Kingsley vs Traverse City
Kingsley, Michigan versus Traverse City, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Traverse City edges out Kingsley on overall objective livability (51 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kingsley | Traverse City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $65k | $71k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $50k |
| Home Value | $227k | $337k |
| Monthly Rent | $996 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $364 | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.13% | 1.30% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.21% | 12.49% |
| Unemployment | 2.6% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 22°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.6 in | 29.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 101.0 in | 101.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 189 days | 189 days |
| Summer Humidity | 59°F | 59°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 86 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 45.6 | 41.7 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 36.6 | 59.7 |
| Violent Crime | 1460/100k | 1460/100k |
| Property Crime | 683/100k | 683/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,792 | 15,468 |
| Median Age | 28.7 | 41.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.08 | 0.15 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.22 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 90.2% | 90.0% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 1.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.2% | 3.5% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 1.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.6% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 18 min |
| Walkability | 5.4/20 | 13.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 118 mi | 129 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.9% | 90.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 72.54 | 188.78 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Kingsley or Traverse City more affordable?
- Traverse City has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Kingsley's $50k and Traverse City's $50k. Median rent is $996 in Kingsley versus $1k in Traverse City.
- Is Kingsley or Traverse City safer?
- Traverse City has the lower violent crime rate. Kingsley reports 1460/100k and Traverse City reports 1460/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kingsley or Traverse City?
- The median home value is $227k in Kingsley and $337k in Traverse City, so homes are more affordable in Kingsley.