | $2,522/mo | $67,242 |
| 5% (+PMI) | $2,633/mo | $70,207 |
Estimates use a 6.66% 30-year fixed rate (current Freddie Mac average), an aggressive ~45% housing-to-income ratio (roughly what FHA underwriting can allow for a buyer with no other monthly debts — your number depends on your debts and credit), this area's median sale price, plus estimated insurance and PMI below 20% down. Not a commitment to lend, and not an APR — your actual rate and payment will vary.
Who actually lends in Alger Heights, and how homes here are financed — from 2024 federal mortgage records.
Loans to buy a home
Most active lenders
Source: 2024 HMDA (CFPB/FFIEC). Neighborhood figures are area-weighted estimates from census-tract data; loan amounts are rounded and all-cash purchases are excluded.
Association and local-government details are compiled from public records, municipal sites, and state registries, and can change. Confirm directly with the association or municipality before relying on them.
Solar potential
~$884/yr in electricity from a typical rooftop solar system
Produces ~6,451 kWh/yr · offsets ~61% of a typical home's use
City of Grand Rapids Water System
Regional water provider serving ~280,000 across Kent and Ottawa counties.
City of Grand Rapids Environmental Services (Water Resource Recovery Facility)
WRRF treats ~40 MGD of wastewater.
City of Grand Rapids Refuse & Recycling
City-run refuse/recycling cart program for residents.
Consumers Energy Co · ~13.7¢/kWh
Investor-owned utility serving the region.
Confirm by addressDTE Energy
DTE Gas serves much of Grand Rapids natural gas; verify by address.
Confirm by addressServices for Grand Rapids · Source: grandrapidsmi.gov
Utility, solar, and service details for Alger Heights are compiled from public records, municipal sites, and NREL / U.S. data.gov, and can change. Electric/gas can vary by address — confirm with the provider before relying on them.
🛒 Grocery(29)
Grocery Store
Safari Supermarket Llc
Grocery Store
Spice of India
Grocery Store
+26 more within 5 miles
🍕 Restaurants(12)
Restaurant
Tacontento Taqueria
Restaurant
Real Food Cafe
Restaurant
Making Thyme Kitchen
Restaurant
JB's Pizza Parlor
Restaurant
+7 more within 5 miles
☕ Coffee(18)
+15 more within 5 miles
🍺 Bars(17)
+14 more within 5 miles
🏫 Schools(26)
School
Ottawa Hills High School
School
School
Dickinson School
+21 more within 5 miles
💪 Gyms(12)
Blue's Gym
Fitness Center
Fitness Center
Fitness Center
+9 more within 5 miles
🐕 Dog Parks(5)
Wyoming Dog Park Dog Park
Dog Park
Dog Park in Kragt Plat Area
Dog Park
Hillcrest Dog Park
Dog Park
+2 more within 5 miles
🚴 Trails(4)
+1 more within 5 miles
⛵ Boat Launches(1)
Boat Launch
🚌 Transit(30)
Transit Stop
Transit Stop
Transit Stop
+27 more within 5 miles
💊 Pharmacies(13)
+10 more within 5 miles
👶 Childcare(3)
🏥 Hospitals(5)
+2 more within 5 miles
📚 Libraries(11)
+8 more within 5 miles
Atlas — Grand Rapids Real Estate
Local real estate specialists
Questions about Alger Heights? Our team can help with availability, schools, and what it's really like to live here.
Frequently asked about Alger Heights
- What do homes cost in Alger Heights?
- The median home value in Alger Heights is about $325,000. Individual prices vary by street, size, and condition.
- How active is the Alger Heights housing market?
- there are 3 homes for sale in Alger Heights right now, and 23 homes sold here in the last 12 months. Listings refresh throughout the day from the MichRIC MLS.
- What schools serve Alger Heights?
- Alger Heights is served by Grand Rapids Public Schools. Its highest-rated assigned school is City MiddleHigh (8/10).
- Is Alger Heights walkable?
- Alger Heights scores 7.9/10 for walkability — a measure of walking, biking, and driving access to groceries, dining, parks, schools, and transit.
Top contributors in Alger Heights
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