Very AffordableHigh CrimeBenton Harbor Area Schools
Main Street Downtown Benton Harbor · Humbles Art / CC BY-SA 3.0Benton Harbor, MI location · Notorious4life (talk) (Uploads) / CC0Benton Harbor City Hall · Humbles Art / CC BY-SA 3.0The Morton House · Humbles Art / CC BY-SA 3.0
Benton Harbor is a small town of 9,101 in Michigan, with a median household income of $26,592
and a 20.2% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 89 (US average = 100), which is
11% below the national average.
Strengths:
Benton Harbor stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Benton Harbor is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Benton Harbor city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 88.8
Benton Harbor's overall cost of living index is 88.8,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Benton Harbor costs roughly 11% less than the average American city.
Metric
Benton Harbor, MI
National Avg
Median Home Value
$64,100
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$791
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
36.9%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$26,592
$74,755
Crime & Safety
High Crime
Benton Harbor's violent crime rate is 1874.1 per 100,000 residents
— 393% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
1874.1 /100k
Property Crime
5497.5 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Benton Harbor is served primarily by Benton Harbor Area Schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.2:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Benton Harbor, MI
National Avg
School District
Benton Harbor Area Schools
—
Elementary Schools
3
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.2:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
8.4%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
79.8%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Benton Harbor sees average highs of 33.2°F in January
and 83.1°F in July,
with 38.2 inches of annual precipitation
and 77.7 inches of snow per year.
Benton Harbor's cost of living index is 89, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Benton Harbor roughly 11% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $64,100 and median rent is $791/month.
Benton Harbor's violent crime rate is 1874.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 5497.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Benton Harbor are operated by Benton Harbor Area Schools.
The district has 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.2:1. 8.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Benton Harbor, MI has a population of 9,101, a median household income of $26,592, and an unemployment rate of 20.2%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Benton Harbor averages 33.2°F in January and 83.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.2 inches
with about 77.7 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Benton Harbor, Michigan is 9,101 with a median age of 33.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Benton Harbor: cost of living index 89 (100 = US average), median home $64,100, median household income $26,592, crime index 400 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Benton Harbor side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
