City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Berkley, MI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Berkley - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

15,084
Residents
$113,103
Median income
$289,200
Median home
$1,411
Median rent (state)

Berkley - the verdict

Berkley ranks in the 84th percentile for household income and the 90th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

84th
percentile, household income
63rd
percentile, home value
55th
percentile, median rent
90th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Berkley, MI

Berkley is a small town in Michigan, home to 15,084 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $113,103 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.3%. Berkley's housing stock carries a median value of $289,200, and the median resident age is 37.7 years. About 58.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 73.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 10 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 67% from five years earlier. Berkley reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 376.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: the state registers 96.2 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,411 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Michigan run around $238, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

15,084 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$113,103 /yr

Poverty 1.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Berkley compare to other US cities?

Berkley measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 84% higher than other cities
Home value 63% pricier than other cities
Median rent 55% pricier than other cities
Safety 90% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Michigan, Berkley ranks #20 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Berkley against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Michigan only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Michigan-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Berkley's strongest outlier among Michigan cities

Among the 727 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Berkley ranks #45 - the 94th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Berkley only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#38 of 718
95th percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#61 of 727
76th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#81 of 721
89th percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#644 of 727
11th percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#45 of 727
94th percentile in Michigan

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Michigan only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

84thIncome percentile
90thSafety percentile

84th percentile nationally for median household income · 90th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Berkley's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Berkley's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 72 Avg. percentile National median
Berkley's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Berkley's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$289,200 37th percentile more affordable than 37% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Berkley $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Berkley, MI Berkley, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Berkley, MI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Berkley, MI median $113,103/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Berkley, MI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Berkley, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 58.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 73.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
15,084
Median Income
$113,103
Median Home Value
$289,200
Median Age
37.7
Poverty Rate
1.3%
Labor force participation
73.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
58.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
376.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
33.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
343.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
14,900 residents15,000 residents15,100 residents15,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,167 residents 15,145 residents ▼ -0.1%
Berkley's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
10
housing units authorized
Single-Family
10
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 30
2020 17
2021 12
2022 22
2023 34
2024 10

Permit volume decreased 67% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
72.0%
Carpool
4.4%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
20.3%
Other
1.9%

Based on 9,086 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Michigan - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$238
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Michigan state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Michigan state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Berkley sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,411/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Harper Woods
15,205 people
Hazel Park
14,945 people
Northview
15,225 people
Traverse City
15,491 people
Owosso
14,658 people
Fraser
14,604 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Berkley's 15,084 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Beech Grove, IN
15,082 people
Rossville, MD
15,088 people
Laurinburg, NC
15,079 people
Highland Springs, VA
15,091 people
West Park, FL
15,076 people
Riverhead, NY
15,073 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Berkley's $113,103 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Torrance, CA
$113,105 median income
Londonderry, NH
$113,109 median income
Urbandale, IA
$113,086 median income
West Belmar, NJ
$113,083 median income
Trinity, FL
$113,125 median income
Oakwood Hills, IL
$113,125 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Berkley, MI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Berkley, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.6% 8.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.4% White 86.6% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 0.9% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.8% Two or more races 8.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Berkley compares to nearby Michigan cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Berkley (this city) 15,084 $113,103
Harper Woods 15,205 $61,446
Hazel Park 14,945 $62,878
Northview 15,225 $82,853
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Berkley, MI?

What is the population of Berkley, MI? +

Berkley, MI counts 15,084 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Berkley, MI? +

The median household income in Berkley is $113,103 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Berkley? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Berkley; the closest available measure is the Michigan state average, a cost of living index of 96.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Michigan vary by metro area.

Is Berkley, MI safe? +

Berkley has a total crime rate of 376.8 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Berkley, MI? +

A typical home in Berkley is worth $289,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.