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
median household income $81,911, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Traverse City
What changed most since 1990
White share96.8% → 90.6%(−6.2 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$151,283 → $332,820(+120%)US over the same years: +67%
Median age34.2 → 46.3(+12.0 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Among the 33 metro and micro areas based in Michigan
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.1%(1,867)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era40%(3,713)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.6%(611)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.3%(116)
US avg: 1%
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
Over time
Traverse City, decade by decade
Traverse City population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
106,497
$65,352
$151,283
19.7%
7.9
2000
131,342
$76,857
$222,969
24.1%
11.6
2010
143,372
$71,153
$251,063
28.0%
15.5
2020
153,448
$77,973
$265,699
36.1%
23.0
2024
155,449
$81,911
$332,820
39.3%
22.0
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
