Benton Harbor, MI: Local News, Events & Neighbors

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)

How Benton Harbor ranks

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#1Lowest property tax in MI #7Most affordable in MI #34Closest to a top hospital in MI All MI rankings →

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

Natural hazards: Very lowMostly inland flooding · higher than 16% of U.S. communitiesDetails →

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

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.

Conditions 1▲ 9▼ 2 close Habits 1▲ 3▼ 0 close Care 4▼ 3 close Mind 5▼ 0 close Everyday needs 4▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

4.8%Fewer adults who have had cancerMI 8.9% · better 10.4%Fewer binge drinkersMI 15.9% · better 34.2%More adults facing a utility shut-offMI 8.7% · worse

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 →

Schools in Benton Harbor

All Benton Harbor schools →

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

Martin Luther King Jr Elementary D-Elementary · Grades 1–3 · 229 students Mildred C Wells Preparatory Academy DElementary · Grades K–8 · 227 students Discovery Enrichment CenterElementary · Grades PK–K · 80 students River of Life SchoolElementary · Grades K–6 · 49 students Benton Harbor High School DHigh · Grades 9–12 · 469 students Bridge Academy of Southwest MichiganHigh · Grades 9–12 · 112 students

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.

Famous people from Benton HarborWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Benton Harbor.Meet them →