Meet the Traverse City Region: Work-Life Balance on the Fresh Coast

Traverse City and the surrounding Northwest Michigan region are home to a fast-growing tech and start-up ecosystem, as well as strong, established tourism, wine, and agricultural industries. 

Residents enjoy a lifestyle with quick access to freshwater coastline, scenic trails and unique downtowns — paired with a nationally-recognized food and wine scene. It’s a region where entrepreneurs, outdoor enthusiasts, beach-goers and wine enthusiasts can all find a slice of paradise.

Leading the Way

• 10 Best Places to Go in 2025 (Wall Street Journal)
• Coolest Small Towns of 2025 (Wildsam)
• Best Places to Visit in 2024 (CNN)

Who’s Hiring?

• Munson Healthcare
• Northwestern Michigan College
• Interlochen Center for the Arts
• Hagerty
• Traverse City Area Public Schools

Off the Clock

• Visit the beautiful Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which features miles of beaches, 450-foot bluffs on Lake Michigan, camping, hiking and some of the best views Michigan has to offer.
• Swim, kayak, canoe, tube, fish or just relax on the area’s 234 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, some of Michigan’s largest inland lakes and hundreds of rivers, creeks and streams. 
• Taste wine from nearly 50 different local wineries. Located on the 45th parallel, a latitude known for excellent wine production worldwide, the area offers scenic views of vineyards to pair with your favorite type of wine. 
• Hit the slopes at Boyne Mountain or Crystal Mountain.
• Tee off at Arcadia Bluffs, a world-class golf course with views of Lake Michigan.

What’s New

• Aster Brands, a concrete forming systems provider, is relocating its headquarters to Harbor Springs, bringing $7 million in private investment, 56 existing employees and 15 new jobs. 
• With multiple housing developments like The Block at Petoskey, Bellaire Lofts, Lofts on Lumber Square, Pine Pond, Northwestern Michigan Habitat for Humanity’s Meadowlands neighborhood and Victory Square, the region is adding over 500 housing units in the next three years.
• Two recently announced expansion projects, Highfield Boats’ assembly operations and Cambium Analytica’s enhanced natural food testing capabilities, will create 144 jobs and $4.35 million in capital investment. 

Partners (with Additional Resources for Job Seekers)

• Northern Lakes Economic Alliance, based in Boyne City, helps drive economic development and community prosperity. As Sam Bailey, Strategic Initiatives Manager for NLEA described, “Northern Michigan has so much to offer – great careers, exceptional trails and lakes, and a strong sense of community.”
• Michigan’s Creative Coast is a talent attraction initiative based in Traverse City. “The Traverse City Region is stunningly beautiful, but there is also a unique entrepreneurial and collaborative spirit that lives here. Where you’re an artist, a freelancer, small business owner, or founder, you’ll find an amazing community here to connect and grow with,” says Abby Baudry, Project Lead for Michigan’s Creative Coast.