The Town FilesBlair, Michigan
Township in Grand Traverse County · population 8,994 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $275,200
- Household income
- $71,582
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 112 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 38.0
Blair is a township of 8,994 people in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. The median home is worth $275,200, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more of a college town than 86% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 83% of Michigan towns, more vibrant than 78% of Michigan towns.
How Blair ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Blair is worth $275,200, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $71,582, which is more affordable than 11% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,332 a month. 88.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Blair | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $275,200 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,332 | $955 |
| Median household income | $71,582 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 88.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.5% | — |
Who lives in Blair
| People | Blair | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.0 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.4% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.1% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.5% | 88.8% |
Weather in Blair
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 17.0°F. About 29.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 112.4 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Blair since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 26, 1969 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 15, 1989.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 9, 2000.
Severe weather in Grand Traverse County since 1996
Grand Traverse County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| January 27, 1978 | Snowstorm | EM-3057: Blizzards & Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Grand Traverse County
Grand Traverse County had 51,962 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,257 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Blair itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Towns near Blair
- Paradise, MI6.4 mi · 4,952 people · home $265,800
- East Bay, MI6.7 mi · 11,589 people · home $278,800
- Garfield, MI6.9 mi · 19,499 people · home $316,200
- Green Lake, MI7.2 mi · 6,703 people · home $289,300
- Traverse City, MI8.8 mi · 15,678 people · home $415,400
- Long Lake, MI9.2 mi · 9,956 people · home $410,600
- Acme, MI13.5 mi · 4,456 people · home $338,300
- Elmwood, MI14.0 mi · 4,892 people · home $436,400
Blair questions
Is Blair, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Blair scores better for retirees than 27% of Michigan towns and quieter than 21%. 11.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.0).
How much does a house cost in Blair?
The median owner-occupied home in Blair is valued at $275,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,582, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,332 a month.
What is the weather like in Blair?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 17.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.1 inches of precipitation a year and 112.4 inches of snow.
Does Blair get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Blair since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 26, 1969. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)