City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Traverse City, MI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Traverse City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

15,491
Residents
$71,731
Median income
$367,600
Median home
$1,357
Median rent (state)

Traverse City - the verdict

Nationally, Traverse City sits in the 52nd percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

52nd
percentile, household income
74th
percentile, home value
51st
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Traverse City, MI

Michigan's Traverse City is a small town, with 15,491 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $71,731 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.9%. Home values in Traverse City run a median of $367,600, and the median resident age is 42.2 years. About 47.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 61.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 25 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Michigan at 96.2 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,357 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $238 across Michigan, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 15.8 minutes, with 59.7% driving alone and 15.7% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 65.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

15,491 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$71,731 /yr

Poverty 4.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Traverse City compare to other US cities?

Here's how Traverse City stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 52% higher than other cities
Home value 74% pricier than other cities
Median rent 51% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Traverse City against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Michigan only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Michigan-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Traverse City's strongest outlier among Michigan cities

Among the 721 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Traverse City ranks #48 - the 93rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Traverse City only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#216 of 718
70th percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#175 of 727
74th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#48 of 721
93rd percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#479 of 727
34th percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#76 of 727
89th percentile in Michigan

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Michigan only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

52ndIncome percentile

52nd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Traverse City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$367,600 26th percentile more affordable than 26% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Traverse City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Traverse City, MI Traverse City, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Traverse City, MI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Traverse City, MI median $71,731/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Traverse City, MI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Traverse City, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 47.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
15,491
Median Income
$71,731
Median Home Value
$367,600
Median Age
42.2
Poverty Rate
4.9%
Labor force participation
61.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
47.0%

Schools

Total Schools
25
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
15,600 residents15,700 residents15,800 residents15,900 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,674 residents 15,832 residents ▲ +1.0%
Traverse City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.8 minutes
Drive Alone
59.7%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
3.0%
Walk
6.8%
Work from Home
15.7%
Other
7.4%

Based on 7,939 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Michigan - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$238
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Michigan state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Michigan state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Traverse City sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,357/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
65.6 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Mount Clemens
15,567 people
Northview
15,225 people
Harper Woods
15,205 people
Berkley
15,084 people
Hazel Park
14,945 people
Grandville
16,135 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Traverse City's 15,491 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bemidji, MN
15,490 people
Batavia, NY
15,494 people
Buda, TX
15,487 people
Greenwood, CO
15,485 people
Yankton, SD
15,501 people
Andover, KS
15,508 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Traverse City's $71,731 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hutchinson, MN
$71,730 median income
Caln, PA
$71,728 median income
St. John, KS
$71,726 median income
Richton Park, IL
$71,724 median income
St. Marys, KS
$71,723 median income
Hurst, TX
$71,743 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Traverse City, MI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Traverse City, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.2% White 90.8% Black or African American 1.7% Asian 1.5% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 5.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Traverse City compares to nearby Michigan cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Traverse City (this city) 15,491 $71,731
Mount Clemens 15,567 $57,663
Northview 15,225 $82,853
Harper Woods 15,205 $61,446
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Traverse City, MI?

What is the population of Traverse City, MI? +

15,491 people live in Traverse City, MI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Traverse City, MI? +

Median annual household income in Traverse City runs $71,731, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Traverse City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Traverse City; the closest available measure is the Michigan state average, a cost of living index of 96.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Michigan vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Traverse City, MI? +

A typical home in Traverse City is worth $367,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.