What it's like to live in Holland
Holland is a small city in Michigan with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Holland deals with cold winters, heavy snowfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 75" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Holland compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Holland
Based on Holland's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,386
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $47,720 a year
- 48% of Holland renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$50,440
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $25,220
- Homes cost 3.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 16% below US
$1,193/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,193 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $252,200. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $252,200 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 40% below US
2.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.6%, well below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 11% below US
293 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1029/100k · Holland Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 35% below US
17 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 16.8 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 22°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 5.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
36% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 36% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Indiana Dunes National Park (93 miles away).
Bottom line
Holland's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and heavy snowfall. A year of median rent ($1,193/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Holland
All Michigan guides →Not sure Holland is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.