Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Berrien County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $259,810 | $134,610 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 12.3% | 9.4% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $923 | $1,084 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.3% | 4.5% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Berrien County is about 93% higher than in Michigan. Rent is about 15% lower than the Michigan average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Berrien County, up about 12.3% and 4.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Berrien County rose about 36.9% between 2015 and 2023, from $674 to $923. Over the same span, rent in Michigan rose about 38.5%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.1 yearly household incomes in Berrien County.
Buying the median-priced home in Berrien County costs roughly 23.5 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Berrien County. The price-to-rent ratio in Michigan is about 10.3.
| Metric | Berrien County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $259,810 | $134,610 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $64,093 | $71,353 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.1 | 1.9 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Berrien County rose about 108.6%, while median household income rose about 51.7% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Berrien County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 60.0% | 64.1% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 22.5% | 23.8% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 17.5% | 12.2% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2010 | 2011 |
Berrien County has a homeownership rate of 60.0%, lower than the Michigan average of 64.1%. Its housing vacancy rate is 17.5%, compared with 12.2% in Michigan.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Berrien County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.36 people | 2.43 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1967 | 1972 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Berrien County was built around 1967. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.9 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Berrien County, Michigan.
What is the median home price in Berrien County, Michigan?
The median home price in Berrien County, Michigan is $259,810, higher than the Michigan average of $134,610.
What is the average home price in Berrien County, Michigan?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Berrien County, Michigan?
The median gross rent in Berrien County, Michigan is $923 per month, lower than the Michigan average of $1,084.
What was the median gross rent in Berrien County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Berrien County, Michigan was $757 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Berrien County, Michigan?
The price-to-rent ratio in Berrien County, Michigan is about 23.5, meaning it would take roughly 23.5 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Berrien County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Berrien County, Michigan?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Berrien County, up about 12.3% and 4.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Berrien County, Michigan?
60.0% of households in Berrien County, Michigan own their home, lower than the Michigan average of 64.1%.
What is the vacancy rate in Berrien County, Michigan?
The housing vacancy rate in Berrien County, Michigan is 17.5%, higher than the Michigan average of 12.2%.