Downtown Traverse City
Condos and townhouses
Living space above ground-floor businesses is common downtown. Higher-end condominiums can offer lakefront and city skyline views at the upper end of the price range. “Condos are more common than apartments here, and many are in refurbished historic buildings with an industrial feel,” says Shawn Schmidt Smith, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors in Traverse City. Condos sell between $800,000 and $1.2 million, although outliers, including a rooftop penthouse in a historic building, can be priced up to $2.5 million. Typical modern townhouses offer two bedrooms and two bathrooms, priced between $850,000 and $950,000.Walk to restaurants and shops
One of the neighborhood’s biggest draws is its dining scene. Traverse City showcases some of Michigan’s best restaurants, including Poppycocks, a New American restaurant known for its live jazz and martini menu. For a casual meal, there’s Millie & Pepper, a cozy spot serving crepes and tea. After dinner, Le Macaron is a popular stop for French pastries. Front Street's Peace, Love and Little Donuts specializes in a Traverse City delicacy, the cherry pie doughnut.“The main two blocks have expanded and grown so much in recent years,” says Cooper. “Some of the restaurants have been running for over three decades, and new spots pop up every year. There’s a lot of support for our local businesses—downtown takes care of its people.”
When dining in makes more sense, Front Street’s Burritt’s Fresh Market or neighboring Boardman’s Family Fare Supermarket are convenient choices for groceries. Every Saturday morning from May to October, the Sara Hardy Downtown Farmers Market is held at the parking lot by Clinch Park, offering fresh produce, art and wine. There’s no shortage of places to shop downtown, where antique stores and boutiques line the streets that criss-cross the Boardman River. Locals stop into Nifty Things for jewelry, art and home goods or check out Fustini’s Oils & Vinegars for gourmet ingredients.
Beaches, parks and theaters
Clinch Park Beach is filled with colorful towels and umbrellas in spring and summer along the shore of Traverse City Bay, which connects to Lake Michigan. During the summer swimming season, water temperatures typically stay above 68 degrees while high air temperatures average about 80. There’s space for swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding, and boaters can set off from the docks at the Duncan L. Clinch Marina next to the beach. Public lifeguards are on duty from June through August. Directly west of the beach, Clinch Park’s walking paths connect to the multi-use Traverse Area Recreation Trail (TART) and the William G. Milliken Waterscape, an outdoor splash pad perfect for cooling off on hot days. Hannah Park, along the shoreline of the Boardman River near several townhouse complexes, features wooden platforms along the river, making it a popular fishing destination. Open Space Park is aptly named as the largest waterfront space in the city and is adjacent to beach volleyball courts and includes a jetty that extends into the bay.Indoors, Bijou by the Bay, a nonprofit theater whose walls are covered in large-scale murals painted by award-winning local artists, is nearby. There's also Crooked Tree Arts Center, which hosts art classes, events and free exhibits and the City Opera House, a 700-seat Victorian theater hosting plays, concerts and films, and the State Theatre, a historic building that presents an annual film festival and weekly screenings.
“We’ve got outdoor activities for every season,” says Cooper. “When it’s warm, people enjoy the volleyball courts and beaches. In the winter, people go snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. There’s always something to do.”
Traverse City Area Public Schools
Students are zoned in the Traverse City Area Public School District—listed as the best-rated school district in Grand Traverse County, according to Niche. Students may attend Central Grade School, graded A minus by Niche; East Middle School, graded B plus; and Central High School, graded A minus. Located next to the Northwestern Michigan College campus, Central High School offers an Early College Program for students to earn college credits.The National Cherry Festival
Known as the “Cherry Capital of the World,” Traverse City hosts the annual National Cherry Festival in June and July. Most events are held at Open Space Park, though satellite stages are set up around the city. About half-a-million attend over the eight days for picnics, markets, orchard tours, pie-eating contests and even “Cherry-Pit-Spit” competitions. National rock bands play the Pepsi Bayside Music State. Goo Goo Dolls, T.I. and Stone Temple Pilots were scheduled in 2024.Mild summers and snowy winters
The moderating effects of nearby lakes mean that Traverse City’s summers are mild, peaking in July with average highs around 80. January is the coldest month, with highs averaging about 28 and lows around 15. Snowfall averages 125-145 inches a year. Traverse City’s downtown area can be louder than surrounding neighborhoods due to traffic from East Grandview Parkway and the proximity of foot traffic on Front and State streets.Traverse City's variety of transportation options
With major employers like Munson Medical Center, Northwestern Michigan College, and Tyson Foods located in the city, many downtown residents are close enough to consider walking or cycling -- distances are under 2.5 miles from most parts of Downtown, though auto travel is often needed beyond the Downtown area, though the Bay Area Transit System network of buses operate on several fixed routes and on-demand services. Downtown is about 50 miles from Interstate 75, one of the region's longest highways. Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) is close by—just under 5 miles east of downtown and around a 10-minute drive.


Agents Specializing in this Area
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Lydia Wiley
@properties Christie's Int'l
(888) 364-8716
32 Total Sales
5 in Downtown Traverse City
$515K - $3M Price Range
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Danielle Jerome
Responds QuicklyColdwell Banker Schmidt Traver
(947) 886-8274
157 Total Sales
2 in Downtown Traverse City
$455K - $1.2M Price Range
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Ann Porter
Responds QuicklyREO-TCRandolph-233022
(231) 714-6828
369 Total Sales
4 in Downtown Traverse City
$335K - $1.3M Price Range
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T. J. Shimek
Responds QuicklyThe Mitten Real Estate Group
(231) 714-6614
443 Total Sales
3 in Downtown Traverse City
$395K - $772K Price Range
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AG
Amber Griswold
Responds QuicklyCENTURY 21 Northland
(231) 714-6674
70 Total Sales
1 in Downtown Traverse City
$366,954 Price
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Christina Ingersoll
Responds QuicklyREMAX Bayshore - Union St TC
(231) 714-6374
408 Total Sales
3 in Downtown Traverse City
$250K - $355K Price Range
Schools
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Transit
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Downtown Traverse City | US |
---|---|---|
Homicide | 3 | 4 |
Sexual Assault | 4 | 4 |
Assault with Weapon | 4 | 4 |
Robbery | 4 | 4 |
Burglary | 6 | 4 |
Motor Vehicle Theft | 5 | 4 |
Larceny | 7 | 4 |
Crime Score | 5 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Downtown Traverse City Demographics and Home Trends
Housing Trends
Neighborhood Facts
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
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Area Factors
Biker's Paradise
Bike Score®
Very Walkable
Walk Score®
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