Grand Traverse County (/ˈtrævərs/ TRAV-ərss) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. According to the 2020 census, the population was 95,238, making it the most populous county in Northern Michigan. The county seat is Traverse City. Grand Traverse County is part of the Traverse City metropolitan area, which includes nearby Benzie, Kalkaska, and Leelanau counties.

Historically, the area was part of the territory controlled by the Council of Three Fires, which included the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi tribes. The first European settlement in the region was established in 1839. The county was originally created in 1840 as Omeena County but was renamed Grand Traverse County in 1851. The county and Traverse City are named after Grand Traverse Bay, a bay of Lake Michigan.

Interlochen Center for the Arts, a prestigious boarding school, is located within the county.

History

Before European settlers arrived, Grand Traverse County was part of the lands where the Council of Three Fires (made up of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi tribes) lived. These people called the area at the head of Grand Traverse Bay "gichi-wiikwedoongsing" (Ojibwe: "place at the head of the great bay").

As part of the 1836 Treaty of Washington, the federal government was responsible for creating the first permanent settlement in the county. This settlement, now known as Old Mission, was established in May 1839 and originally named "Grand Traverse." The name "Grand Traverse Bay" comes from the French phrase "la grande traversée," meaning "the long crossing," used by 18th-century French explorers who crossed the mouth of the bay.

In 1840, the Michigan Legislature separated the unorganized Omeena County from part of Michilimackinac County. The name "Omeena" comes from an Ojibwe phrase, "o-me-nah," which means "is it so?"

On April 7, 1851, a law passed by the legislature officially organized Omeena County, renaming it Grand Traverse County. The county seat was set in Boardman's Mills, a location in the growing area of Traverse City. At that time, the future counties of Antrim, Benzie, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, and Wexford were attached to Grand Traverse County for administrative purposes, but they later became separate. However, the law did not include rules for creating townships or choosing officials, so Grand Traverse County had no legal government until 1858. That winter, a state law completed the organization of Grand Traverse County and divided the county into two initial townships:

• Peninsula Township, which included the Old Mission Peninsula, and
• Traverse Township, which covered the rest of the county.

Today, Grand Traverse County includes thirteen townships.

An 1884 article described the Traverse Region as famous for "its productiveness of soil, salubrious climate and romantic scenery."

There are 12 recognized Michigan historical markers in the county: They are:

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Grand Traverse County has a total area of 601 square miles (1,560 km²), of which 464 square miles (1,200 km²) is land and 137 square miles (350 km²) (23%) is water. Grand Traverse County is part of Northern Michigan. The highest point in the county is Exodus Hill in Long Lake Township, and the lowest point is Grand Traverse Bay. The county includes several notable lakes, such as Arbutus Lake, Fife Lake, Green Lake, Silver Lake, Spider Lake, and part of Elk Lake. The largest inland lake in the county is Long Lake.

The Old Mission Peninsula, which extends 17 miles (27 km) into Grand Traverse Bay, is politically part of Grand Traverse County and is mostly within Peninsula Township. Power Island, an island in Grand Traverse Bay, is also part of Peninsula Township.

• The Betsie River starts at Green Lake (though some smaller streams flow into the county from farther away), flows west into Benzie County, and eventually reaches Lake Michigan at Frankfort.
• The Boardman River enters the county from the east, flows west and north, and reaches West Bay in Traverse City.
• The Platte River begins at Long Lake, flows west to Lake Dubonnet, and continues into Benzie County, ending at Lake Michigan.

Adjacent counties include:
– Antrim County (northeast)
– Kalkaska County (east)
– Missaukee County (southeast)
– Wexford County (south)
– Manistee County (southwest)
– Benzie County (west)
– Leelanau County (northwest)

Notable natural areas include:
– Pere Marquette State Forest
– Interlochen State Park
– Keith J. Charters Traverse City State Park
– Old Mission State Park

Communities

• Traverse City (county seat, partially located in Leelanau County)
• Fife Lake
• Kingsley
• East Bay Township
• Garfield Township
• Long Lake Township
• Chums Corner
• Grawn
• Interlochen
• Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 95,238. The median age was 43.4 years. Nineteen point eight percent of residents were under the age of 18, and 21.4% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 94.4 males aged 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 90.8% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 1.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.1% from some other race, and 5.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 3.2% of the population.

