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Benton Harbor

A city of 8,953 people in Michigan
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Around town

The places and views that make it Benton Harbor

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Outdoors in Benton Harbor

Parks & trails →
Map of Benton Harbor: conserved land, trails and the top places to walk
Conserved land3.2%93 of 2,950 acres
Trails2.9 mi0.6 mi per sq mi
Parks & preserves810 conserved acres per 1,000 residents

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

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Know Benton Harbor

The town at a glance, and the guide to how things work

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About Benton Harbor

City in Michigan, United States
9,103Population
4.7 sq miArea
591 ftElevation

Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located 46 miles southwest of Kalamazoo and 71 miles southwest of Grand Rapids, it had a population of 9,103 according to the 2020 census. It is the smaller of the two principal cities in the Niles–Benton Harbor Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 156,813. Benton Harbor and the nearby city of St. Joseph developed on opposite sides of the St. Joseph River and are commonly referred to as the "Twin Cities". Fairplain and Benton Heights are unincorporated areas adjacent to Benton Harbor. The population is more than 80 percent African American.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Town numbers

ZIP code49022–49023, 49022, 49023
Area code269
Living in Benton Harbor

Housing in Benton Harbor

$160K▲ 7% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Benton Harbor home is worth about $160,000, up 7% in a year, 40% below the Michigan typical home.

A balanced market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s
Days on market120
Sale-to-list96.9%
Sold in May6
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Benton Harbor

D−

Safety Grade D-

Benton Harbor reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 100% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000
Benton Harbor 21.1
Michigan 4.3
U.S. 3.3
Property crime per 1,000
Benton Harbor 28
Michigan 13
U.S. 15.5
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Benton Harbor

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Most working residents leave Benton Harbor for work: only 7% work in town. The top destinations are Benton (17%), Lincoln (8%) and St. Joseph (7%). Half commute less than 12 miles.

Benton
17%
Lincoln
8%
St. Joseph
7%
Grand Rapids
6%

Health in Benton Harbor

D−

Health Grade D−

In the bottom 1% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Michigan

2better than MI·25worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 5 are too close to call.

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

Care nearby

Lakeland Hospital, St. JosephSt. Joseph · 2.3 mi · ER
Intercare Women's Health CenterBenton Harbor · 0.9 mi · sliding-scale fees
Primary careShortage · county-wide
DentalShortage · county-wide
Mental healthShortage · county-wide
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Benton Harbor · CMS · HRSAHealth in Benton Harbor →

Natural hazards in Benton Harbor

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Benton Harbor →

Climate in Benton Harbor

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Benton Harbor has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 78 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

35° / 22°Winter
57° / 38°Spring
80° / 61°Summer
62° / 44°Fall
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Benton Harbor →

Schools in Benton Harbor

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D

School Grade D

The public schools Benton Harbor’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 95% of Michigan’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

See how Benton Harbor’s schools compare in MI →
DistrictBenton Harbor Area SchoolsSchools8

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within MI. Ratings are from neighbors.

Benton Harbor’s library

Library details →
Benton Harbor Public Library213 East Wall Street · part of Benton Harbor Public Library
Fine-freeE-books40 hrs a week
IMLS Public Libraries Survey · FY2024Benton Harbor Public Library →
Famous people from Benton HarborWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Benton Harbor.Meet them →

How things work in Benton Harbor

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01