Population 96,166 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Grand Traverse County
Household size in Grand Traverse County
| Period | Grand Traverse County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Grand Traverse County are small: just 2.39 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has edged down from 2.44 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Grand Traverse County
| Period | Grand Traverse County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.9 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.6 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.2 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.2 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Grand Traverse County skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 40.9 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Grand Traverse County
| Period | Grand Traverse County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in ten households in Grand Traverse County (9.3%), below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.5 points, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Grand Traverse County
Renters in Grand Traverse County
| Period | Grand Traverse County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.9% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.3% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.7% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.8% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.8% of households in Grand Traverse County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 39.9% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northeast.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Grand Traverse County
| Period | Grand Traverse County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.7% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.8% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Grand Traverse County than nationally: 12.5%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Grand Traverse County
| Period | Grand Traverse County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +3 | +6 |
The housing in Grand Traverse County is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1986, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the north. Only three of Michigan's 83 counties have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Grand Traverse County
| Period | Grand Traverse County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $851 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $908 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $983 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,335 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$484 | +$395 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Grand Traverse County costs $1,335 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in Michigan overall ($1,228). Rent has climbed $484 a month since 2006–10, up 57%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.5% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Grand Traverse County
Bachelor's degrees in Grand Traverse County
| Period | Grand Traverse County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.4% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.5% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.8% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.6% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Grand Traverse County than nationally: 39.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 11.2 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Grand Traverse County
| Period | Grand Traverse County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.8% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.3% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.2% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.5% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Grand Traverse County: 95.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Grand Traverse County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Michigan counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Grand Traverse County
| Period | Grand Traverse County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.6 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Grand Traverse County than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.6 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Grand Traverse County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Traverse County | 2.39 | 44.2 | 9.3% | 22.8% | 12.5% | 1986 | $1,335 | 39.6% | 95.5% | 3.6% |
| Benzie County | 2.35 | 50.1 | 6.2% | 12.2% | 30.1% | 1984 | $1,053 | 36.7% | 94.0% | 3.4% |
| Kalkaska County | 2.34 | 44.5 | 10.1% | 11.8% | 28.0% | 1981 | $945 | 18.7% | 90.5% | 4.0% |
| Crawford County | 2.15 | 49.9 | 10.0% | 20.4% | 31.4% | 1979 | $880 | 20.0% | 91.4% | 8.1% |
| Oscoda County | 2.28 | 51.9 | 8.4% | 12.8% | 49.1% | 1974 | $798 | 15.7% | 85.6% | 8.1% |
| Alcona County | 1.95 | 58.8 | 6.6% | 10.4% | 43.9% | 1975 | $892 | 21.2% | 92.9% | 4.4% |
| Oconto County | 2.38 | 46.6 | 7.9% | 15.0% | 16.9% | 1981 | $858 | 19.5% | 93.5% | 2.0% |
| Shawano County | 2.38 | 45.6 | 8.3% | 22.5% | 14.5% | 1975 | $883 | 19.4% | 93.4% | 2.6% |
| Clark County | 2.74 | 36.5 | 7.8% | 21.5% | 11.7% | 1971 | $846 | 12.8% | 81.8% | 3.7% |
| Eau Claire County | 2.35 | 37.2 | 8.0% | 39.0% | 5.4% | 1978 | $1,091 | 36.7% | 95.6% | 2.8% |
| Pierce County | 2.54 | 39.4 | 7.5% | 25.0% | 7.4% | 1979 | $1,106 | 33.2% | 96.6% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Sutter County, CA · Columbiana County, OH · Craven County, NC · Cullman County, AL · Dallas County, IA · Daviess County, KY · DeKalb County, IL · Victoria County, TX · Twin Falls County, ID · Tuscarawas County, OH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Grand Traverse County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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