Population 18,572 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Benton Harbor
Household size in Benton Harbor
| Period | Benton Harbor | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.60 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.58 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.48 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
The average household in Benton Harbor has 2.48 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. That is in line with the rest of Michigan. Household size has dropped from 2.60 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Benton Harbor
| Period | Benton Harbor | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.0 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.0 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Benton Harbor is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.0, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.0, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Benton Harbor
| Period | Benton Harbor | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.0% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.3% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 21.0% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 33.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Benton Harbor: 33.4% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has risen 8.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only one other Michigan city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Benton Harbor
Renters in Benton Harbor
| Period | Benton Harbor | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.5% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.4% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.9% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.8% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Benton Harbor than nationally: 45.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. About half of owners (51.0%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only 13 have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Benton Harbor
| Period | Benton Harbor | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.9% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.4% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.4% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Benton Harbor than nationally: 12.1%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 5.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Benton Harbor
| Period | Benton Harbor | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +3 | +6 |
Benton Harbor is a place of older homes: half were built before 1963, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1956 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Benton Harbor
| Period | Benton Harbor | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $545 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $654 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $717 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $909 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$365 | +$395 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Benton Harbor costs $909 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $365 a month from 2006–10, a 67% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 41.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Benton Harbor
Bachelor's degrees in Benton Harbor
| Period | Benton Harbor | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.7% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.0% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Benton Harbor: 16.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Benton Harbor
| Period | Benton Harbor | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.6% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 76.5% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 79.8% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 84.6% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in seven adults in Benton Harbor never finished high school, more than nationally: 84.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 8.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 12 of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Benton Harbor
| Period | Benton Harbor | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.7% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 21.7% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.4 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Benton Harbor: 13.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only five of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 7.4 points, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Benton Harbor compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton Harbor | 2.48 | 37.0 | 33.4% | 45.8% | 12.1% | 1963 | $909 | 16.0% | 84.6% | 13.3% |
| Benton Heights | 2.39 | 32.1 | 20.6% | 55.5% | 8.7% | 1958 | $707 | 14.0% | 80.7% | 8.5% |
| Fair Plain | 2.18 | 44.3 | 14.0% | 32.7% | 6.1% | 1962 | $1,005 | 21.1% | 90.7% | 17.3% |
| Pearl Grange | 1.78 | 57.2 | 3.6% | 12.6% | 13.7% | 1960 | $778 | 14.4% | 97.2% | 8.8% |
| Twelve Corners | 2.06 | 54.5 | 12.3% | 23.7% | 3.8% | 1970 | $470 | 10.6% | 87.5% | 4.5% |
| St. Joseph | 2.32 | 44.6 | 3.6% | 23.8% | 8.5% | 1970 | $1,424 | 50.1% | 97.2% | 2.3% |
| Sodus | 2.42 | 45.7 | 2.7% | 12.6% | 4.9% | 1971 | $989 | 24.2% | 94.0% | 4.9% |
| Spinks Corners | 2.05 | 57.1 | 4.4% | 3.9% | 8.6% | 1957 | $806 | 23.2% | 74.9% | 7.2% |
| Shoreham | 2.06 | 53.0 | 3.1% | 33.6% | 24.7% | 1977 | $1,013 | 54.3% | 99.4% | 0.9% |
| Shanghai Corners | 2.34 | 53.8 | 2.4% | 4.6% | 7.9% | 1960 | $879 | 19.6% | 92.5% | 1.5% |
| Lake Michigan Beach | 2.47 | 41.7 | 25.8% | 25.8% | 41.2% | 1964 | $880 | 28.4% | 92.9% | 1.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Point Pleasant, NJ · Farmington, CT · Farmingville, NY · Fillmore, CA · Red Hill, SC · Forest City, NC · Prineville, OR · Powhatan, VA · Portland, TX · Port Wentworth, GA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Benton Harbor. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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