Gutters cost in Traverse City, MI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (160 linear ft)
- $1,250 – $4,050
- Per linear ft
- $7.80 – $24
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $2,750
- Rank of 300 metros
- #148
- 1 = most expensive
Traverse City homeowners pay roughly $1,250 to $4,050 to install gutters at 160 linear ft, or $7.80 to $24 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Traverse City is 4% lower. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.7).
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Estimated cost for 160 linear ft in Traverse City, MI, standard level
$2,100 to $3,200
About $12.50 to $19 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,850 |
| Labor | $890 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $130 |
| Total | $2,100 | $3,200 |
Cost breakdown for 160 linear ft in Traverse City, MI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $600 | $1,500 | $2,400 | 57% |
| Labor | $650 | $1,050 | $1,450 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $95 | $190 | 4% |
| Total | $1,250 | $2,650 | $4,050 | 100% |
Why Traverse City prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on sheet metal workers, who do 40% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $31.70 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Traverse City is 1.01 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 40% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Traverse City metro is 93.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 160 linear ft comes to $1,500, compared with $1,600 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (93.4) and land at $0 to $190.
Planning more than one job in Traverse City?
Because every project leans on different trades, Traverse City's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, French drain runs +1% and roof replacement −7%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $5,700 – $11,700 | −7% |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $9,650 – $30,800 | −5% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $8,150 – $24,400 | −3% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $600 – $2,100 | +1% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $950 – $3,800 | −5% |
Traverse City: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Traverse City wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,250 to $2,350
Vinyl or sectional aluminum, single story
Standard
$2,100 to $3,200
Seamless aluminum K-style, standard downspouts
Premium
$2,900 to $4,050
Steel or copper, two stories, custom length
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small house (120 linear ft) | $930 – $1,800 | $1,600 – $2,450 | $2,200 – $3,100 |
| average house (160 linear ft) | $1,250 – $2,350 | $2,100 – $3,200 | $2,900 – $4,050 |
| large house (240 linear ft) | $1,850 – $3,500 | $3,100 – $4,750 | $4,350 – $5,950 |
When to schedule gutters in Traverse City
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Traverse City Cherry Cptl Ap (in the city). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
April through November is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Traverse City (8 of 12 months). January, February, March and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February, March and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Traverse City gets about 29 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are August, September and October (3.6 inches in October). Inside the workable window, June and November are the driest, at 2.6 and 2.2 inches. The station averages about 9 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | 17 | 1.7 | Cold |
| Feb | 31 | 16 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Mar | 41 | 23 | 1.6 | Cold |
| Apr | 54 | 33 | 2.8 | Workable |
| May | 67 | 43 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 77 | 54 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 81 | 59 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Aug | 80 | 59 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 72 | 52 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 59 | 41 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 46 | 32 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 35 | 24 | 1.8 | Cold |
Traverse City against nearby metros and the rest of Michigan
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 160 linear ft range from $2,550 to $2,900 across Traverse City and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, MIthis page | $1,250 – $4,050 | $2,650 | |
| Green Bay, WI110 miles | $1,350 – $4,250 | $2,800 | +6% |
| Muskegon, MI110 miles | $1,350 – $4,250 | $2,800 | +5% |
| Sheboygan, WI125 miles | $1,400 – $4,350 | $2,850 | +8% |
| Appleton, WI130 miles | $1,400 – $4,350 | $2,900 | +9% |
| Grand Rapids, MI135 miles | $1,200 – $3,900 | $2,550 | −4% |
| Michigan (statewide) | $1,300 – $4,150 | $2,750 | +3% |
| United States | $1,300 – $4,200 | $2,750 | +4% |
Across 300 US metros, Traverse City comes in at #148 from the top. The priciest is San Francisco, CA at $3,450; the cheapest is Longview, TX at $2,350 (midpoints, 160 linear ft). Statewide, Traverse City is 3% below the Michigan figure.
