World Atlas Calls This Michigan City a “Small Town”

I love a good story, but if you're anything like me, that headline has you scratching your head. How can a relatively large city, say with over 15,000 residents, be deemed Michigan's best small town? Well, World Atlas has spoken, and that's exactly what they did.

What Counts as a Small Town in Michigan?

For clarity, I attempted to find a guideline on the number of residents a town should have to be considered small. Per the U.S. Census Bureau, a ‘small town’ has fewer than 5,000 people.

Sorry, World Atlas, but your ‘small town’ pick is packing more than 15,000 permanent residents and a tourist army every summer.

Small or Not, World Atlas's 'Best Small Town' in Michigan is a Heck of a City

Now, as for the actual selection of the Best Small Town in Michigan, it's hard to argue that the locale World Atlas has chosen in 2025 is a magnificent place to live, work, and play. But, if we're being honest, I'd think the "town" name would immediately disqualify it from contention.

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I'm not arguing that the "small town" World Atlas selected isn't a great place. Any town that can turn a former psychiatric hospital into a shopping center deserves a high five.

But Honestly... It Is a Fantastic City

This city in Michigan has also crowned itself as the Cherry Capital of the World. If you hadn't guessed already, World Atlas, in their infinite wisdom, declared Traverse City the Best Small Town in the state.

RELATED: New Study Reveals City With Best Public Schools in Michigan

Go ahead and read that last line again—because comedy lives in the details: Traverse City was named best small town in Michigan.

Traverse City: Small Town Vibes, Big City Stats

Sorry, World Atlas, Traverse City is a great place, with incredible food, and a Cherry Festival that draws visitors from around the world, but it is definitely NOT a small town.