Moving should be a time for excitement and anticipation. But most people are often too overwhelmed thinking about the unknowns of their next destination to enjoy the journey of getting there. Whether you are in the early stages of looking for where to move or ironing out the final details of your moving plan, knowing where you may end up is important.
As a local realtor, I’ve had the privilege of helping countless families and individuals find their perfect home here, and I can tell you firsthand that there is truly something special about Traverse City. If you're considering a fresh start in a place that offers both peace and possibility, you have come to the right place. Let me show you why Traverse City might just be the perfect fit for you.
A Quick Glance at Traverse City
Traverse City, Michigan, is a unique destination that offers small-town charm with bustling city life. The town is sometimes referred to as “the Cherry Capitol”, after its booming cherry and fruit-growing industry. Traverse City has been named one of the most underrated cities in the US. This is in partly due to its wineries, cherry orchards, and natural recreational activities. The town is known for its year-round events, such as its Cherry Festival and Traverse City Film Festival.
With a modest 15,000 residents, Traverse City has a unique rural community feel with numerous developing industries and amenities. While it certainly would not be hard to speak ad nauseum about the numerous tours, shops, and festivals that Traverse City has to offer, it would be a crime to not mention its landscape that offers activities such as golfing, biking, fishing, beach visits, and more. Traverse City has four true seasons, meaning every few months the town takes on a whole new glorious appearance, as well as offering numerous seasonal activities.
Another important thing about the town is that it is only 4 hours away from major metropolitan areas such as Detroit. Its positioning in the state makes it a truly unique place: one that offers a personalized oasis of peace that is also within easy commute to other major cities and airports. Seems too good to be true? Let’s get to the nitty-gritty of living in Traverse City.
Living Cost
Now, while it is nice to daydream about the numerous treasures a city could hold, you also likely want to know what it actually costs to live there. For some, the statistics around the cost of living, job market, safety, and more can make or break a city.
The median home price in Traverse City in comparison to other Michigan cities of similar size is well within the same price. With full honesty, other cities such as Detroit or Lansing are in similar areas with significantly reduced housing prices. Unfortunately, most of these areas are plagued with other issues such as reduced safety, reduced amenities, poverty, struggling infrastructure, and more.
As a smaller town, Traverse City has much fewer of these issues, while still offering a modest price tag to home buyers. Ultimately, this makes Traverse City a true diamond in the rough of many Northern Michigan cities.
Suppose you aren’t interested in buying…luckily, the average rent is also comparable to similar cities, sitting right around $1151 a month. According to Apartments.com, the average rent in Michigan is $1106, meaning Traverse City is right near the average. Nonetheless, Michigan is listed as the state with the 15th lowest rent prices in the U.S. All in all, it is hard to go wrong when picking between rent prices in cities around Northern Michigan, Traverse City included.
Having a home is great and all, but most people also need to figure out transportation to work, appointments, and other important outings. The average drive to work only takes only 20-25 minutes. Furthermore, having most of the important businesses and recreational spot in the heart of the city, it is easy to walk, bike, or even ride buses around town.
New Airport Developments
Another important feature of the city is the Cherry Capital Airport. The airport allows direct flights to and from major cities such as New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Dallas, and Fort Worth. It creates a close spot of connection from Traverse City to the rest of the country. It also reduces travel needs and allows the residents of Traverse City to enjoy small-town comfort with an easy connection to major metropolitan cities.
Although the airport now receives a reported 700,000 visitors a year, it has a long and humble history dating back to the early 1900s. Initially getting a start as a conglomeration with the Coast Guard Air Station, it ran for many years as an extremely limited and private venue.
In 2004, the airport experienced initial changes to improve, increase, and change the infrastructure to better support commercial travelers. Since 2013, the airport has seen repeated improvements to cater to the comfort and care of flyers. Interestingly, many flyers are most enthused by the recent opening of a Costco shopping center within walking distance of the airport.
The airport itself has a gorgeous interior that is lined with quaint amenities. Some traveler’s favorites include the numerous quiet resting areas, the Cherry County Cafe, and the Cherry County Gift Shop.
Job Market - Get in At the Ground Level
Whether you are moving to Traverse City in pursuit of work or for the pleasure of living in a small community, securing a job is likely at the top of your to-do list. Traverse City is uniquely situated in the job market. It is perfectly in a spot for career growth without the annoying hubbub of big-city competition.
The region's job market is diverse, primarily supporting the healthcare, tourism, and technology industries. To get a better idea of these main players in the Traverse City economy, let's take a deeper look at each:
● Healthcare is likely one of the largest sectors active in Traverse City. Being home to Munsun Healthcare, the town holds the regions largest care center. This makes Traverse City and its surrounding neighbors a hot spot for healthcare workers, healthcare technicians, doctors, and the like. With the growing need for medical care, industries such as this are often resistant to negative economic change.
● Technology has recently had a major influx in Traverse City. With the advent of increased remote working, many are taking advantage of Traverse City’s gorgeous scenery and tech industry to get the best of both worlds. Some who work remotely elsewhere even choose to move to Traverse City just to get a taste of the views and city life.
● Tourism is an age-old facet of Traverse City’s history, culture, and economy. Some of the most popular tourist attractions include nature parks, tours, wineries, festivals, museums, and more. With year-round availability, Traverse City has many openings for those interested in hospitality and entertainment.
Aside from these big-hitter industries, Traverse City is also home to some unique and rewarding positions such as creative founders, manufacturers, laborers, and creative directors.
So, unless you are chained to a very niche position, it is likely that you can find work in Traverse City (or remotely outside of Traverse City). With a median household income that is stationary near the national average, you can truly have the best of both worlds living and working in Traverse City.
