Traverse City, MI vs Flint, MI: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, living costs in Flint, MI and Traverse City, MI are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Traverse City works out to about $74,700 in Flint, before taxes.
- Housing is 5.3% lower in Flint, goods 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher, which roughly cancel out.
- Typical asking rent is $1,041 a month in Flint and $1,853 in Traverse City, $9,744 a year less in Flint (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $196,000 in Flint and $419,000 in Traverse City.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (1.6%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Overall prices are about the same in Traverse City and Flint
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Traverse City, MI
- Flint, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Traverse City, MI | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.4 | 93.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| Housing (rents) | 78.1 | 74.0 |
| Utilities | 92.4 | 97.1 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.6 |
| Category | Traverse City | Flint | Flint vs Traverse City |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.4 | 93.0 | −0.4% |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 | 0.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 78.1 | 74.0 | −5.3% |
| Utilities | 92.4 | 97.1 | +5.1% |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.6 | 0.0% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,853 | $1,041 | −43.8% |
| Typical home value | $419,000 | $196,000 | −53.3% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Traverse City | $75,000 | $74,700 | −0.4% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Traverse City and Flint has narrowed since 2008: 10.7 points then, 0.3 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Traverse City, MI
- Flint, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Traverse City, MI | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 85.3 | 96.0 |
| 2009 | 89.4 | 95.0 |
| 2010 | 94.2 | 94.7 |
| 2011 | 88.2 | 93.2 |
| 2012 | 91.7 | 93.0 |
| 2013 | 90.0 | 93.4 |
| 2014 | 90.1 | 93.2 |
| 2015 | 91.2 | 91.7 |
| 2016 | 89.7 | 90.8 |
| 2017 | 88.9 | 89.6 |
| 2018 | 92.7 | 91.8 |
| 2019 | 93.6 | 92.1 |
| 2020 | 90.4 | 89.8 |
| 2021 | 93.4 | 89.0 |
| 2022 | 93.3 | 90.9 |
| 2023 | 90.6 | 89.9 |
| 2024 | 93.4 | 93.0 |
Goods
- Traverse City, MI
- Flint, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Traverse City, MI | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 76.8 | 99.9 |
| 2009 | 84.7 | 102.1 |
| 2010 | 93.4 | 100.4 |
| 2011 | 94.1 | 101.0 |
| 2012 | 95.3 | 99.5 |
| 2013 | 94.7 | 100.0 |
| 2014 | 95.6 | 99.5 |
| 2015 | 96.0 | 98.2 |
| 2016 | 94.4 | 99.1 |
| 2017 | 93.7 | 99.5 |
| 2018 | 97.1 | 97.1 |
| 2019 | 95.9 | 95.9 |
| 2020 | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| 2021 | 94.4 | 94.4 |
| 2022 | 92.1 | 92.1 |
| 2023 | 94.1 | 94.1 |
| 2024 | 93.7 | 93.7 |
Housing (rents)
- Traverse City, MI
- Flint, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Traverse City, MI | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 80.8 | 79.4 |
| 2009 | 84.6 | 71.7 |
| 2010 | 93.4 | 76.4 |
| 2011 | 71.3 | 67.6 |
| 2012 | 79.8 | 72.0 |
| 2013 | 75.0 | 69.4 |
| 2014 | 74.2 | 67.2 |
| 2015 | 84.8 | 67.7 |
| 2016 | 80.5 | 65.2 |
| 2017 | 80.5 | 63.0 |
| 2018 | 78.0 | 69.4 |
| 2019 | 79.5 | 70.3 |
| 2020 | 70.8 | 64.8 |
| 2021 | 81.4 | 57.9 |
| 2022 | 83.8 | 68.6 |
| 2023 | 69.5 | 65.0 |
| 2024 | 78.1 | 74.0 |
Utilities
- Traverse City, MI
- Flint, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Traverse City, MI | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 86.4 | 100.3 |
| 2009 | 92.4 | 107.5 |
| 2010 | 100.6 | 107.5 |
| 2011 | 95.0 | 109.3 |
| 2012 | 98.0 | 111.2 |
| 2013 | 97.3 | 112.7 |
| 2014 | 92.8 | 105.5 |
| 2015 | 93.4 | 106.7 |
| 2016 | 96.6 | 107.3 |
| 2017 | 93.4 | 108.7 |
| 2018 | 97.2 | 103.9 |
| 2019 | 95.7 | 98.6 |
| 2020 | 97.9 | 103.3 |
| 2021 | 98.7 | 104.7 |
| 2022 | 92.4 | 96.6 |
| 2023 | 92.0 | 96.4 |
| 2024 | 92.4 | 97.1 |
Other services
- Traverse City, MI
- Flint, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Traverse City, MI | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 94.5 | 100.2 |
| 2009 | 95.0 | 99.2 |
| 2010 | 94.8 | 98.0 |
| 2011 | 92.5 | 97.4 |
| 2012 | 94.7 | 96.6 |
| 2013 | 93.5 | 97.5 |
| 2014 | 94.1 | 98.8 |
| 2015 | 91.1 | 96.6 |
| 2016 | 90.4 | 94.9 |
| 2017 | 89.7 | 93.4 |
| 2018 | 96.5 | 96.5 |
| 2019 | 98.6 | 98.6 |
| 2020 | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| 2021 | 97.9 | 97.9 |
| 2022 | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| 2023 | 97.7 | 97.7 |
| 2024 | 99.6 | 99.6 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,041 in Flint vs $1,853 in Traverse City
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Traverse City, MI
- Flint, MI
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Traverse City, MI | Flint, MI | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | $562 | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | $567 | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | $586 | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | $570 | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | $581 | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | $603 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | $599 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | $606 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | $608 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | $616 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | – | $618 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | – | $624 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | – | $634 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | – | $646 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | – | $651 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | – | $645 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | – | $656 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | – | $682 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | – | $687 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | – | $673 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | – | $679 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | – | $713 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | – | $716 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | $734 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | – | $751 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | – | $782 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | – | $818 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | – | $824 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | – | $844 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,454 | $881 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,435 | $879 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,430 | $875 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,473 | $857 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,638 | $870 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,591 | $894 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,528 | $903 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,666 | $922 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,681 | $934 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,661 | $969 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,609 | $971 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,677 | $964 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,756 | $988 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,774 | $989 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,695 | $1,002 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,785 | $1,006 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,852 | $1,034 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,853 | $1,041 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $196,000 in Flint vs $419,000 in Traverse City
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Traverse City, MI
- Flint, MI
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Traverse City, MI | Flint, MI | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $196K | $75K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $197K | $77K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $199K | $79K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $203K | $81K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $207K | $83K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $208K | $86K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $208K | $88K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $211K | $91K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $216K | $93K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $220K | $96K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $223K | $98K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $226K | $101K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $231K | $104K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $234K | $108K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $238K | $110K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $240K | $111K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $243K | $115K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $244K | $119K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $246K | $119K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $250K | $121K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $257K | $124K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $256K | $126K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $261K | $129K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $276K | $137K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $294K | $145K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $315K | $153K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $327K | $155K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $332K | $155K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $347K | $162K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $366K | $168K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $367K | $167K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $366K | $164K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $367K | $163K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $380K | $166K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $388K | $171K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $388K | $173K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $392K | $176K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $398K | $180K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $402K | $180K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $407K | $181K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $407K | $182K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $408K | $184K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $407K | $188K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $410K | $191K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $415K | $194K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $417K | $195K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $419K | $196K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.