Total enrollment
12,069
-1,041 (-8%) vs SY 2017-18
Grand Traverse County
Michigan · Public K-12
Grand Traverse County runs 32 public K-12 schools per the latest NCES counts, with an average school size of about 377 students. By grade band, the county runs 17 elementary, 3 middle, and 8 high schools.
7-year change in Grand Traverse County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
30
0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
89%
was 90%
% Hispanic
4%
was 4%
% Black
2%
was 1%
% Asian
2%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
96,166
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
32
10 districts
Enrollment
12,069
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$81,647
Above Michigan avg
Free/reduced lunch
31.5%
Below Michigan avg
Elementary
17
5,142 students
Middle
3
2,276 students
High
8
3,618 students
Combined / other
4
1,033 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Traverse City Area Public Schools
8,546 students · 10 districts in Grand Traverse County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Grand Traverse County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
40.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.8%
civilian labor
Median age
44
19.4% under 18
Test scores in Grand Traverse County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 16 schools ranked. Michigan state average: 47.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- TCAPS Montessori School· 67.8%
- Willow Hill Elementary School· 67.5%
- Old Mission Peninsula School· 64.9%
- Central Grade School· 63.3%
- Courtade Elementary School· 59.8%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Blair Elementary School· 41.9%
- Long Lake Elementary School· 44.6%
- Silver Lake Elementary School· 46.5%
- West Middle School· 51.2%
- Cherry Knoll Elementary School· 51.3%
See all 16 schools in Grand Traverse County ranked by score →
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Senior High | Traverse City | High | 09-12 | 1,384 | · |
| Central High School | Traverse City | High | 08-12 | 1,326 | · |
| West Middle School | Traverse City | Middle | 06-08 | 1,081 | · |
| East Middle School | Traverse City | Middle | 06-08 | 829 | · |
| Grand Traverse Academy | Traverse City | Combined | PK-12 | 824 | · |
| Kingsley Area Elementary School | Kingsley | Elementary | PK-05 | 655 | · |
| Central Grade School | Traverse City | Elementary | PK-07 | 510 | · |
| Eastern Elementary School | Traverse City | Elementary | PK-05 | 475 | · |
| Willow Hill Elementary School | Traverse City | Elementary | PK-05 | 429 | · |
| Kingsley Area High School | Kingsley | High | 09-12 | 401 | · |
| Kingsley Area Middle School | Kingsley | Middle | 06-08 | 366 | · |
| Westwoods Elementary School | Traverse City | Elementary | PK-05 | 365 | · |
| Long Lake Elementary School | Traverse City | Elementary | PK-05 | 364 | · |
| Cherry Knoll Elementary School | Traverse City | Elementary | PK-05 | 333 | · |
| TCAPS Montessori School | Traverse City | Elementary | PK-08 | 331 | · |
| Silver Lake Elementary School | Traverse City | Elementary | PK-05 | 286 | · |
| Traverse Heights Elem School | Traverse City | Elementary | PK-05 | 245 | · |
| Mill Creek Academy | Williamsburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 233 | · |
| Courtade Elementary School | Traverse City | Elementary | PK-05 | 215 | · |
| Woodland School | Traverse City | Elementary | KG-08 | 209 | · |
| Blair Elementary School | Traverse City | Elementary | PK-05 | 202 | · |
| The Greenspire High School | Traverse City | High | 09-12 | 176 | · |
| Traverse City High School | Traverse City | High | 09-12 | 171 | · |
| Old Mission Peninsula School | Traverse City | Elementary | KG-06 | 146 | · |
| Fife Lake Elementary School | Fife Lake | Elementary | PK-03 | 144 | · |
| The Greenspire School | Traverse City | High | 06-12 | 93 | · |
| North EdNew Horizons | Traverse City | Combined | PK-12 | 75 | · |
| North EdBridgeway | Traverse City | Combined | PK-12 | 70 | · |
| Life Skills Center | Traverse City | High | UG-UG | 67 | · |
| North EdCreekside School | Traverse City | Combined | KG-12 | 64 | · |
| Mill Creek Elementary School | Williamsburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 0 | · |
| North EdCareer Tech | Traverse City | High | 11-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Grand Traverse County
About Grand Traverse County
Grand Traverse County is an average-sized Michigan county of about 96,166 residents, home to 32 public schools and roughly 12,069 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $81,647, about 41% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 6%. That income level is 23% meaningfully above the Michigan median.
On the school-mix side, Grand Traverse County comprises 17 elementary schools (5,142 students), 3 middle schools (2,276), 8 high schools (3,618), and 4 combined or other schools.
Traverse City Area Public Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 8,546 students on its own.
Five-year track record. Combined enrollment now sits at 12,069 students, declined 8% from the 13,110 reported in SY 2017-18.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Grand Traverse County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
Grand Traverse County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data