Cost of living in the Traverse City Metro Area
4 counties across MI. Population: 154,657.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Traverse City Metro Area
Average rent across the Traverse City metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Traverse City Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 4 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Traverse City Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Traverse City Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 4 counties in the Traverse City Metro Area
The Traverse City metro area includes 4 counties. Sorted by population.
- Grand Traverse County MI$3,073/moPop95,757 Rent$1,051/mo Income$79,486/yrGrand Traverse County MI 95,757 $1,051/mo $79,486/yr $3,073/mo
- Leelanau County MI$3,138/moPop22,607 Rent$1,183/mo Income$91,943/yrLeelanau County MI 22,607 $1,183/mo $91,943/yr $3,138/mo
- Benzie County MI$2,764/moPop18,177 Rent$870/mo Income$72,603/yrBenzie County MI 18,177 $870/mo $72,603/yr $2,764/mo
- Kalkaska County MI$2,667/moPop18,116 Rent$718/mo Income$60,365/yrKalkaska County MI 18,116 $718/mo $60,365/yr $2,667/mo
Compare counties in the Traverse City Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Traverse City Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Traverse City Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Traverse City metro area is approximately $2,999 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 4 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Traverse City Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Traverse City metro area is $1,010 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Traverse City Metro Area?
Kalkaska County, MI is the most affordable county in the Traverse City metro area at approximately $2,667 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Traverse City Metro Area?
Leelanau County, MI is the most expensive county in the Traverse City metro area at approximately $3,138 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Traverse City Metro Area?
The Traverse City metro area covers 4 counties. The five largest by population are Grand Traverse County, Leelanau County, Benzie County, Kalkaska County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.