City · Michigan
Benton Harbor, Michigan
Benton Harbor, city, in Berrien County, Michigan. Benton Harbor had 8,803 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 9,103 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 8,953 (±28). GEOID 2607520.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
8,803
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 9,103 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,953 ±28
Median household income
$31,117
±$4,857 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$76,500
±$6,234 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$851
±$111 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Benton Harbor and what county is it in?
Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County, Michigan. It covers 4.4 square miles of land, 2,075 residents per square mile in 2020.
Benton Harbor is in the Niles, MI metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Benton Harbor, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 8,803 people lived in Benton Harbor on July 1, 2025, down 3.2% since 2020, while Michigan grew 0.5%. The 2020 Census counted 9,103 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 8,953 (±28).
| Measure | Benton Harbor | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,953 ±28 | 153,288 | −890 |
| Households | 3,624 ±281 | 63,999 | −519 |
| Average household size | 2.44 ±0.19 | 2.35 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 4,239 ±258 | 77,276 | −621 |
Benton Harbor's population since 2000
From 11,182 in 2000 to 8,803 in 2025: down 21.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Benton Harbor as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Benton Harbor?
The median resident of Benton Harbor is 32.8 years old; 30.8% are under 18 and 10.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 81.5%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 8.3%.
| Measure | Benton Harbor | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 ±4.5 | 42.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 30.8% ±3.5 pts | 21.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 10.3% ±2.5 pts | 21.3% | – |
| Male | 45.2% ±3.1 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.8% ±3.6 pts | 6.3% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 8.3% ±2.8 pts | 72.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 81.5% ±5.1 pts | 13.1% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 1.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.6% ±2.7 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.2% ±0.9 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.4% ±3.9 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.7% ±2.5 pts | 6.1% | – |
| With a disability | 15.4% ±2.7 pts | 14.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.6% ±2.3 pts | 6.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.0% ±3.9 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 7.4% ±2.2 pts | 30.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.0% ±1.0 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.7% ±5.6 pts | 89.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.6% ±3.8 pts | 2.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Benton Harbor earn?
Half of Benton Harbor's 3,624 households earn less than $31,117 a year (±$4,857), against $65,425 in Berrien County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 it was $26,972 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 40.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Benton Harbor | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $31,117 ±$4,857 | $65,425 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $44,753 ±$8,509 | $89,826 | – |
| Per capita income | $18,667 ±$3,448 | $38,351 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 40.1% ±7.0 pts | 15.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 46.8% ±10.4 pts | 22.1% | −19.3 pts |
| Households receiving SNAP | 50.0% ±7.4 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 84.7% ±5.6 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 78.6% ±6.4 pts | 89.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Benton Harbor?
Owners occupy 36.7% of Benton Harbor's occupied homes and renters 63.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $76,500 by its owner (±$6,234). The median renter pays $851 a month including utilities, and 59.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Benton Harbor | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $76,500 ±$6,234 | $224,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $851 ±$111 | $942 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 59.3% ±10.2 pts | 41.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $942 ±$162 | $1,462 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 36.7% ±6.4 pts | 72.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 63.3% ±6.4 pts | 27.2% | – |
| Housing units | 4,239 ±258 | 77,276 | −621 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.8% ±2.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.9% ±2.2 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.8% ±5.2 pts | 76.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.5% ±0.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.0% ±2.0 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 30.3% ±4.3 pts | 18.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 28.4% ±7.1 pts | 8.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Benton Harbor building?
Builders took permits for 30 new housing units in Benton Harbor in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 3.4 per 1,000 residents against 2.3 across Michigan.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Benton Harbor work and get to work?
79.0% of Benton Harbor's workers drive alone and 5.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 21.6%.
| Measure | Benton Harbor | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.9% ±4.5 pts | 59.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 21.6% ±5.1 pts | 6.2% | +7.6 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 79.0% ±7.0 pts | 76.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.0% ±4.9 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.8% ±1.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 3.5% ±3.5 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.8% ±2.9 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.1 min ±3.3 | 21.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Benton Harbor?
4 census tracts lie mostly in Benton Harbor, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $32,238 (Tract 3) to $34,781 (Tract 6).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 6Berrien County | 3,632 | $34,781 |
| Tract 5Berrien County | 2,026 | $33,625 |
| Tract 4Berrien County | 1,526 | $25,076 |
| Tract 3Berrien County | 1,409 | $32,238 |
| Tract 25Berrien County | 2,447 | $54,497 |
| Tract 8.01Berrien County | 2,228 | $91,635 |
| Tract 23Berrien County | 1,799 | $38,381 |
| Tract 22Berrien County | 2,097 | $20,132 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Benton Harbor) · Census block assignment files
How does Benton Harbor compare with other places in Michigan?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Benton Harbor is the 3,516th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 102nd-most populous of 533 in Michigan.
Benton Harbor ranks 1,352nd of 1,354 places in Michigan with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 102nd | 533 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,233rd | 1,281 |
| Residents per square mile | 133rd | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 1,352nd | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 1,348th | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 1,342nd | 1,354 |
| Median gross rent | 850th | 1,212 |
| Poverty rate | 4th | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,336th | 1,350 |
| Median age | 1,294th | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,352nd | 1,356 |
| Work from home | 944th | 1,062 |
| Travel time to work | 1,230th | 1,356 |
Benton Harbor's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Benton Harbor with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Benton Harbor?
12 of the 57 figures for Benton Harbor on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Benton Harbor are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Benton Harbor.