County · Michigan
Berrien County, Michigan
Berrien County, Michigan. Berrien County had 152,444 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.3% since 2020, while Michigan grew 0.5%. It holds 46 places (17 cities, villages and boroughs, 22 towns and townships and 7 census-designated) and 54 census tracts. GEOID 26021.
Berrien County is the county of the Niles, MI metropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).
Residents, July 2025 estimate
152,444
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 154,316 · ACS 2020-2024: 153,288
Median household income
$65,425
±$1,108 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$224,300
±$3,751 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$942
±$24 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
How many people live in Berrien County, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 154,316 residents in Berrien County. The Census Bureau estimates 152,444 for July 1, 2025, down 1.3% since 2020, while Michigan grew 0.5%. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 153,288 over 568 square miles of land.
| Measure | Berrien County | Michigan | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 153,288 | 10,077,761 | −845 |
| Households | 63,999±596 | 4,076,369 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.35±0.02 | 2.42 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 77,276±73 | 4,622,236 | −238 |
Berrien County's population since 2000
From 162,453 in 2000 to 152,444 in 2025: down 6.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. 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); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov
What cities and towns are in Berrien County?
Berrien County holds 46 places: 17 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places), 22 towns and townships (county subdivisions with their own government) and 7 census-designated places. The largest is Lincoln Charter Township with 14,814 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.
| Lincoln Charter Township | 14,929 | $98,228 |
|---|---|---|
| Niles Township | 14,417 | $63,459 |
| Benton Charter Township | 14,374 | $38,688 |
| Niles | 11,988 | $51,376 |
| St. Joseph Charter Township | 9,993 | $94,926 |
| Oronoko Charter Township | 9,226 | $60,175 |
| Benton Harbor | 9,103 | $31,117 |
| St. Joseph | 7,856 | $84,057 |
| Fair Plain | 7,402 | $52,817 |
| Royalton Township | 5,141 | $128,750 |
| Coloma Charter Township | 5,051 | $60,417 |
| Berrien Township | 4,868 | $79,148 |
| Buchanan | 4,300 | $56,163 |
| Benton Heights | 3,652 | $33,542 |
| Buchanan Township | 3,436 | $66,783 |
| Paw Paw Lake | 3,323 | $67,674 |
| Lake Charter Township | 3,316 | $83,241 |
| Hagar Township | 3,243 | $67,273 |
| Watervliet Township | 3,036 | $58,616 |
| Baroda Township | 2,835 | $75,337 |
| Chikaming Township | 2,778 | $83,908 |
| Bainbridge Township | 2,682 | $74,574 |
| Bertrand Township | 2,611 | $100,735 |
| New Buffalo Township | 2,455 | $92,188 |
| Three Oaks Township | 2,324 | $68,438 |
| Pipestone Township | 2,177 | $72,533 |
| Bridgman | 2,096 | $66,603 |
| Sodus Township | 1,995 | $78,402 |
| Berrien Springs | 1,910 | $65,134 |
| Weesaw Township | 1,832 | $58,077 |
| New Buffalo | 1,708 | $64,702 |
| Watervliet | 1,669 | $61,167 |
| Coloma | 1,465 | $68,889 |
| Galien Township | 1,412 | $55,625 |
| Three Oaks | 1,370 | $66,985 |
| Shorewood-Tower Hills-Harbert | 1,249 | $83,204 |
| Stevensville | 1,147 | $64,125 |
| Lake Michigan BeachGEOID 2644820 | 1,101 | $56,809 |
| Baroda | 875 | $65,750 |
| Shoreham | 844 | $113,750 |
| MillburgGEOID 2654025 | 578 | $62,976 |
| Eau Claire | 552 | $72,619 |
| Galien | 513 | $45,221 |
| New TroyGEOID 2657660 | 483 | $56,776 |
| Grand BeachGEOID 2633260 | 310 | $83,750 |
| MichianaGEOID 2653500 | 200 | $167,500 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Berrien County?
The median resident of Berrien County is 42.7 years old; 21.3% are under 18 and 21.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 72.7%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 13.1%. 5.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Berrien County | Michigan | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.7±0.2 | 40.2 | +0.6 |
| Under 18 years | 21.3% | 21.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.3% | 18.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.3% | 5.9% | +0.8 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 72.7%±0.3 pts | 72.4% | −2.2 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 13.1%±0.3 pts | 13.1% | −1.4 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.8%±0.2 pts | 3.4% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.2%±0.4 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7%±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.5%±0.4 pts | 7.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.9%±0.6 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.1%±0.4 pts | 5.8% | – |
| With a disability | 14.3%±0.7 pts | 14.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.4%±0.6 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.3%±0.6 pts | 92.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.9%±0.9 pts | 32.4% | +3.1 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.4%±0.7 pts | 12.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.7%±0.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
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 Berrien County earn?
Half of Berrien County's 63,999 households earn less than $65,425 a year (±$1,108), against $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 the median was $62,513 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $2,912 after inflation. 15.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Berrien County | Michigan | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,425±$1,108 | $72,875 | +$2,912 |
| Mean household income | $89,826±$2,021 | $98,700 | – |
| Per capita income | $38,351±$895 | $40,735 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 15.1%±1.2 pts | 13.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 22.1%±3.3 pts | 17.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.2%±0.9 pts | 13.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.3%±0.9 pts | 90.5% | – |
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 Berrien County?
Owners occupy 72.8% of Berrien County's occupied homes and renters 27.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $224,300 by its owner (±$3,751). The median renter pays $942 a month including utilities, and 41.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Berrien County | Michigan | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $224,300±$3,751 | $231,600 | +$38,834 |
| Median gross rent | $942±$24 | $1,129 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.3%±2.8 pts | 41.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,462±$25 | $1,569 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.8%±1.3 pts | 73.2% | +2.1 pts |
| Housing units | 77,276±73 | 4,622,236 | −238 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.8%±0.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.5%±1.4 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 76.8%±1.0 pts | 72.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.2%±0.5 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8%±0.2 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 18.4%±0.9 pts | 14.6% | – |
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 Berrien County building?
Builders took permits for 372 new housing units across Berrien County in 2025 (255 single-family), 2.4 per 1,000 residents.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Berrien County get to work?
76.4% of Berrien County's workers drive alone and 11.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.2%.
| Measure | Berrien County | Michigan | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.9%±0.8 pts | 61.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2%±1.0 pts | 5.7% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 76.4%±1.3 pts | 74.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.3%±0.8 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.3%±0.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 2.7%±0.4 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.2%±0.9 pts | 13.5% | +7.6 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.2 min±0.7 | 24.2 min | +1.3 min |
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 are Berrien County's census tracts?
Berrien County is divided into 54 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $20,132 (Tract 22) to $132,543 (Tract 17).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Berrien County compare with Michigan's other counties?
| Measure | Rank |
|---|---|
| Population | 16th of 83 |
| Growth 2020-2025 | 75th of 83 |
| Residents per square mile | 13th of 83 |
| Median household income | 35th of 83 |
| Median home value | 20th of 83 |
| Median gross rent | 32nd of 83 |
| Poverty rate | 24th of 83 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20th of 83 |
| Median age | 51st of 83 |
Source: PlainCities ranks 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 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 Berrien County 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' school search.