The Town FilesParadise, Michigan
Township in Grand Traverse County · population 4,952 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $265,800
- Household income
- $74,084
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 115 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 37.0
Paradise is a township of 4,952 people in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. The median home is worth $265,800, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for families than 86% of Michigan towns, more of a college town than 75% of Michigan towns.
How Paradise 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 Paradise is worth $265,800, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $74,084, which is more affordable than 16% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,080 a month. 80.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Paradise | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $265,800 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,080 | $955 |
| Median household income | $74,084 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 80.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.2% | — |
Who lives in Paradise
| People | Paradise | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.0 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.2% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 31.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.4% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.3% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 11.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 10.1% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.5% | 88.8% |
Weather in Paradise
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows 10.0°F. About 35.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 115.2 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Paradise since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an F1, struck on October 15, 1989 about 10.0 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 10 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 25, 2012.
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 Paradise itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Towns near Paradise
- Blair, MI6.4 mi · 8,994 people · home $275,200
- East Bay, MI8.2 mi · 11,589 people · home $278,800
- Garfield, MI12.2 mi · 19,499 people · home $316,200
- Traverse City, MI13.2 mi · 15,678 people · home $415,400
- Green Lake, MI13.3 mi · 6,703 people · home $289,300
- Whitewater, MI13.8 mi · 2,688 people · home $373,000
- Acme, MI14.9 mi · 4,456 people · home $338,300
- Long Lake, MI15.5 mi · 9,956 people · home $410,600
Paradise questions
Is Paradise, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Paradise scores better for retirees than 31% of Michigan towns and quieter than 22%. 15.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.0).
How much does a house cost in Paradise?
The median owner-occupied home in Paradise is valued at $265,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,084, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,080 a month.
What is the weather like in Paradise?
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows 10.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.3 inches of precipitation a year and 115.2 inches of snow.
Does Paradise get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Paradise since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on October 15, 1989. 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)