The area consists of the counties of Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau.

[1] In 2020, the Traverse City micropolitan area was the sixth-largest by population in the United States.

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 131,342 people, 51,760 households, and 36,176 families residing within the metropolitan area.

The largest municipality within the metropolitan area is Garfield Township in Grand Traverse County, with a population of 19,499 at the 2020 census.

Other smaller, local airports within the area include: The Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA) is a public transit agency serving Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties.