Michigan Town is a Better Alternative to Chicago, Study Says

Summer travel season is ahead in Michigan. That's a good thing, but what if you're tired of the same tourist destinations? Sure, major attractions and landmarks can be fun to visit. But, sometimes it can be extra special to venture to a hidden gem that is off the radar.

Enter Reader's Digest. The longstanding publication recently posted a list of the 15 most underrated American cities worth a visit. In the article, they state, "Skip the throngs of tourists this summer and head to a lesser-known destination to experience incredible food, one-of-a-kind hotels, eclectic festivals and more."

This list has a nice range of cities from across America, from Virginia to Connecticut to Montana. Just reading through these picks makes me want to pack up my overnight bag and travel to some of these special spots across the U.S.

So, which city in Michigan is considered one of the 15 most underrated American cities worth a visit? According to Reader's Digest, instead of going to Chicago, try Traverse City, Michigan, they state. "Often likened to hip destinations like Asheville, North Carolina, or Portland, Maine, Traverse City, Michigan, is home to incredible dining, wineries, breweries, and beaches—and as such, has been nicknamed 'the Hamptons of Michigan,'" Reader's Digest says. They add that people love going to Traverse City for the National Cherry Festival in July. They also love the Traverse City Film Festival in August, "one of the best attended in the country." As for suggests on where to say, try "Hotel Indigo or Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, and go hungry to check out modern restaurants like Mama Lu’s taco shop. The sweetly named Cherry Capital Airport launched new direct flights this summer from cities including New York, Atlanta, and Chicago, making getting to this Northern Michigan city of 15,000 easier than ever." If you're wondering, the No. 1 most underrated is Charlottesville, Virginia. Find the full list of the 15 most underrated American cities worth a visit via this link.

If you're curious which cities in Michigan have residents with the highest median household income, we have the list for you. It's surprising how much median household income differs from one city to the next. For example, the highest median household income in Michigan is $108,432.33, and the lowest is $11,667. I guess that just goes to show how diverse Michigan is demographically and how some areas of the state have a higher cost of living.

The crew at Zip Atlas has published an updated list of those median household incomes using a variety of data. The site offers a "structured collection of zip code, area code, city and state demographic, social and economic profiles," according to their official website. They add, "Here you will find employment and unemployment rates, industry statistics, household and personal income reports, property value assessment, housing unit occupancy and vacancy breakdown, mortgage and rent analysis, age, gender, ancestry and racial profiles, education attainment levels and school enrolment among many others." In other words, they've complied a range of data in different areas in one locale, including what Michiganders across the state are bringing home in their paychecks.

According to the Zip Atlas study, none of the top 10 cities in the U.S. with the highest median household income are located in Michigan. No. 1 is Short hills, New Jersey, at $185,466, followed by Purchase, New York and Villa Maria, Pennsylvania. In fact, Michigan doesn't even have one city in the top 100 cities in the U.S. That said, Michigan does have some cities that fall inside the top 200 and 300 cities with the highest tally.

So, which Michigan cities have the highest median household incomes? View the list of cities below all the way up to No. 1, and see if your city made the cut. For more information, visit the Zip Atlas website here.

$65,308.00

$65,667.00

$65,688.00

$66,224.00

$66,500.00

$66,667.00

$66,802.00

$66,875.00

$66,940.00

$66,979.33

$67,360.00

$67,463.00

$67,593.00

$67,670.50

$67,875.00

$68,465.50

$68,783.00

$69,180.00

$70,133.00

$70,282.00

$70,527.33

$71,964.00

$72,828.50

$72,983.00

$73,051.00

$73,230.50

$74,069.50

$74,280.50

$74,377.00

$74,932.00

$75,452.00

$75,671.50

$75,680.33

$76,491.00

$77,274.00

$78,982.00

$79,262.00

$79,579.00

$80,555.00

$81,108.00

$81,864.00

$82,886.00

$83,585.33

$83,902.00

$87,062.00

$87,507.00

$89,508.00

$93,950.67

$97,437.00

$108,432.33