Fifty-six point eight percent of residents lived in urban areas, while 43.2% lived in rural areas.

There were 39,819 households in the county. Twenty-five point six percent of these households had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.5% were married-couple households, 17.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 45,776 housing units, of which 13.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.0% were owner-occupied, and 25.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%, and the rental vacancy rate was 8.0%.

As of the 2000 census, there were 77,654 people, 30,396 households, and 20,730 families residing in the county. The population density was 167 inhabitants per square mile (64/km²). There were 34,842 housing units at an average density of 75 per square mile (29/km²).

In 2000, the racial makeup of the county was 96.51% White, 0.40% Black or African American, 0.93% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.54% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. One point four nine percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Twenty-five point one percent were of German ancestry, 11.3% English, 10.7% Irish, 8.4% American, and 7.4% Polish. Ninety-six point four percent spoke only English at home, while 1.6% spoke Spanish at home.

There were 30,396 households, of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them. Fifty-five point seven percent were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.80% were non-families. Twenty-five point zero percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49, and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, 25.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.9% was from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $43,169, and the median income for a family was $51,211. Males had a median income of $34,796, and females had a median income of $24,139. The per capita income for the county was $22,111. About 3.80% of families and 5.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.30% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.

Grand Traverse County is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord. It is also located in the Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan.

Politics

Grand Traverse County has historically supported Republican candidates in presidential elections, similar to much of northern Michigan. It has voted for the Republican candidate in every presidential election since the Civil War, except for four: 1912, 1932, 1936, and 1964. In 1912, the county supported Theodore Roosevelt, the Bull Moose candidate, because the Republican Party was deeply split. The other times the county did not support a Republican candidate were during large national victories for the Democratic Party, with margins of 400 votes and 40 states.

Since 2008, the county has become more balanced in political choices. Democrats have received at least 40% of the vote in the last five presidential elections, which is the first time this has happened since 1964. Traverse City tends to support Democratic candidates, while the rest of the county leans toward Republican candidates.

In the 2022 Michigan gubernatorial election, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer won 27,396 votes (52.38%) in Grand Traverse County, marking the first time a Democratic gubernatorial candidate won the county since 1986.

In the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump won the county, even though he lost the state of Michigan. He received 50.54% of the vote (30,502 votes) in 2020 and 52.73% (27,413 votes) in 2016. Although Trump’s vote share was similar in both years, his margin of victory was much smaller in 2020 due to fewer third-party candidates and higher Democratic voter turnout. In the 2024 election, Trump won the county, but it was one of only two counties in Michigan where his vote share decreased compared to 2020, along with neighboring Leelanau County.

In 2008, Republican candidate John McCain received 24,716 votes (50.60%) in the county, compared to 23,258 votes (47.62%) for Democratic candidate Barack Obama. This was despite Obama winning the state of Michigan by a large margin. McCain’s victory in the county was smaller than usual for a Republican candidate.

In 2004, Republican president George W. Bush received 27,446 votes (59.42%) in the county, compared to 18,256 votes (39.52%) for Democrat John Kerry.

In 2000, Bush received 22,358 votes (58.48%) in the county, compared to 14,371 votes (37.59%) for Democrat Al Gore.

Government

The county government runs the jail, keeps rural roads in good condition, manages local courts, stores records of property deeds and mortgages, keeps important documents like birth and death records, enforces public health rules, and works with the state to provide welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners decides how money is spent but can only create some laws or rules. In Michigan, most local government jobs—such as police and fire departments, building and zoning rules, tax assessments, and street repairs—are handled by cities and townships.

Grand Traverse County is represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Jack Bergman (R) and is part of Michigan's 1st congressional district.

In the Michigan House of Representatives, Grand Traverse County is split between the 103rd and 104th districts. The 103rd district, which includes Traverse City and the townships of East Bay, Garfield, Long Lake, and Peninsula, is represented by Betsy Coffia (D). The 104th district, which includes the rest of Grand Traverse County, is represented by John Roth (R). In the Michigan Senate, Grand Traverse County is part of the 37th Senate district and is represented by John Damoose (R).

• Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office
• Traverse City Police Department
• Blair Township Fire Department
• Cherry Capital Airport Fire Department
• Fife Lake Springfield Fire Department
• Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department
• Green Lake Township Emergency Services
• Long Lake Fire-Rescue
• Paradise Emergency Services
• Peninsula Township Fire Department
• City of Traverse City Fire Department
• Whitewater Township Fire Department

Education

Grand Traverse County is served by several public school districts:

• Benzie Central Schools (BCS) covers the far southwest part of the county.
• Buckley Community School District (BCSD) covers the southwest area of the county.
• Elk Rapids Schools (ERS) covers the northeasternmost parts of the county.
• Forest Area Community Schools (FACS) covers the southeast area of the county, including the village of Fife Lake.
• Manton Consolidated Schools (MCS) covers a small area in the far southeast corner of the county.
• Kingsley Area Schools (KAS) covers the south-center part of the county, focused on the village of Kingsley.
• Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) covers most of the county, located in Traverse City. This district includes two high schools: Traverse City Central and Traverse City West.

The county also has many smaller charter and private schools, including those in the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools system.

Grand Traverse County has Northwestern Michigan College, a public community college located in Traverse City.

Economy

As reported by the Grand Traverse Economic Development Corporation, the biggest companies that hire the most people in Grand Traverse County, as of 2017, are:

Transportation

Grand Traverse County is served by Cherry Capital Airport, which is located near Traverse City. This airport serves 21 counties in Northern Michigan and offers flights to destinations across the United States throughout the year and during specific seasons. In 2019, Cherry Capital Airport had the fourth-highest number of passengers boarding planes in Michigan, following Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Grand Rapids' Gerald R. Ford International Airport, and Flint's Bishop International Airport.

Other airports in the county include:

• Acme Skyport
• Green Lake Airport
• Tramps Aerodrome
• Yuba Airport

In the past, there was an airport on the south side of Traverse City called Ransom Field. It was located on Rennie Hill and closed during the 1930s.

• US 31 travels through the county in a zigzag pattern, moving both north–south and east–west at different points. This highway is one of the busiest roads in Northern Michigan, passing through Traverse City. It connects cities to the north, such as Charlevoix and Petoskey, and to the southwest, such as Ludington and Muskegon. The highway continues south to Spanish Fort, Alabama, passing through major cities like Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, and Birmingham.
• US 131 runs northeast–southwest through the far southeast of the county, entirely within Fife Lake Township. This highway connects to Kalkaska and Petoskey to the north and to Cadillac, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo to the south. Its southern end is at the Indiana Toll Road, just across the state line.
• M-22 begins at an intersection in Traverse City and travels northwest along the Grand Traverse Bay. It continues through Leelanau County, following the shoreline toward Suttons Bay and Northport, then turns southwesterly toward Leland, Glen Arbor, Frankfort, and Manistee.
• M-37 is the longest highway in the county. This north–south route enters the county near Buckley and travels north through Traverse City to the Old Mission Peninsula. It ends at a cul-de-sac near Mission Point Light. South of Grand Traverse County, the highway continues to Baldwin, Grand Rapids, Hastings, and Battle Creek.
• M-72 is an east–west route that enters the county from the northwest. It passes through Traverse City and continues east toward Kalkaska, passing through Williamsburg. This highway connects to Empire and central Leelanau County to the west and to Grayling and Harrisville on the Lake Huron shore to the east.
• M-113 is an east–west route in the southern part of the county. It connects M-37 to US 131, passing through Kingsley and Walton.
• M-186 is a short highway that provides a direct route from M-113 to US 131 at Fife Lake.

Previously, another highway, M-137, ran through Grand Traverse County, extending from US 31 in Green Lake Township south to Interlochen. It passed near Interlochen Center for the Arts and Interlochen State Park. However, the Michigan Department of Transportation removed this highway from use in 2020.

• USBR 35 follows the shoreline of Grand Traverse Bay along several roadways and local trails, including those part of the TART Trails system.