METRO AREA
Traverse City Metro
Traverse City, MI · 4 counties · 156,972 residents (2025 est.) · 1,691 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#19Highest homeownership rateof 92581.8%The short version
With 155,449 people, Traverse City is a metro area. The median age is 46.3, about 7 years above the US median. Few US metro areas rank higher on income. 82% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 2%. Growth has run 18% since 2000, or 24,107 more people.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 46.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
39% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 49%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
155,449
+18%since 2000
from 131,342 in 2000
156,972 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
1,691 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024155K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.5%(6,923)
5 to 94.9%(7,567)
10 to 145.8%(8,952)
15 to 195.6%(8,729)
20 to 244.9%(7,572)
25 to 3411.1%(17,262)
35 to 4412%(18,715)
45 to 5411.6%(18,042)
55 to 6415.2%(23,683)
65 to 7414.9%(23,090)
75 to 846.9%(10,667)
85 and over2.7%(4,247)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$81,911
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,191 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
53.8%
+27.2 ptssince 2009
from 26.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.1%
Retail trade10.2%
Wholesale trade8.6%
Other services6.2%
Public administration4.1%
Finance & insurance3.7%
Professional, scientific, technical2.6%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.6%
Construction1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
Education & health services1%
Manufacturing0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$332,820
+49%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $122,399 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
4.0
+15%since 2009
from 3.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
88
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic95.2%(125,015)
Black0.3%(421)
Hispanic / Latino1.7%(2,224)
Asian0.4%(492)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic90.6%(140,815)
Black0.8%(1,188)
Hispanic / Latino3.3%(5,098)
Asian0.6%(951)
Other4.8%(7,397)
22
+54%since 2009
from 14 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
17
−22%since 2020
from 22 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican2.3%(3,500)
Puerto Rican0.3%(435)
Spaniard0.3%(422)
Central American0.1%(138)
Cuban0.1%(120)
South American0.1%(81)
Costa Rican0.1%(65)
Guatemalan0.1%(60)
Dominican0%(48)
Colombian0%(41)
Peruvian0%(19)
Honduran0%(13)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino0.1%(223)
Asian Indian0.1%(173)
Korean0.1%(149)
Vietnamese0.1%(129)
Chinese0.1%(94)
Japanese0.1%(79)
Taiwanese0%(33)
Bangladeshi0%(32)
Nepalese0.1%(21)
Indonesian0%(9)
Malaysian0%(8)
Thai0%(7)
Ancestry
German24.6%(38,313)
English17.2%(26,710)
Irish13.8%(21,415)
Polish8.5%(13,228)
French4.5%(7,029)
American4.3%(6,700)
Italian3.6%(5,619)
Scottish3.6%(5,564)
Dutch3%(4,669)
Swedish2.3%(3,572)
French Canadian2%(3,072)
Norwegian1.7%(2,669)
+ 40 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish1.1%(1,674)
Finnish1.1%(1,667)
Czech0.9%(1,343)
Hungarian0.8%(1,190)
Danish0.6%(914)
Ukrainian0.5%(808)
Welsh0.5%(808)
Swiss0.5%(709)
Russian0.4%(602)
Belgian0.4%(565)
Arab0.3%(531)
Canadian0.3%(515)
British0.3%(492)
Lithuanian0.3%(406)
Greek0.2%(371)
Slovak0.2%(324)
Lebanese0.2%(301)
Subsaharan African0.2%(283)
Austrian0.1%(226)
Armenian0.1%(223)
Portuguese0.1%(161)
Croatian0.1%(129)
West Indian0.1%(121)
Romanian0.1%(114)
Latvian0.1%(102)
Egyptian0.1%(71)
Syrian0%(64)
Jamaican0%(55)
Serbian0%(43)
Slovene0%(31)
Bulgarian0%(21)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0%(20)
Kenyan0%(14)
Israeli0.1%(13)
Brazilian0%(10)
Palestinian0%(9)
Turkish0%(9)
Iranian0%(7)
Australian0%(2)
Haitian0%(1)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
95.1%
+7.2 ptssince 2000
from 87.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
75.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 76.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
96.3%
+3.4 ptssince 2020
from 92.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29.6%(19,324)
Married55.7%(36,364)
Widowed3.2%(2,094)
Divorced11.6%(7,553)
Women 15+
Never married23.6%(15,747)
Married53.7%(35,816)
Widowed8%(5,329)
Divorced14.7%(9,780)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
18.9%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 19.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
2.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
74.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 74.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
40.5%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 38.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)18.9%(1,756)
Gulf War (1990s)20.1%(1,867)
Vietnam era40%(3,713)
Korean War6.6%(611)
World War II1.3%(116)
Share of the 9,271 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
In this metro
Largest cities
Traverse CityCENTRAL15,832Kalkaska2,258Greilickville1,519Kingsley1,455Rapid City1,328Frankfort1,280Chums Corner1,186Grawn800Interlochen791Hardwood Acres611Suttons Bay587Benzonia566South Boardman553Northport503Thompsonville488Fife Lake472Manistee Lake412Leland400Empire355Bear Lake343Glen Arbor336Honor335Elberta317Bendon315Beulah312Omena305Lake Ann254Maple City183Crystal Mountain166Nessen City149
The 30 most populous of 35 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.
What's inside
4 component counties
Drill deeper
Metros similar to Traverse City
Logan
Pop 160,889
Kenosha
Pop 168,448
East Stroudsburg
Pop 167,179
Monroe
Pop 156,004
Places similar to Traverse CityHead to head
Compare Traverse City side by side
TRAVERSE CITY VS
Logan
Income$80,722−1%
Home value$437,430+31%
Population160,889+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TRAVERSE CITY VS
Kenosha
Income$81,239−1%
Home value$265,500−20%
Population168,448+7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TRAVERSE CITY VS
East Stroudsburg
Income$83,565+2%
Home value$267,600−20%
Population167,179+7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TRAVERSE CITY VS
Monroe
Income$77,335−6%
Home value$228,900−31%
Population156,004−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Traverse City, MI?
Traverse City, MI has about 155,449 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Traverse City, MI?
The typical household in Traverse City, MI earns about $81,911 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Traverse City, MI expensive?
In Traverse City, MI, the median home is worth about $332,820, and the typical rent is about $1,197 a month.
How educated are people in Traverse City, MI?
About 39.3% of adults age 25 and over in Traverse City, MI hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Traverse City, MI?
About 9.5% of people in Traverse City, MI live below the federal poverty line.
Has Traverse City, MI grown since 1990?
Yes, Traverse City, MI has grown since 1990. The population has added about 48,952 residents, a change of about 46 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024