Benton Harbor, MI housing market
The typical Benton Harbor home is worth about $160,000, up 7% in a year, 40% below the Michigan typical home. Homes typically sell in 120 days, below asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Benton Harbor compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Benton Harbor at a glance
A balanced market
About 4.8 months of supply: neither buyers nor sellers have a clear edge.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Benton Harbor | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $102,000 | $144,000 |
| 2018 | $110,000 | $155,000 |
| 2019 | $117,000 | $165,000 |
| 2020 | $109,000 | $175,000 |
| 2021 | $128,000 | $194,000 |
| 2022 | $143,000 | $217,000 |
| 2023 | $151,000 | $230,000 |
| 2024 | $148,000 | $241,000 |
| 2025 | $153,000 | $253,000 |
| 2026 | $153,000 | $262,000 |
| August 2026 | $160,000 | $266,000 |
30 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 30 new homes in Benton Harbor in 2025: 2 single-family houses and 28 in buildings with two or more homes, worth about $7.6 million to build. That's 3.4 per 1,000 residents, faster than across Michigan (2.3). Over the past 10 years, Benton Harbor has permitted 64 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Benton Harbor's population fell by 935 even though 96 new homes were permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. Across Michigan: 1.2 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 14 | 2 | 12 | $3.2 million |
| 2025 | 30 | 2 | 28 | $7.6 million |
| 2024 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $580,000 |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $600,000 |
| 2022 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $779,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2020 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2019 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2018 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2017 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2016 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $815,000 |
| 2015 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $815,000 |
| 2014 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $1.5 million |
| 2013 | 12 | 12 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| 2012 | 18 | 12 | 6 | $2.3 million |
| 2011 | 13 | 9 | 4 | $1.8 million |
| 2010 | 22 | 22 | 0 | $2.7 million |
| 2009 | 16 | 0 | 16 | $1.6 million |
| 2008 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1.4 million |
| 2007 | 65 | 44 | 21 | $11.5 million |
| 2006 | 82 | 82 | 0 | $7.8 million |
| 2005 | 25 | 25 | 0 | $2 million |
| 2004 | 14 | 14 | 0 | $775,000 |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 7 | 7 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| 2000 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $223,000 |
How Benton Harbor ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Benton Harbor and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton Harbor | $160K | +7% | $1,080 | 30 | $31,117 |
| Benton | — | +7.7%† | $1,070 | 10 | $38,688 |
| St. Joseph | — | +2.9%† | $1,370 | 68 | $84,057 |
| St. Joseph | $341K | +5.8% | $1,300 | 2 | $94,926 |
† FHFA price index change, where Zillow has no home value for the town.
5.2 years of income
The typical Benton Harbor home costs about 5.2 years of the town's median household income, more than across Michigan (3.7 years).
How Benton Harbor ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,080
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Benton Harbor is $1,080 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Benton Harbor pay a median of $851, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 42% of the town's median household income, above the 30% guideline for affordable housing.
Studio $750 · 4 bedrooms $1,430
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (49022, 49085; Niles, MI MSA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.