Traverse City, MI · standard
ZIP Code 49686
Grand Traverse County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 32,056
- 103/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $71,609
- Median income Near-median income area
- $344,700
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 46.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Traverse City pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 49th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 27%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 103
- people per sq mi
- 73%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49686 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 49686 (Traverse City, MI) rose +7.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 264.8 in 2023 to 284.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 49686 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan, with 32,056 residents across 311.5 square miles, a density of 103 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 49686 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $71,609 (2% below the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $50,606. The poverty rate is 12.8%, with unemployment at 3.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $344,700 (57% above the average Michigan ZIP), while 72.5% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,227.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 46.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.5, and the average commute is 19 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Grand Traverse County, so 49686 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 49686
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Traverse City, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49686.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
160 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
149 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
148 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
115 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
105 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 49686, Traverse City, MI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
32,056
Population
311.5
Area (sq mi)
103
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 49686?
47.5
Median Age
49.9%
Male
50.1%
Female
2.0%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$71,609
Median Household Income
-2% vs state ZIP avg
$50,606
Per Capita Income
12.8%
Poverty Rate
3.6%
Unemployment Rate
18.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 49686 ranks nationally
Traverse City, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$71,609 49th percentile higher than 49% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
13,547housing units
13,547
Total Housing Units
12,007
Occupied Units
1,540
Vacant Units
2.07
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$344,700
Median Home Value
+57% vs state ZIP avg
$1,227
Median Rent
1983
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+7.4%
YoY Change (2024)
284
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+184%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 49686 have increased 7.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +184% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.8% | 173 |
| 2021 | +14.8% | 198 |
| 2022 | +21.5% | 241 |
| 2023 | +10.0% | 265 |
| 2024 | +7.4% | 284 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 1,169 business establishments in ZIP 49686, employing approximately 13,964 people with a combined annual payroll of $772,230,000.
1,169
Businesses
13,964
Employees
$772.2M
Annual Payroll
18
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 160 | 13.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 149 | 12.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 148 | 12.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 115 | 9.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 105 | 9.0% |
| Construction | 99 | 8.5% |
| Manufacturing | 86 | 7.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 63 | 5.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 59 | 5.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 56 | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 50 | 4.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 18 | 1.5% |
| Information | 17 | 1.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 15 | 1.3% |
| Educational services | 15 | 1.3% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 5 | 0.4% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 0.3% |
| Utilities | 3 | 0.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 49686 vs 49690 →
ZIP 49686 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 49686
Traverse City (49686)
32,056 residents
- 49690 6,182
Williamsburg (49690)
6,182 residents
- 49666 106
Mayfield (49666)
106 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 49686 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 49686, both outside MI so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (32,056 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Grand Traverse County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 49686 in?
ZIP code 49686 (Traverse City) is located in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. Grand Traverse County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/grand-traverse-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49686?
ZIP code 49686 in Traverse City, MI has a population of 32,056 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49686?
The median household income in ZIP 49686 is $71,609, which is 6% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49686?
The median home value in ZIP 49686 is $344,700, which is 24% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49686?
The largest racial group in ZIP 49686 is White at 90.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49686?
ZIP code 49686 has 1,169 business establishments employing approximately 13,964 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49686?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49686 are: Retail trade (160), Professional, scientific, and technical services (149), Health care and social assistance (148). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49686?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49686 increased by 7.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 184%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 49686?
In ZIP code 49686, 65.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 46.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 49686?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49686 is 18.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 49686?
In ZIP code 49686, approximately 72.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49686?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49686 is 12.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 49686's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 49686 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Traverse City, MI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.