Safety
Realistically, cities come with their fair share of issues, regardless of their highlights. Safety is a common issue in many cities, especially as populations begin to rise. Taking information from multiple reputable crime resources, Traverse City is reportedly above average when it comes to safety, although it does have some flaws.
Generally speaking, Traverse City is cited to be in the 61st percentile of safe cities, meaning that 61% of U.S. cities are more dangerous. Concerning violent crime rates, Traverse City has around 2.4 violent crimes per 1,000 citizens a year. Compared to large cities like Detroit that have a rate of 5.98, or even comparable cities like Leland with 2.56, Traverse City is ahead of the pack in terms of safety.
Non-violent crimes are where Traverse City falls slightly short. On average, the town has slightly higher rates than surrounding cities, but only by a few crimes a year. Some sources cite that these statistics are likely because Traverse City is a tourist community, with lots of vulnerable businesses and incoming people. Nonetheless, in terms of safety, Traverse City is an excellent option for renters and homebuyers.
On the TravelLadies app, the city scores a 4.6/5 safety rating. The app claims that the city is safe for night travel, public transportation, and petty crimes. As a platform geared towards women, they also note that street harassment and other gender-based crimes are practically non-existent.
Numbers aside, it is often more reassuring to hear anecdotes and opinions from real people. On a chat board thread, one user shares her opinion of the safety of Traverse City. In her words. “I'm 43. I was born in TC and raised in the area. I have never lived anywhere else. I have always felt safe. Traverse City still has a bit of a small-town feel with big-city dreams. There's not only low crime, but also extremely low violent crime. You'll mostly find petty theft, breaking and entering, and similar occuring here and there in and out of the city limits and surrounding area.”
So, as with any city, there is bound to be some crime. With that said, Traverse City is unique in that the majority of crime is extremely minor and often geared solely around tourist areas and public attractions.
Schools
The public school system in Traverse City is another major reason why many people choose to move to the area. With a total of 29 public schools ranging from pre-K to high school, you will likely be near a school wherever you land in the city. The schools aren’t just plentiful; they are also high in quality. The teacher ratio varies from source to source, although most claim that the average classroom has 19-21 students per teacher, an amazing ratio when compared to other districts or states. With 9 full-time counselors across the district, it is clear that schools emphasize the care and well-being of students.
Niche Best Schools List ranks Traverse City 84 out of 539 for best districts in Michigan. They also rank 38 out of 482 for best districts for athletes, and 130 out of 517 for districts with the best teachers in Michigan. With an average graduation rate of 87%, districts are well on par with the national average.
Taking students and families into account, Niche also reports that out of 139 reviews, the majority of them fall within the 4 and 5-star categories. Specifically, family and student review note how most Traverse City schools have been exceptional in college prep, early foundational learning, and even special education assistance.
While schools may not be a necessity for everyone interested in Traverse City, they are an incredibly important foundation for any city. The flourishing school district in Traverse City serves as a great representation of the city’s flourishing community.
Traverse City’s Unmatched Landscape
Traverse City boasts gorgeous snowy scenes in the winter and breathtaking green landscapes in the summer. While we have already discussed some of the hottest tourist attractions and recreational spots in Traverse City, let’s take a quick look at what each season has to offer in terms of fun:
● Fall is quite a busy time in Traverse City. During this time of year, tourists are drawn in to the fall scenery. Fall marks the start of events such as beer tours, “fall color tours”, pumpkin patches, cider outings, fall hikes, and golfing.
● Traverse City sees the winter as a time of adventure and fun. During the winter, Traverse City still has plenty of activities to offer. Some tourist favorites include skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, seasonal lighthouse visits, winter shopping, and of course…more beer and wine events.
● Springtime offers the events of fall with a more private atmosphere. Although spring is a time of refreshment and regrowth, it is also a time when Traverse City sees slightly fewer tourists. This allows most residents to get in on the action with activities like hiking, fishing, and golfing.
● Summertime is a popular tourist season to get some fun in the sun. During the summer, shops open, the sun shines, and beaches run amock with tourists and full-filled laughter. You can find all of your typical summer thrills here, in addition to unique adventures such as the Sleeping Bear Dunes, a site of natural sloping sand mounds right off of Lake Michigan.
Put simply, whatever time of year it is, it’s hard to not find something you like in Traverse City.
Traverse City Round-Up: Is It The Spot For You?
All of these facts and statistics are great and all, but they certainly don’t answer the question, “Is Traverse City the right spot for me?” To help conclude this in-depth dive into the hidden treasures of Traverse City, let’s do a quick round-up of the pros and cons.
Overall, Traverse City is a truly unique hidden gem in the Northwest region of Michigan. It has average to low costs of living, lots of tourism, a growing job market, and high-achieving schools. Likewise, many people say that the city is incredibly safe, often feeling like a small town with the aspirations of a big city.
If you are someone who loves the outdoors, loves a tight-knit community, and loves to have the ability to do fun activities at the drop of a hat, Traverse City is the perfect spot to call home. From the stunning natural beauty and vibrant community to the rich opportunities for work, play, and relaxation, this city offers something truly special.
Whether you're drawn by the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan, the charm of the downtown area, or the peaceful neighborhoods, there’s no doubt Traverse City has a way of capturing hearts.
As a local realtor, I’m here to help make your transition seamless and stress-free. With a deep understanding of the market and a passion for matching people with the right homes, I’ll be by your side every step of the way. Let’s work together to find a place that feels not just like a house, but like the perfect starting point for your life here in Traverse City. When you're ready to make the move, I’m only a call away—let's find your dream home!
Gordon Liechti – REALTOR® GRI – Traverse City, MI