City · Benzie County, Michigan

Frankfort, Michigan

Frankfort is a city in Benzie County, Michigan, part of the Traverse City, MI metro area. It has 1,225 residents. Frankfort, Michigan has a quality-of-life score of 73 out of 100 (high), ranking #4,296 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Michigan it ranks #78 of 444 cities and towns. It ranks best on job growth (high), voter turnout (high) and drought exposure (low). It ranks worst on average weekly wage (low), distance to an airport (high) and distance to an Amtrak station (high).

73High

Quality-of-life score: #4,296 of 15,651 cities and towns
Michigan: #78 of 444 in MI
Population: 1,225 (2020-2024)
Land area: 1 mi²
Density: 881.0 /mi²
FIPS code: 2630260

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 72 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety60#6,249/15,637
Economy28#11,290/15,631
Housing25#11,213/14,977
Health54#7,138/15,609
Healthcare66#5,297/15,650
Environment97#529/15,453
Education61#6,177/15,649
Infrastructure71#4,497/15,650
Community85#2,330/15,651
Leisure & amenities89#1,731/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Frankfort, Michigan ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Benzie County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Job growth · high7.0%
99/100Michigan 0.3%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataBenzie County value
Voter turnout · high85.7%
99/100Michigan 74.6%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionBenzie County value
Drought exposure · low0%
98/100Michigan 13%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAABenzie County value
Property crime rate · low250 /100k
98/100Michigan 1,259 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationBenzie County value
Hot days · low1 days
97/100Michigan 5 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationBenzie County value
Restaurants and bars · high16.2 /10k
96/100Michigan 9.1 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsBenzie County value

Weaknesses

Average weekly wage · low$891
5/100Michigan $1,362United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsBenzie County value
Distance to an airport · high123 mi
5/100Michigan 44 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauBenzie County value
Distance to an Amtrak station · high119 mi
7/100Michigan 25 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauBenzie County value
Home price to income ratio · high6.4×
10/100Michigan 3.2×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
High ozone days · high8 days
10/100Michigan 3 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyBenzie County value
Depression · high28.6%
11/100Michigan 26.5%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
1,059 (2015-2019) → 1,225 (2020-2024)
+16%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
74.3% (2015-2019) → 52.9% (2020-2024)
−21 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
75.2% (2015-2019) → 92.3% (2020-2024)
+17 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Rent as share of incomeImproving
42.0% (2015-2019) → 30.8% (2020-2024)
−11 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
4.5× (2015-2019) → 6.4× (2020-2024)
+43%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
Median household incomeImproving
$41,500 (2015-2019) → $54,327 (2020-2024)
+31%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Frankfort, Michigan improved on 2 of 11 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 8 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Broadband+17 points75.2% → 92.3%
Household income+31%$41,500 → $54,327

Declined1

Price / income+1.9×4.5× → 6.4×

All 11 measures

Change of every measure of Frankfort, Michigan between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	16.3 min2015-2019	18.5 min2020-2024	+2.1 min	Within the margin of error	26%
Bachelor's degree or higher	35.2%2015-2019	39.7%2020-2024	+4.5 points	Within the margin of error	64%
Broadband subscriptions	75.2%2015-2019	92.3%2020-2024	+17 points	Improved	85%
Effective property tax rate	1.33%2015-2019	0.95%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Within the margin of error	82%
High school diploma or higher	89.1%2015-2019	94.1%2020-2024	+5 points	Within the margin of error	81%
Home price to income ratio	4.5×2015-2019	6.4×2020-2024	+1.9×	Declined	5%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5082015-2019	0.4722020-2024	−0.036	Within the margin of error	78%
Median household income	$41,5002015-2019	$54,3272020-2024	+31%	Improved	57%
Poverty rate	11.0%2015-2019	12.3%2020-2024	+1.3 points	Within the margin of error	31%
Rent as share of income	42.0%2015-2019	30.8%2020-2024	−11 points	Within the margin of error	94%
Rent-burdened households	74.3%2015-2019	52.9%2020-2024	−21 points	Within the margin of error	95%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Frankfort, Michigan five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Frankfort, Michigan in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Frankfort, Michigan itself moved +13.2 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,225 residents (±140)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

569 households (±65)

Frankfort, Michigan
Michigan share

Under $25k20%†113
$25k–50k24%†134
$50k–75k

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

569 households (±65)

Frankfort, Michigan
Michigan share

Own64%365
Rent36%204

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

372 workers (±79)

Frankfort, Michigan
Michigan share

Drive alone69%256
Carpool8.9%†33
Public transit0.3%†1

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Traverse City, MI

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Benzie County, the county holding most of Frankfort's residents.

Benzie County has 474 employer establishments, 257 for every 10,000 residents (1.03× the US rate of 248; 1.13× Michigan's), with 3,659 paid employees at an average annual pay of $44,033. The Census Bureau also counts 2,026 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 474; 2,026 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 257; US 248 · Michigan 228
Paid employees: 3,659
Average annual pay: $44,033; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Benzie County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	54	29.3	1.89×More than typical	271	$70,052	191
Restaurants and other eating places	39	21.1	1.15×About typical	391	$31,381	7
Construction of buildings	37	20.1	2.65×More than typical	91	$54,209	152
Lessors of real estate	26	14.1	1.14×About typical	50	$37,100	213
Building equipment contractors	24	13	2.16×More than typical	84	$49,143	38
Full-service restaurants	22	11.9	1.55×More than typical	250	$33,676	3
Ambulatory health care services	21	11.4	0.55×Fewer than typical	141	$54,270	66
Services to buildings and dwellings	20	10.8	1.61×More than typical	40	$46,150	211
Religious organizations	18	9.8	1.76×More than typical	68	$24,515	—
Other specialty trade contractors	16	8.7	3.45×More than typical	164	$84,287	41
Electrical contractors and wiring installation	14	7.6	3.07×More than typical	54	$45,556	16
Landscaping services	13	7	2.01×More than typical	13	$84,308	67

Rank places for an industry Open Benzie County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 18,452 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $3,414 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Frankfort, Michigan: $2.79 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $3,414; −99% vs FY2025
Per resident: $2.79; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Agricultural Marketing Service$3,414100%

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

15.3KFY2017
63.6KFY2018
429.8KFY2019
135.1KFY2020
31.1KFY2021
5.7KFY2022
652.3KFY2023
-71.7KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing · 3114$3,414100%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Frankfort, Michigan, so they do not add up across cities.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Frankfort is mostly in Benzie County.

See federal money in Benzie County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Frankfort, Michigan is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Jack BergmanR-MI-1 · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 2.4%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Benzie County88100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Traverse City, MI93

Other cities and towns in Benzie County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/2630260

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends