Urban and Regional Planners Salary
Urban and Regional Planners in Traverse City, MI make a median of $79,270 a year, or about $38.11 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers.
So what does $79K get you in Traverse City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Traverse City’s Regional Price Parity (93.4). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About urban and regional planners
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What this looks like in Traverse City
Pay for urban and regional planners in Traverse City runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $89K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,224/month, 24.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.4 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Traverse City can be a reasonable trade-off for urban and regional plannerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for urban and regional planners in metros near Traverse City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $82K | , |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $89K | , |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $80K | , |
| Flint | $62K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Traverse City, MI
Entry-level urban and regional planners (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $65K spread from bottom to top.
Urban and Regional Planners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Urban and Regional Planners salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $137K | +53% | 120 |
| California | $110K | +23% | 7,460 |
| Oregon | $103K | +15% | 1,010 |
| Arizona | $102K | +15% | 1,330 |
| Colorado | $101K | +13% | 1,300 |
| Washington | $101K | +13% | 3,180 |
| Nevada | $100K | +12% | 270 |
| Connecticut | $100K | +12% | 350 |
| Massachusetts | $100K | +12% | 1,540 |
| Minnesota | $97K | +9% | 860 |
| Alaska | $94K | +5% | 230 |
| Illinois | $91K | +2% | 1,140 |
| Rhode Island | $90K | +1% | 160 |
| New York | $90K | +0% | 2,420 |
| Maryland | $89K | -1% | 900 |
| New Jersey | $86K | -3% | 790 |
| Virginia | $86K | -4% | 1,740 |
| Hawaii | $86K | -4% | 450 |
| Vermont | $85K | -5% | 100 |
| Utah | $84K | -6% | 500 |
| Wisconsin | $84K | -6% | 1,100 |
| Texas | $83K | -7% | 2,190 |
| Kansas | $82K | -8% | 250 |
| Oklahoma | $82K | -9% | 350 |
| North Carolina | $81K | -9% | 1,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $81K | -10% | 860 |
| Montana | $81K | -10% | 270 |
| Missouri | $81K | -10% | 440 |
| Florida | $81K | -10% | 2,620 |
| Georgia | $80K | -10% | 1,150 |
| Ohio | $80K | -10% | 760 |
| Maine | $79K | -11% | 190 |
| Iowa | $79K | -11% | 300 |
| Tennessee | $79K | -12% | 310 |
| Michigan | $79K | -12% | 1,380 |
| North Dakota | $79K | -12% | 210 |
| New Mexico | $78K | -13% | 270 |
| Idaho | $77K | -14% | 350 |
| South Carolina | $76K | -15% | 530 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -16% | 360 |
| Louisiana | $75K | -17% | 240 |
| New Hampshire | $74K | -17% | 260 |
| South Dakota | $71K | -20% | 210 |
| Indiana | $71K | -21% | 620 |
| Alabama | $71K | -21% | 520 |
| Wyoming | $70K | -21% | 110 |
| Delaware | $67K | -25% | 290 |
| Kentucky | $65K | -27% | 180 |
| Arkansas | $64K | -29% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $61K | -31% | 160 |
| Mississippi | $60K | -32% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track urban and regional planners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Traverse City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a urban and regional planner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Traverse City?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 24.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,224/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for urban and regional planners in Traverse City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new urban and regional planners typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,018/month. At HUD’s $1,224/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is urban and regional planner a high-paying job in Traverse City?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $79K here vs. $89K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Traverse City compare to the national average for urban and regional planners?
Traverse City pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.4), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do urban and regional planners make in Traverse City, MI?
The median is $79,270 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,640, and experienced urban and regional planners can clear $98,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Traverse City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,065/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,224/month, which eats 24.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a urban and regional planners salary go in Traverse City?
Traverse City has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median urban and regional planners salary is worth about $84,872 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do urban and regional planners get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.