Kent County, Michigan: the new-homeowner guide
Kent County is the heart of West Michigan: about 660,000 residents anchored by Grand Rapids, the state's second-largest city, ringed by close-in suburbs like Wyoming, Kentwood, and East Grand Rapids and river towns like Rockford and Lowell. It pairs a working downtown (healthcare, manufacturing, and the Beer City craft scene) with some of the most livable neighborhoods in the Midwest. This is Priority Home Mortgage's home turf, and this guide covers what actually needs doing after you get the keys.
Covers Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood, Walker, Grandville, East Grand Rapids, Rockford, Lowell, Cedar Springs, Caledonia, Byron Center, Comstock Park, Ada, Forest Hills, Sparta. County seat: Grand Rapids.
Setting up your utilities
Electric
Consumers Energy serves nearly all of Kent County; the City of Lowell runs its own municipal electric utility.
| Provider | Serves | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Consumers Energy | Most of Kent County | (800) 477-5050 |
| Lowell Light & Power | City of Lowell and portions of Lowell and Vergennes townships | (616) 897-8402 |
Natural gas
DTE supplies natural gas to most of the Grand Rapids area, so confirm your exact address with the provider when you start service.
| Provider | Serves | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| DTE Energy (DTE Gas) | Most of Kent County, including the Grand Rapids metro | (800) 477-4747 |
Water & sewer
Water and sewer are run city by city (Grand Rapids and Wyoming are the two regional systems), and many outlying townships are on private wells and septic.
| Provider | Serves | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids Water System | City of Grand Rapids plus several surrounding communities (regional provider) | (616) 456-3000 |
| City of Wyoming Utilities | City of Wyoming; also supplies water wholesale to Kentwood and other neighboring communities | See website |
| City of Kentwood Water & Sewer | City of Kentwood | (616) 554-0734 |
| City of East Grand Rapids Water | City of East Grand Rapids | See website |
Trash & recycling
Inside Grand Rapids the city runs a pay-as-you-throw cart service; most suburbs and townships are subscription-based, so you pick your own hauler.
| Provider | Serves | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| City of Grand Rapids Waste Services | City of Grand Rapids (pay-per-tip refuse, recycling, and yard-waste carts) | (616) 456-3000 |
| Republic Services | Suburbs and townships across Kent County | See website |
| GFL Environmental | Suburbs and townships across Kent County | See website |
| Arrowaste | Residential routes across Kent, Ottawa, and Allegan counties | (616) 748-1955 |
Internet & cable
Availability varies block by block, so run an address check with each provider before scheduling installs.
| Provider | Serves | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Xfinity (Comcast) | Most of the county (cable, widest coverage) | See website |
| AT&T Fiber | Much of Grand Rapids and the inner suburbs (fiber) | See website |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | Countywide where 5G coverage allows (fixed wireless) | See website |
| Verizon Home Internet (5G Home) | Parts of the Grand Rapids metro (fixed wireless) | See website |
Your first-month checklist
- Transfer utilities before closing day. Consumers Energy (electric) and DTE (gas) both handle start/transfer requests online or by phone; give them a week's notice. In Grand Rapids, water bills follow the property, so call 311 (or (616) 456-3000) to get the account moved into your name.
- File your USPS change of address. Do it online at usps.com a week or two before the move so forwarding starts on day one. Forwarding runs 12 months for first-class mail, so use that window to update banks, insurers, and subscriptions.
- Update your driver's license and vehicle registration. Michigan law gives you 10 days after moving to update your address with the Secretary of State. The address change is free and takes minutes online at Michigan.gov/SOS, with no office visit needed.
- Check your voter registration. In Michigan, updating your driver's license address with the SOS updates your voter registration automatically. Confirm your new precinct and ballot status at the state's Voter Information site before the next election.
- File your Principal Residence Exemption (PRE). Michigan's PRE exempts your primary home from up to 18 mills of school operating tax, which is real money every year. File Form 2368 with your city or township assessor: by June 1 to get it on that year's summer bill, or by November 1 for the winter bill. It's often handled at closing, but verify it actually got filed.
- Learn the property tax rhythm. Kent County communities bill twice a year: summer taxes (the larger bill) go out around July 1 and winter taxes around December 1. If your lender escrows, they pay it, but check your first statements to make sure the escrow and PRE are set up right.
- Set up trash and recycling carts. In Grand Rapids, request city carts and fund your pay-as-you-throw account through 311; carts go out no earlier than 7 PM the night before pickup. In the suburbs and townships, call a hauler (Republic, GFL, Arrowaste) to start a subscription, and ask neighbors who serves your street.
- Enroll the kids in school. Kent County has 20 public districts coordinated by Kent ISD, plus strong charter and private options. Your address sets your default district; Schools of Choice application windows are typically in late spring, so plan ahead if you want a neighboring district.
- License your dog. Kent County requires a license for every dog 4 months and older, tied to a current rabies vaccine, within 30 days of acquiring the dog or moving in. Buy one online through the Kent County Animal Shelter, at the County Treasurer, or from participating vets.
