United States › Michigan › Traverse City CITY · 2020 ACS
Traverse City Michigan · 15,678 residents · 8.28 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Traverse City is a city of 15,678 people in Michigan. This is an unusually credentialed place: 47% of adults have a four-year degree. The median age is 43.6, about 5 years above the US median. The foreign-born share is 3%. The average commute runs 18 minutes. The population has held roughly steady since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 43.6
US median: 38.8
More educated
47% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 52%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 38.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
14K 15K 15K 15K 16K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Traverse City Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $61,056
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,330 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $22,247 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 8.4% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Public administration 4.4%
Transportation & warehousing 2.5%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 2%
Education & health services 0.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
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$282,900
+52%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $123,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$930
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $605 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 59.1% in 2000
39.9% rent
from 2.09 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 4.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 95%(13,803)
Hispanic / Latino 1.7%(242)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 89.4%(14,012)
Hispanic / Latino 3.1%(490)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 26 more ancestry groups with data from 31.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 88.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 75.3% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 68.2% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 36.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 13.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 40.6%(2,708)
Women 15+
Never married 31.6%(2,134)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 26.9%(233)
Gulf War (1990s) 21.7%(188)
Share of the 867 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Traverse City Head to head
Compare Traverse City to nearby cities TRAVERSE CITY VS
Cadillac
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TRAVERSE CITY VS
Big Rapids
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TRAVERSE CITY VS
Sturgeon Bay
Income $59,926 −2%
Home value $236,300 −16%
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TRAVERSE CITY VS
Mount Pleasant
Income $44,706 −27%
Home value $173,100 −39%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Traverse City, Michigan? Traverse City, Michigan has about 15,678 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Traverse City, Michigan? The typical household in Traverse City, Michigan earns about $61,056 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Traverse City, Michigan expensive? In Traverse City, Michigan, the median home is worth about $282,900, and the typical rent is about $930 a month.
How educated are people in Traverse City, Michigan? About 46.7% of adults age 25 and over in Traverse City, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Traverse City, Michigan? About 10.1% of people in Traverse City, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.
Has Traverse City, Michigan grown since 1990? Yes, Traverse City, Michigan has grown since 1990. The population has added about 521 residents, a change of about 3 percent over that period.
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