Uprootmap
Traverse City vs Lansing
Traverse City and Lansing
Photo: Subterranean / Wikimedia, CC BY 3.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Lansing are under the US rate in this release, 5.5 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Traverse City to Lansing
In 2022-2023, 46 households filed a move from Traverse City to Lansing (about 61 people, average adjusted gross income $45,304). 77 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,399 in Traverse City and $980 in Lansing. Traverse City has a state tax on wages. Lansing has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Lansing is 89% of the national level for the same work, against 89% in Traverse City.
Lansing averages 164 sunny days, with July highs around 82°F and January nights around 23°F. Traverse City is 182 sunny days, 80°F in July, 23°F in January. Commutes average 22 minutes in Lansing and 23 in Traverse City.
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, 46 households moved Traverse City → Lansing (about 61 people, average AGI $45,304). 77 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 Traverse City and Lansing changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 201 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,750–$3,250
- Container or pod
- $1,200–$2,200
- Rent a truck
- $450–$850
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Dig into Lansing
Questions
Is Lansing cheaper than Traverse City after tax and rent?
Yes. Lansing leaves about $457 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,399 in Traverse City and $980 in Lansing.
Does Lansing have state income tax?
Lansing is in Michigan, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 1.00%.
Did people actually move from Traverse City to Lansing?
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.