Grand Traverse County, Michigan Income Statistics
Grand Traverse County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
B
Grand Traverse County Around averageWealthier than 94% of counties in Michigan
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Grand Traverse County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $82,482 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $56,075 | $59,920 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.9% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.4% | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.7% | 9.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Grand Traverse County is about 13% higher than in Michigan. Income has been growing faster in Grand Traverse County (4.9%/yr) than in Michigan (4.6%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Grand Traverse County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, about the same as the Michigan average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Grand Traverse County, Michigan grew by 62.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $82,482 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.9% per year.
Grand Traverse County started 0.6% below the U.S. median household income in 2009 but had overtaken it by 2016, and has not been below it since. In 2024 its income was 2.5% higher.
Income Distribution in Grand Traverse County
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 16,120 households (40.0% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 17.4% of households in Grand Traverse County had an income under $35,000 and 18.3% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Grand Traverse County has a larger share of households earning $100,000 to $149,999 (21.7% vs 17.4%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (9.7% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 1,824 | 4.5% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 752 | 1.9% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 2,089 | 5.2% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 2,348 | 5.8% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 4,392 | 10.9% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 7,020 | 17.4% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 5,742 | 14.3% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 8,757 | 21.7% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 3,462 | 8.6% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 3,901 | 9.7% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 40,287 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 9,264 residents (11.4% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 12.4% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 8.1% of Grand Traverse County residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 27.2% had some income but less than $25,000, and 20.6% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Grand Traverse County has a larger share of residents earning $35,000 to $49,999 (16.1% vs 12.6%) and a smaller share with no personal income (8.1% vs 12.8%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 6,598 | 8.1% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 8,746 | 10.8% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 4,508 | 5.6% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 8,807 | 10.9% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 8,526 | 10.5% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 13,075 | 16.1% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 14,046 | 17.3% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 7,443 | 9.2% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 9,264 | 11.4% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 81,013 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 8.1% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Grand Traverse County
| Metric | Grand Traverse County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.500 | 0.539 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $63,717 | $69,354 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $54,811 | $54,749 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 14.0% | 21.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Grand Traverse County, it is 0.500, lower than Michigan's 0.539, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 16% more than women's income in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $311,710 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Grand Traverse County, Michigan has narrowed from about 26% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2011, and was narrowest at 12% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,545 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Grand Traverse County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.2% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 1,937 people are unemployed in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
The average commute time in Grand Traverse County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Michigan.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Grand Traverse County, Michigan has fallen from 8.7% to 3.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.0% in 2012 and fell as low as 3.6% in 2023.
Grand Traverse County has stayed below the U.S. unemployment rate from 2011 to 2024 and has never risen above it. The two were level in 2011, and the gap has since widened to 1.4 points in 2024.
Grand Traverse County, MI Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Grand Traverse County, MI is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 96,166 residents against a local median of 22,734. Grand Traverse County, MI's median household income, at $82,482, runs 21% above the $68,228 typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread $38,342 on median household income, so Grand Traverse County, MI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Grand Traverse County, MI has the 2nd highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Traverse County, MI | 96,166 | $82,482 #2/6 | 4.9%/yr #6/6 | 3.8% #2/6 | 0.500 #2/6 |
| Wexford County, MI | 34,076 | $61,341 | 5.4%/yr | 5.3% | 0.513 |
| Kalkaska County, MI | 18,239 | $68,228 | 6.1%/yr | 3.8% | 0.494 |
| Antrim County, MI | 24,127 | $72,664 | 5.2%/yr | 3.9% | 0.500 |
| Missaukee County, MI | 15,207 | $64,147 | 5.4%/yr | 6.7% | 0.501 |
| Leelanau County, MI | 22,734 | $99,683 | 6.8%/yr | 3.4% | 0.517 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Grand Traverse County, Michigan has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Michigan, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
How Rich Is Grand Traverse County, Michigan?
Grand Traverse County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $82,482, about 13% higher than the Michigan average of $72,977.
How has median household income changed in Grand Traverse County, Michigan?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Grand Traverse County, Michigan rose 62%, from $50,817 to $82,482. Over the same years, income here outpaced Michigan as a whole: +62% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Grand Traverse County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Grand Traverse County, Michigan was $79,939, up 6% from $75,608 in 2022. The Michigan median that year was $71,362.
What was the median household income in Grand Traverse County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Grand Traverse County, Michigan was $66,439. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $82,482.
Is it hard to find a job in Grand Traverse County, Michigan?
Unemployment in Grand Traverse County, Michigan is only 3.8%, well below the Michigan rate of 5.7%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Grand Traverse County, Michigan?
The Gini coefficient in Grand Traverse County is 0.500. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Grand Traverse County, Michigan?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Grand Traverse County, Michigan has narrowed from about 26% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2011, and was narrowest at 12% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,545 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →