Uprootmap
Kalamazoo vs Traverse City
Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo to Traverse City
In 2022-2023, 30 households filed a move from Kalamazoo to Traverse City (about 42 people, average adjusted gross income $53,900). 28 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $976 in Kalamazoo and $1,399 in Traverse City. Kalamazoo 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 89% in Kalamazoo.
Traverse City averages 182 sunny days, with July highs around 80°F and January nights around 23°F. Kalamazoo is 168 sunny days, 81°F in July, 24°F in January. Commutes average 23 minutes in Traverse City and 20 in Kalamazoo.
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, 30 households moved Kalamazoo → Traverse City (about 42 people, average AGI $53,900). 28 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 Kalamazoo and Traverse City changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 226 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,750–$3,300
- Container or pod
- $1,200–$2,250
- Rent a truck
- $500–$900
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Dig into Traverse City
Questions
Is Traverse City cheaper than Kalamazoo after tax and rent?
No. Traverse City leaves about $409 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $976 in Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo 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.