Other Michigan metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MI | 1,904,530 jobs | $1,400 – $4,450 | $2,900 | +11% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 598,260 jobs | $1,200 – $3,900 | $2,550 | −4% |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 219,730 jobs | $1,350 – $4,250 | $2,800 | +6% |
| Lansing, MI | 217,180 jobs | $1,300 – $4,200 | $2,750 | +4% |
| Flint, MI | 135,040 jobs | $1,400 – $4,400 | $2,900 | +10% |
| Kalamazoo, MI | 121,790 jobs | $1,350 – $4,300 | $2,800 | +6% |
Cities with a workforce like Traverse City's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Traverse City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $1,300 – $4,250 | $2,800 | +6% |
| Dover, DE | 68,080 jobs | $1,250 – $4,100 | $2,700 | +2% |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $1,150 – $3,900 | $2,500 | −4% |
| Burlington, NC | 67,830 jobs | $1,150 – $3,850 | $2,500 | −5% |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Traverse City is 1.01 times the national level.
For sheet metal workers (47-2211, weighted 40%) the local median is $31.70 an hour, which is 7% above the national $29.71. The middle half of them earn between $23.12 and $36.45 an hour. BLS counts 70 of them working in the area, 10.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 7.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
For roofers (47-2181, weighted 30%) the local median is $24.38 an hour, which is 9% below the national $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $21.68 and $28.45 an hour. BLS counts 60 of them working in the area, 8.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 8.7), so the local bench is about average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $23.27 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.03 and $28.66 an hour. About 740 work in the metro. That is 108.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the sheet metal workers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($36.45 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $65. At the 25th percentile ($23.12) it shrinks by about $120. The total moves by 2.5% or 4.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 68,440 jobs in the Traverse City area. That makes it the 264th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 40% | $23.12 | $31.70 | $36.45 | $29.71 | 1.07 | metro |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 30% | $21.68 | $24.38 | $28.45 | $26.65 | 0.91 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $21.03 | $23.27 | $28.66 | $22.66 | 1.03 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.01 | |||||
Gutters: what moves the price in Traverse City
Material
Vinyl is $8-$12 per linear foot installed and aluminum $10-$20. Steel and copper run higher (HomeGuide).
Seamless
Seamless costs $3-$5+ more per linear foot than sectional, but has fewer places to leak.
Stories
Two-story homes add $1-$3 per linear foot for ladders and fall protection.
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Gutters in Traverse City: your questions
+How much does it cost to install gutters in Traverse City?
For 160 linear ft, expect $1,250 to $4,050 in the Traverse City area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,100 to $3,200. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for gutters in Traverse City?
About $7.80 to $24 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $190 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $8 to $25.
+Is gutters cheaper in Traverse City or Green Bay?
Green Bay is 110 miles away. The midpoint for 160 linear ft there is $2,800, which is 6% more than Traverse City ($2,650). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Traverse City?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $1,050 out of $2,650. Materials are 57% and permits 4%. Nationally, labor is 38%.
+What would average house (160 linear ft) cost in Traverse City?
$1,250 to $4,050. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does gutters need a permit in Traverse City?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $190 for fees in the Traverse City area (our national range of $0 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Traverse City expensive for gutters compared with the rest of Michigan?
Traverse City is 3% below the Michigan statewide estimate ($2,750 at the midpoint). We cover 10 metros in Michigan; see the state page to compare them.
+What do sheet metal workers earn in Traverse City?
The BLS median is $31.70 an hour in the Traverse City area, compared with $29.71 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.12 to $36.45.
+What do basic and premium gutters work cost in Traverse City?
For 160 linear ft, basic work runs $1,250 to $2,350 and premium work $2,900 to $4,050. Basic means: vinyl or sectional aluminum, single story. Premium means: steel or copper, two stories, custom length.
+When is the best time to install gutters in Traverse City?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. June and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Gutters near Traverse City
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Gutter Installation Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Home Genius Exteriors: How Much Does Gutter Installation Cost? (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed range minus the $4-$9 per linear foot labor figure from Home Genius Exteriors.