Rural homes, lakes and farmland define the Grattan Township
Grattan Township is a quiet countryside community where locals enjoy waterfront living, outdoor recreation and access to fresh produce. The area originated as an Irish Catholic settlement during the mid-19th century and gradually expanded from Grattan Center into the township it is today. The area features rural homes, farmland and over 20 lakes of varying sizes. Locals voted in 2025 to preserve agricultural lands by blocking a proposed zoning ordinance that would bring a new housing development to town. Grattan Township has a CAP Index Crime Score of 1 out of 10, which is much lower than the national average of 4.
Quaint Cape Cod homes add historic character to Grattan Township’s rural setting.
Big Pine Island Lake is a hub for watersports in Grattan Township.
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Homes range from older cottages to modern builds
Grattan Township contains homes built from the early 1900s to the 2020s. Buyers can choose between private wooded lots and dwellings with lake frontage. The area’s housing styles include cottages, farmhouses and New Traditional residences. Some properties are purchased as summer getaways or vacation homes. The average home value in the township surpasses the rest of the Grand Rapids metro area. Most houses range in price from $275,000 to $825,000, depending on the acreage and the home’s condition.
Grattan Township’s landscape is dotted with ranch and custom homes on generous lots.
Two-story homes are rising along Big Pine Island Lake in Grattan Township.
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School choice is available through a lottery
Several school districts serve local families; most can attend the Belding Area Schools District, which is rated C-plus on Niche. Young residents can enroll in Woodview Elementary or Ellis Elementary; both receive C-plus ratings on Niche. Children may also attend Belding Middle and Belding High; the schools have C-plus and C ratings, respectively. Some families are zoned for Rockford Public Schools, which receives an A-minus. Other student may attend the A-rated Lowell Area Schools. The Kent Intermediate School District oversees the regional school systems and provides school choice options through a lottery-based process.
Woodview Elementary, close to Grattan, is recognized for quality education in Michigan.
Belding Middle School serves Grattan Township students with diverse academic programs.
Grattan Township teens attend Belding High School, known for advanced coursework.
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Enjoying the outdoors on the track, water or woodlands
Locals enjoy outdoor activities, like water sports and racing. The two-mile track at Grattan Raceway is a hot spot for motor sports. Racers and spectators have gathered for weekly events since the 1960s. “Grattan Raceway isn’t just for cars. During the week, they have these people in spandex on bicycles racing around the track,” says Grattan local Gary Crump, the owner of Caledonia Classic Car, LLC. “They train around the area, so you’ll see them go up and down the streets. You’ll have to watch out for a bunch of people, like 15 or 20, on bikes when you pull out of your driveway.”
The community is also a designated boating haven, with launch sites and ramps on Murray Lake and Big Pine Island Lake. Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) stocks the lakes for recreational fishing. Locals drive down a narrow road to reach Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve. The green space features a hiking trail through forests and wetlands, however fishing is not permitted. Crump says hunting is big in the region, and residents can find game such as bobcats, wild turkeys, rabbits and ample white-tailed deer. Hunters use their own private lands or nearby DNR spaces, such as the Flat River State Game Area. Grattan Roadside Park is a small public space with shading trees and picnic tables alongside M-44.
Lazy creeks wind through Grattan Township’s lush, wooded countryside.
Grattan Raceway is considered one of the finest road courses in northeast America.
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The community has a few businesses, fresh produce and a local pub
The township has only a few limited commercial businesses, such as the Grattan General Store. Crump says the only restaurant in town is the Grattan Irish Pub. He adds that residents must visit nearby cities for more dining and shopping, but fresh produce is available in town. “Down the road, about a few miles each way, we have farm stands, and people place them right in front of their farms,” Crump says. He adds that locals can head to Belding or Greenville for more grocery shopping. There is a Leppinks Food Center about 12 miles away in Belding. Greenville has a Walmart Supercenter 12 miles from town. The city also offers a mix of chain restaurants and local eateries, as well as the popular Hop Hog Backyard Brewpub. “There’s a really cool place [in Greenville, called] Winter Inn. It was built in 1902. It’s a hotel, and on the main floor there is a restaurant and bar,” Crump says.
Roadside farm stands dot Grattan Township’s scenic country roads.
The Winter Inn is a historic hotel and restaurant near Grattan Township.
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Local wildlife and severe weather risks
Grattan Township is home to a mix of animal and human residents. “Kent County has the highest number of deer accidents in the state. I see five or seven of them on my property every morning,” Crump says. He says foxes are also common in the area.
The region can also experience heavy rainfall and tornadoes.
Trips to Rockford and Grand Rapids
Grattan Township is a car-dependent community. Most drivers take M-44, also known as Belding Road, to get in and out of the area. Trinity Health Medical Center – Rockford is about 12 miles away. Locals can reach Downtown Grand Rapids in roughly 20 miles, while Gerald R. Ford International Airport stands approximately 25 miles away.
Grattan Township is just a short drive from vibrant downtown Grand Rapids attractions.
Grattan Township neighbors Rockford’s unique shops and bustling downtown district.
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Written By
Ashley Kennedy
Photography Contributed By
Tyler Bolduc
Video By
Bill Jennings
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Larry Martin,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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