Places worth seeing
- Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. 158 acres of gardens, a tropical conservatory, and one of the world's most-visited sculpture collections, plus a summer outdoor concert series locals plan around.
- Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. The presidential museum and burial site of Grand Rapids' own Gerald R. Ford, on the west bank of the Grand River downtown.
- John Ball Zoo. A hillside zoo on Fulton Street with animals from around the world, a zipline and ropes course, and seasonal events like Twilight Tours.
- Grand Rapids Public Museum. Three floors of West Michigan history and science on the river, home to a working 1928 carousel and a planetarium.
- Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM). The downtown art museum on Monroe Center: rotating exhibitions, a strong design collection, and the world's first LEED Gold certified art museum building.
- Blandford Nature Center. 264 acres of trails, wildlife education, and a working farm on the city's northwest side, a favorite for families year-round.
- Fallasburg Park & Covered Bridge. An 1871 covered bridge over the Flat River near Lowell, one of Michigan's last covered bridges still open to car traffic, inside a 336-acre county park.
Things to do year-round
- ArtPrize. The international art competition that takes over downtown Grand Rapids every fall: hundreds of venues, free to walk, nearly a million visitors. The 2026 edition runs September 18 to October 3.
- Beer City Ale Trail. Grand Rapids has been voted Beer City USA repeatedly for a reason: 35+ craft breweries on one trail, with a passport app that earns you free gear for checking in.
- Fulton Street Farmers Market. The area's oldest farmers market, running since 1922: produce, meat, baked goods, and art from West Michigan growers and makers.
- Millennium Park. One of the nation's largest urban parks: 1,400 acres across Walker, Grand Rapids, Grandville, and Wyoming with a six-acre beach, splashpad, boat rentals, and 18 miles of trails.
- Fred Meijer White Pine Trail. A 92-mile paved rail-trail that starts in Comstock Park and runs north through Rockford and Cedar Springs all the way to Cadillac. Bike, run, or ski it.
- West Michigan Whitecaps at LMCU Ballpark. Minor-league baseball in Comstock Park all summer: cheap seats, famous ballpark food, and Friday fireworks. The Whitecaps are the Tigers' High-A affiliate.
- Grand Rapids Griffins hockey. The AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings plays October through spring at Van Andel Arena downtown, a legitimately loud building on weekend nights.
- Cannonsburg Ski Area. Kent County's home hill in Belmont: skiing, snowboarding, and tubing 20 minutes from downtown, with mountain biking in the summer.
- Downtown Rockford & the Rogue River. A classic river-town main street on the White Pine Trail: shops, restaurants, the dam overlook, and salmon runs in the fall.
Moving to Kent County: common questions
How do property taxes work in Kent County?
You'll get two bills a year: a summer bill issued around July 1 (the larger of the two) and a winter bill around December 1, both from your city or township treasurer. If the home is your primary residence, make sure the Principal Residence Exemption is on file; it exempts you from up to 18 mills of school operating tax. If your mortgage escrows taxes, your servicer pays the bills, but the PRE filing is still on you.
What is the Michigan Principal Residence Exemption and when do I file it?
The PRE (Form 2368) tells your assessor the home is your primary residence, exempting it from up to 18 mills of local school operating tax. File with your city or township assessor by June 1 to have it apply to that year's summer tax bill, or by November 1 for the winter bill. It's commonly filed as part of closing paperwork, but confirm with the assessor that it was actually recorded, because a missed PRE is one of the most common (and expensive) new-homeowner surprises in Michigan.
What order should I set up utilities in?
Start with electric (Consumers Energy) and gas (DTE) about a week before closing; both transfer online in minutes. Water and sewer come next: in Grand Rapids call 311 to move the account, and in Wyoming, Kentwood, or East Grand Rapids contact that city's utility office. Internet installs can have a lead time of a week or more, so book that early; trash service can wait until you're in.
Am I required to shovel my sidewalk in the winter?
In the City of Grand Rapids, yes: the ordinance gives you 24 hours after the snow stops to clear your sidewalks, and the city can charge a $95 administrative fee plus labor if it has to clear them for you after notice. Most other Kent County cities have similar rules with different clocks, so check your own city's ordinance. A good snow blower is a legitimate West Michigan homeownership expense; the county averages 70+ inches a year.
When is the best time to buy a home in West Michigan?
Inventory peaks from April through early summer, which means the most choice but also the most competition; well-priced Kent County homes routinely draw multiple offers in spring. Late fall and winter bring fewer listings but more negotiating room and faster closings. Grand Rapids consistently ranks among the tighter housing markets in the country, so being pre-approved before you shop matters more here than timing the season.
Where do I go for county-level services?
Almost everything routes through kentcountymi.gov: the County Clerk for records like deeds and vital documents, the Treasurer for delinquent taxes and dog licenses, and Kent County Parks for the parks system. For city-level issues in Grand Rapids (water, trash, sidewalks, street trees), dial 311 inside the city or (616) 456-3000. Your city or township hall handles assessing, current-year tax bills, and voter precincts.
Provider details are checked regularly but change without notice, so always confirm with the provider. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.