North End
Easy outdoor access
16 homes for sale·Median $315K·Walkability 4.6/10·Schools 4.8/10
The daily rhythm here moves differently than it does downtown—you're ten minutes from Grand Rapids proper, but that stretch makes all the difference. Plainfield Avenue cuts diagonally through the neighborhood like the spine of something purposeful, lined with the kind of businesses that feel rooted: a brewery housed in a 1929 Art Deco building that used to be a furniture store, restaurants and cafes dense enough that you can walk out your door and land at a table within steps. The neighborhood itself is enormous—about 1,300 acres, making it the largest in the city—but it reads intimate because the bones are from the 1890s, when factory foremen and business owners built brick homes on modest lots and decided this was where they wanted to stay. Homes here run around $300K, and the stocky ranch houses and brick construction give the streets a settled, unpretentious feel. Riverside Park anchors the eastern edge with over 100 acres and direct access to the Grand River, the kind of anchor that shapes how people actually spend their weekends. What makes the North End unmissable, though, is the North Quarter Mural Tour—20-plus large-scale murals scattered across the neighborhood's walls, the work of artists who decided this was the place to paint. It's the visual signature that catches you: suddenly you round a corner and there's a five-story figure or a geometric sprawl across a building side, reminding you that something deliberate is happening here.
Why people love it here
Park-rich area
- 25 parks within 1 mile
- Unnamed bike_path: 2 min walk
- Huff Park Trail: 2 min walk
$315K median
- 110 sales in last 12mo
Center for Economicology
- Middle — 1.6 mi away
- Grand Rapids
- 9 rated schools in district
Notable nearby
Conventional Mortgage Calculator
Median home price in North End
Estimated Monthly Payment
$2,138/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.
110 homes sold in North End this year. Thinking of selling?
See what your home is worthFlood Risk
None
Not in flood zone
Nearest Park
Huff Park
0.3 mi
Parks Nearby
25
within 1 mile
Based on 13 rated schools nearby
Range: 2/10 to 8/10
School District: Grand Rapids Public Schools
Walkability
Fair
Overall walkability score out of 10
Based on actual walk/bike/drive times to nearby amenities via Mapbox
bp
Little Caesars
Kobold's Kitchen
+1 more
Tap
+1 more
Huff Park
Huff Park Playground
Soft Water Lake
+1 more
Lamberton Lake Fen Nature Preserve Beach
Huff Park Short/Long Loop
dog_park
Unnamed bike_path
Comstock Riverside Park Launch
Fitness 19
Fuller/Aberdeen (NB)
+1 more
Walgreens
Van Belkum Branch
+1 more
daycare
Celebration! Cinema North
Crime in North End 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 North End home (around $315,000) at today's 6.49% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, you'd need roughly $56k/year in household income to qualify — an estimated monthly payment of $2,095 (principal, interest, property tax est., and insurance).
| Down payment | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|
| 20% | $2,095/mo | $55,871 |
| 10% (+PMI) | $2,412/mo | $64,325 |
| 5% (+PMI) | $2,518/mo | $67,152 |
Estimates use a 6.49% 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.
Land for sale
Listings
1 parcel
Active / pending
Median Price
$160K
Per listing
Who actually lends in North End, and how homes here are financed — from 2024 federal mortgage records.
Loans to buy a home
Most active lenders
Homeowners refinancing an existing mortgage
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.
Neighborhood Association
Creston Neighborhood Association
Long-running north-side association (roots to 1906) serving Creston and its business district.
Source: nabooklet2020
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
~$877/yr in electricity from a typical rooftop solar system
Produces ~6,399 kWh/yr · offsets ~61% of a typical home's use
Municipal / public water
Based on assessor parcel records
Municipal sewer
Based on assessor parcel records
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 North End 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(28)
bp
Grocery Store
Rancho Bonito Supermarket MI
Grocery Store
Ken's Fruit Market
Grocery Store
+25 more within 5 miles
🍕 Restaurants(10)
Fast Food
Mr fry fish and chicken
Restaurant
616 Batter Mix
Restaurant
Carlo’s Pizza Plainfield Ave
Restaurant
Restaurant
+5 more within 5 miles
☕ Coffee(19)
+16 more within 5 miles
🍺 Bars(14)
Tap
Bar
Switchback Gear Exchange - Bicycle Shop serving Kava & Beer
Bar
Cesars Pub
Pub
+11 more within 5 miles
🏫 Schools(30)
+25 more within 5 miles
💪 Gyms(13)
Fitness 19
Fitness Center
Fitness Center at Leffingwell Ave & 3 Mile Rd
Fitness Center
The Loading Dock
Fitness Center
+10 more within 5 miles
🐕 Dog Parks(7)
Dog Park in North End
Dog Park
Dog Park in Northeast
Dog Park
Dog Park in Celadon New Town Residential
Dog Park
+4 more within 5 miles
🚴 Trails(6)
+3 more within 5 miles
⛵ Boat Launches(4)
Boat Launch
Boat Launch
Boat Launch
+1 more within 5 miles
🚌 Transit(30)
Transit Stop
Transit Stop
Transit Stop
+27 more within 5 miles
💊 Pharmacies(13)
+10 more within 5 miles
👶 Childcare(3)
Tutor Time on Grand Ridge Drive
Childcare Center
Children's Choice Learning Center at Spectrum Health Child Development Center
Childcare Center
Childcare Center
📚 Libraries(11)
+8 more within 5 miles
⚡ EV Charging(3)
Unnamed ev_charging
EV Charging
Unnamed ev_charging
EV Charging
EV Charging
Frequently asked about North End
- What do homes cost in North End?
- The median home value in North End is about $315,000. Individual prices vary by street, size, and condition.
- How active is the North End housing market?
- there are 16 homes for sale in North End right now, and 110 homes sold here in the last 12 months. Listings refresh throughout the day from the MichRIC MLS.
- What schools serve North End?
- North End is served by Grand Rapids Public Schools. Its highest-rated assigned school is Center for Economicology (8/10).
- Is North End walkable?
- North End scores 4.6/10 for walkability — a measure of walking, biking, and driving access to groceries, dining, parks, schools, and transit.
