East Bay is a township in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, home to about 11,682 people across 40 square miles. Its ZIP code is 49696, and parts of 49686 and 49690 are in East Bay too.
Homes sold for a median of $306 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Mostly East Bay; also Garfield and Blair
Mostly Traverse City; part is in East Bay
Mostly Acme; part is in East Bay
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside East Bay. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up East Bay’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows East Bay well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR)133 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Cherry Capital Airport (TVC)4 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Milwaukee, WI169 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL230 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of East Bay; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
East Bay had 11,589 residents in the 2020 census, up 17% since 2000.
It’s the 174th largest of 1,531 towns in Michigan by population.
Grand Traverse County grew from 20,479 residents in 1900 to 95,238 in 2020.
Grand Traverse County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 79°F in summer, and winter lows average 14°F. About 36.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 101 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Traverse City Munson, MI weather station (4 miles away).
47,454 jobs at 3,549 businesses in Grand Traverse County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
32 doctors and other health care providers list an office in East Bay.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 6 |
|---|---|
| Mental health providers | 12 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 14 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (55 nearby)
Grocery stores (6 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (3 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (8 nearby)
Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Traverse City Area Public Schools, Woodland School. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Knoll Elementary SchoolTraverse City | Pre-K–5 | 333 | Public | 6.3 mi |
| Courtade Elementary SchoolTraverse City | Pre-K–5 | 215 | Public | 7.8 mi |
| Woodland SchoolTraverse City | K–8 | 209 | Charter | 10.5 mi |
| East Middle SchoolTraverse City | 6–8 | 829 | Public | 6.4 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City Christian SchoolTraverse City | Pre-K–12 | 251 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 6.6 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Traverse City, Peninsula, Acme, Garfield, Whitewater, Blair, Elk Rapids, Kalkaska, Clearwater and Union Township (Grand Traverse County).
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.