West Michigan


West Michigan and Western Michigan are terms for a region in the U.S. state of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Generally, it refers to the Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland area, and more broadly to most of the region along the Lower Peninsula's Lake Michigan shoreline, but there is no official definition.

Definition

In general, "West Michigan" often refers to the area bounded by the cities of Muskegon, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo–Battle Creek and St. Joseph–Benton Harbor. However, definitions of the boundaries of the region vary widely; in some contexts, the term "West Michigan" is applied only to the counties of Allegan, Kent, Muskegon, and Ottawa, which form the core of the Grand Rapids-Kentwood-Muskegon CSA. Other definitions include the Kalamazoo–Battle Creek and Benton Harbor–St. Joseph regions, which can be considered distinct regions or parts of other regions such as Michiana, Southern Michigan, or Southwest Michigan, the latter according to one definition comprising Berrien County, Cass County, and Van Buren County.
The northern boundary of the region is also poorly defined; the population density, land use, economic and cultural character, and physical geography most often associated with West Michigan fades in northern Muskegon and Kent Counties, however areas as far north as Ludington and White Cloud may be included because of their close economic ties to the cities to the south. Other areas, such as Montcalm County in the northeast corner of the region, are transitional areas that straddle Michigan regions but are sometimes included for classification purposes. Greenville, in Montcalm County's southwest corner, is closely tied economically with Grand Rapids; however, the northeastern corner, around Vestaburg and Edmore, has historically more closely associated with the cities of Mount Pleasant and Alma, which are almost universally reckoned as part of Central Michigan.

Geography

The following table contains the largest municipalities of West Michigan according to the 2010 Census. This defines the region fairly broadly, but not at its most broadly; if Battle Creek were included, it would be ranked fourth.
RankMunicipalityCountyPopulation
1Grand RapidsKent198,917
2WyomingKent76,501
3KalamazooKalamazoo73,598
4KentwoodKent54,304
5Georgetown Charter TownshipOttawa54,091
6PortageKalamazoo48,891
7MuskegonMuskegon38,318
8Holland Charter TownshipOttawa38,276
9HollandOttawa/Allegan34,378
10Plainfield Charter TownshipKent33,535
11Gaines Charter TownshipKent28,812
12WalkerKent25,132
13Norton ShoresMuskegon25,030
14Kalamazoo Charter TownshipKalamazoo21,918
15Oshtemo Charter TownshipKalamazoo21,705
16Allendale Charter TownshipOttawa20,708
17Byron TownshipKent20,317
18Muskegon Charter TownshipMuskegon17,840
19Park TownshipOttawa17,802
20Cascade Charter TownshipKent17,134
21Grand Rapids Charter TownshipKent16,661
22GrandvilleKent15,378
23Grand Haven Charter TownshipOttawa15,178

Five of the above cities, Wyoming, Kentwood, Portage, Norton Shores, and Walker, are former suburban townships that incorporated in the 1960s in order to prevent annexation by an adjacent city. The presence of these cities in the top ten reflects both the large geographic area of these cities, as well as the long and continuing growth of suburban areas in West Michigan.

Events

  • ArtPrize in Grand Rapids
  • National Baby Food Festival in Fremont
  • Big Rapids Riverdays in Big Rapids
  • Celebration on the Grand in Grand Rapids
  • Coast Guard Festival in Grand Haven
  • Electric Forest in Rothbury
  • Festival of the Arts in Grand Rapids
  • Fruitport Old Fashioned Days in Fruitport
  • Spring Lake Heritage Festival in Spring Lake
  • in Kalamazoo
  • in Muskegon
  • in Muskegon
  • Muskegon Air Show
  • Muskegon Film Festival
  • Muskegon Summer Celebration
  • in Muskegon
  • Red Flannel Festival in Cedar Springs
  • Rothbury Music Festival in Rothbury
  • Tulip Time Festival in Holland
  • Unity Christian Music Festival in Muskegon
  • Venetian Festival in St. Joseph
  • in Saugatuck

    Attractions

  • Croton Dam
*
  • Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
  • Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
  • Grand Haven Musical Fountain
  • Grand Haven State Park
  • Grand Rapids Art Museum
  • Grand Rapids Children's Museum
  • Hardy Dam
  • Holland State Park
  • John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids
  • Kalamazoo Air Zoo
  • Kruizenga Art Museum
  • Manistee National Forest
  • Michigan's Adventure amusement park
  • Newaygo State Park
  • P.J. Hoffmaster State Park
  • Public Museum of Grand Rapids
  • Timber Ridge Ski Area
  • Binder Park Zoo

    Universities and colleges

  • Adrian College
  • Andrews University
  • Aquinas College
  • Baker College
  • Calvin University
  • Cornerstone University
  • Davenport University
  • Ferris State University
  • Grand Rapids Community College
  • Grand Valley State University
  • Hope College
  • Jackson College
  • Kalamazoo College
  • Kellogg Community College
  • Kendall College of Art and Design
  • Kuyper College
  • Muskegon Community College
  • Western Michigan University

    Business

Prominent West Michigan corporations include:
  • Amway/Alticor/Quixtar, an Ada multi-level marketing company
  • Bissell, a Walker vacuum cleaner maker
  • Borroughs, a Kalamazoo office equipment manufacturer
  • Foremost Insurance, a Farmers Insurance Group company
  • Gentex, a Zeeland auto-dimming automobile mirror manufacturer
  • Gerber Products Company, a Fremont baby food manufacturer
  • Gordon Food Service, a Wyoming food supplier
  • Herman Miller, a Zeeland office equipment manufacturer
  • Haworth, a Holland office equipment manufacturer
  • Howard Miller a Zeeland manufacturer of longcase clocks
  • Kellogg's, a Battle Creek breakfast cereal producer
  • Meijer, a Walker hypermarket chain
  • Old Orchard Brands, a Sparta juice producer
  • Perrigo, an Allegan pharmaceutical company
  • Spartan Stores, a Byron Township grocery chain
  • Steelcase, a Grand Rapids office equipment manufacturer
  • Stryker, a Kalamazoo surgical equipment manufacturer
  • Whirlpool, a Benton Harbor manufacturer of major home appliances
  • Wolverine World Wide/Hush Puppies, a Rockford shoe maker
  • X-Rite, a Grand Rapids manufacturer of color matching products
  • Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, in Grand Rapids

    Transportation

Major airports

  • Gerald R. Ford International Airport
  • Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport
  • Muskegon County Airport

    Railways

  • Coopersville and Marne Railway
  • CSX
  • Grand Trunk Western Railway, subsidiary of Canadian National Railway.
  • Grand Elk Railroad
  • Grand Rapids Eastern Railroad
  • Michigan Shore Railroad
  • Michigan Southern Railroad
  • Norfolk Southern Railway
  • West Michigan Railroad
Amtrak operates its Pere Marquette service in West Michigan, with daily service between Grand Rapids and Chicago.

Major roads

Interstate highways

More comprehensive lists are available at individual cities, villages, etc.