County outline
Where Grand Traverse County is located
Area breakdown
Land accounts for 77.2% of Grand Traverse County’s measured area and water for 22.8%. Its combined area converts to 1,557.4 square kilometers or approximately 384,841 acres.
Green: land · blue: water
| Measurement | Square miles | Square kilometers | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land | 464.336 | 1,202.625 | 297,175 |
| Water | 136.978 | 354.771 | 87,665.9 |
| Total | 601.314 | 1,557.396 | 384,841 |
How Grand Traverse County compares
By original Census land area, Grand Traverse County ranks #78 of 83 in Michigan and #2213 of 3,222 nationally. National rankings include the 50 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Its land area is 0.818 times the Michigan county-equivalent median of 567.8 square miles. It accounts for 0.8% of the combined county land area in the state.
See the complete Michigan ranking · What counts as a county equivalent?
What stands out about Grand Traverse County?
Grand Traverse County has more land than 1,009 of the other 3,221 county equivalents in the dataset.
A median is the middle county-equivalent measurement, not the average of the largest and smallest. All three bars use the same linear scale. Very small areas may appear as a thin sliver; the labels retain their values.
Does including water change its rank?
Using land plus water places Grand Traverse County at #1,740 nationally by total area, 473 places closer to the top than its land rank. The water assigned to this geography moves it ahead of some county equivalents with more land.
Its water share is 22.8%, compared with a national county-equivalent median of 1.2% — 21.6 percentage points higher. This describes the statistical geography’s land/water mix, not flood exposure or developable land.
Closest positions in the national land ranking
These entries sit immediately beside Grand Traverse County in the national ranking. They can be in different states and are not necessarily geographic neighbors.
| Land rank | County equivalent | Land mi² | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| #2212 | Jackson County, West Virginia | 464.4 | Compare |
| #2213 | Grand Traverse County, Michigan | 464.3 | This county |
| #2214 | Cleveland County, North Carolina | 464.3 | Compare |
Calculated from the same Census release as the area table. Total-area order uses original ALAND + AWATER; water shares and chart labels use published square miles. Calculation details.
Representative coordinates
The Census internal point is 44.718688, -85.553848. It represents a location inside the geography; it is not necessarily the centroid or the address of a courthouse.
Source and precision
U.S. Census Bureau, 2026 Gazetteer Files, Counties. Original ALAND: 1,202,625,086 m²; AWATER: 354,771,225 m². Rankings use ALAND; exact ties use ascending GEOID. Tables preserve Census-published square miles to three decimals, with conversions based on those values.
Common questions
How many acres of land are in Grand Traverse County?
The land measurement converts to approximately 297,175 acres. Including water, total area is approximately 384,841 acres. One square mile equals 640 acres.
Why might another source show a different area?
Check whether it reports land or total area, its Census vintage, and its rounding. Our guide explains how to reconcile county area figures.
Can this establish a property boundary?
No. Statistical measurements and generalized maps do not establish property lines. Consult the relevant local surveying or land-records authority.