Benzie County, Michigan Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Benzie County, MI Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageHealthier than 71% of counties in Michigan
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C
Income Below averageWealthier than 77% of counties in Michigan
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B
Education Around averageBetter educated than 84% of counties in Michigan
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Benzie County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,310 | 10,068,405 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 21.3 | 104.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.59% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 51.3 | 40.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 7,708 | 4,073,089 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Benzie County grew by 5.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 18,310 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Benzie County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 26.9% of residents. That is 8.6 points above Michigan as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,904 15.9% -5.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,186 17.4% -3.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,911 21.4% +0.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 4,932 26.9% +8.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Michigan, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.0% of the people living in Benzie County and men 50.0%.
- Women 50.0% Michigan 50.5%
- Men 50.0% Michigan 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Benzie County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Benzie County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Benzie County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,821 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.54% | 4.60% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Benzie County is about 3% higher than in Michigan.
Housing
| Metric | Benzie County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $239,000 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,026 | $1,129 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 87.8% | 73.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Benzie County is about 19.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,026 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Benzie County spend about 45 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 188 hours, about 7.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Benzie County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.5 | 21.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 45.0 | 42.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 188 | 178 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,817 | $5,509 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,724 | 8,204 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 737 | 1,585 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Michigan:
Luce County (11.4 min), Dickinson County (12.2 min), Schoolcraft County (12.5 min).
Slowest:
Lapeer County (31.3 min), Lake County (31.1 min), Livingston County (28.6 min).
The average commute time in Benzie County is 23 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Michigan.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Benzie County has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Benzie County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.4% | 28.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.34 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Michigan:
Washtenaw County (0.4), Oakland County (0.4), Leelanau County (0.4).
Lowest:
Lake County (0.2), Oscoda County (0.2), Kalkaska County (0.2).
Health
Benzie County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Benzie County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.7 | 78.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.9% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.6% | 20.9% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Michigan:
Washtenaw County (0.8), Ottawa County (0.8), Livingston County (0.8).
Lowest:
Clare County (0.8), Oscoda County (0.8), Lake County (0.8).
Benzie County, MI Compared With Nearby Counties
Benzie County, MI is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 18,310 residents against a local median of 29,204. Where Benzie County, MI breaks from the counties next to it is commute, sitting 27% above the local median of 17.8 min at 22.5 min. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 5.2 min on commute, so Benzie County, MI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Benzie County, MI has the 6th lowest commute of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benzie County, MI | 18,310 | $74,821 #3/6 | $239,000 #4/6 | 22.5 min #6/6 |
| Manistee County, MI | 25,350 | $64,478 | $272,572 | 16.8 min |
| Leelanau County, MI | 22,734 | $99,683 | $294,921 | 21.2 min |
| Mason County, MI | 29,204 | $66,292 | $254,688 | 16.0 min |
| Grand Traverse County, MI | 96,166 | $82,482 | $124,999 | 18.0 min |
| Wexford County, MI | 34,076 | $61,341 | $177,633 | 17.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Benzie County, Michigan.
How many people live in Benzie County, Michigan?
About 18,310 people live in Benzie County, Michigan, in 7,708 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 51.3, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 14 years.
Is Benzie County, Michigan urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Benzie County, Michigan has 21 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 25% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Benzie County, Michigan?
The median home costs 3.2 times the median household income ($239,000 against $74,821), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,026 a month takes about 16% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Benzie County, Michigan?
Unemployment in Benzie County, Michigan is only 3.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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