Uprootmap
Chicago vs Traverse City
Chicago and Traverse City
Photo: Phoenix-Five / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Traverse City are under the US rate in this release, 1.5 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Chicago to Traverse City
In 2022-2023, 37 households filed a move from Chicago to Traverse City (about 69 people, average adjusted gross income $202,649). 56 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,782 in Chicago and $1,399 in Traverse City. Chicago has a state tax on wages. Traverse City has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Traverse City is 89% of the national level for the same work, against 105% in Chicago.
Traverse City averages 182 sunny days, with July highs around 80°F and January nights around 23°F. Chicago is 189 sunny days, 84°F in July, 20°F in January. Commutes average 23 minutes in Traverse City and 33 in Chicago.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 37 households moved Chicago → Traverse City (about 69 people, average AGI $202,649). 56 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Chicago and Traverse City changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 289 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,850–$3,450
- Container or pod
- $1,250–$2,350
- Rent a truck
- $500–$1,000
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Dig into Traverse City
Questions
Is Traverse City cheaper than Chicago after tax and rent?
Yes. Traverse City leaves about $348 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,782 in Chicago and $1,399 in Traverse City.
Does Traverse City have state income tax?
Traverse City is in Michigan, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 1.00%.
Did people actually move from Chicago to Traverse City?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.