Is Benton Heights, MI a Good Place to Live?
Benton Heights is a small town of 3,763 in Michigan, with a median household income of $32,821 and a 11.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 87 (US average = 100), which is 13% below the national average.
Strengths: Benton Heights stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Benton Heights is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Benton Heights 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: 86.9Benton Heights's overall cost of living index is 86.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Benton Heights costs roughly 13% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Benton Heights, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $90,300 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $506 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $32,821 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageBenton Heights's violent crime rate is 262.1 per 100,000 residents — 31% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | Benton Heights, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | N/A | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | N/A | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 14.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 76.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Benton Heights 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.
| Metric | Benton Heights, MI |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 33.2°F |
| Average High — July | 83.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 77.7" |
Demographics
| Metric | Benton Heights, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,763 | — |
| Median Age | 28.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 17.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 24.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 57.5% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 35.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 8.9% | 16.8% |