Living in Traverse City, MI
Small town in Michigan
Traverse City is a small town in Michigan, home to about 15,000 people, with 40,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
In short: Lake Michigan beaches, cherry orchards and wineries in a friendly small town. Long, snowy winters and a small job market.
Is Traverse City a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Dog-friendly: 12 dog parks within 9 mi
- Great outdoors: coast or a lake close by
- Mild summers: highs around 79°F
- Low natural disaster risk: 1 federally declared disaster since 2000
👎 Cons
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Cloudier than most places
- Smaller job market: about 40,000 people live within 31 mi
- Fewer family amenities than most places
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Traverse City ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Traverse City: common questions
What is the cost of living in Traverse City?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $438k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,750 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Traverse City?
Michigan collects about $1,246 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.22% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Traverse City safe?
Violent crime is close to the national rate (1.1× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Traverse City?
Traverse City has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 32°F and summer days around 79°F, with roughly 101″ of snow a year.
Does Traverse City get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from cold waves and flooding: 1 federally declared disaster has hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.42 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Traverse City?
The nearest major airport is GRR, about 129 mi away.
How Traverse City scores
Each bar compares Traverse City with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Traverse City right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.