Illinois to Michigan
Distance from Chicago to Grand Rapids
Straight-line distance
129.4mi
Chicago, IL and Grand Rapids, MI are 129.4 miles (208.3 km) apart in a straight line. From Chicago, the shortest path starts out heading NE (52°).
- kilometers
- 208.3
- nautical miles
- 112.5
- heading from Chicago
- 52° NE
- heading from Grand Rapids
- 234° SW
Orange line: great-circle path · ring: midpoint · thin lines: county borders
How far Chicago is from Grand Rapids
The great-circle distance between the Census internal points of Chicago and Grand Rapids is 129.4 miles, 208.3 km or 112.5 nautical miles. That is the shortest path over the Earth's surface, computed with the haversine formula on a sphere with the mean Earth radius, 6,371.0 km. A course held on one compass bearing (a rhumb line) would be 129.4 miles, practically the same at this range.
Measurements
- Miles
- 129.4
- Kilometers
- 208.3
- Nautical miles
- 112.5
- Bearing from Chicago
- 52.4° NE
- Bearing arriving at Grand Rapids
- 53.8°
- Bearing from Grand Rapids
- 233.8° SW
Halfway between Chicago and Grand Rapids
The great-circle midpoint is at 42.403574, -86.679340 (42°24'12.86"N 86°40'45.63"W). The nearest incorporated place of 1,000 or more people is South Haven, MI, with 4,017 residents, 20.9 miles from the midpoint. To find towns near the midpoint of any two places, use the halfway tool.
Time zones and daylight
Chicago uses America/Chicago and Grand Rapids uses America/Detroit; Grand Rapids is 1 hour ahead all year. On June 21, Chicago gets 15 h 13 min of daylight and Grand Rapids 15 h 22 min; on December 21, 9 h 08 min and 9 h 00 min. Grand Rapids is 1.12° farther north, so it has the longer summer days and the shorter winter ones.
Population compared
Chicago has 13.6 times the population of Grand Rapids. From July 2020 to July 2024, Chicago changed by -0.9% and Grand Rapids by +0.7%. The trip crosses from Illinois into Michigan.
- 01Chicago, IL2,721,308 (-0.9%)
- 02Grand Rapids, MI200,117 (+0.7%)
Questions people ask
How far is Chicago from Grand Rapids?
129.4 miles, 208.3 km or 112.5 nautical miles along the great circle between the two Census internal points. Road distance is longer.
Which direction is Grand Rapids from Chicago?
NE. The great-circle path leaves Chicago on a bearing of 52.4° and arrives at Grand Rapids on 53.8°. The return trip starts on 233.8°.
What is halfway between Chicago and Grand Rapids?
The midpoint is at 42.403574, -86.679340. The nearest incorporated place of 1,000+ is South Haven, MI, 20.9 miles from it.
Is there a time difference between Chicago and Grand Rapids?
Chicago uses America/Chicago and Grand Rapids uses America/Detroit; Grand Rapids is 1 hour ahead all year.
Which is bigger, Chicago or Grand Rapids?
Chicago, with 2,721,308 residents in July 2024 against 200,117 for Grand Rapids, 13.6 times as many.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census 2024 Gazetteer internal points and Vintage 2024 estimates; time zones from Open-Meteo.
- 01Census 2024 Gazetteer, places
- 02Census Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
- 03SunCalc library (Vladimir Agafonkin), algorithms after Jean Meeus
- 04IANA time zone database (clock times and daylight saving rules)
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.