Berrien County, Michigan Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Berrien 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.
-
B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below averageWealthier than 73% of counties in Michigan
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C
Education Below averageBetter educated than 77% of counties in Michigan
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Berrien County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 153,288 | 10,068,405 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 97.0 | 104.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.15% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 40.4 | 40.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 63,993 | 4,073,089 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Berrien County declined by 4.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 153,288 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Berrien County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 20.7% of residents. That is 0.2 points above Michigan as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 29,244 19.1% -2.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 29,464 19.2% -1.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 31,774 20.7% +0.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 31,356 20.5% +2.1 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 51.0% of the people living in Berrien County and men 49.0%.
- Women 51.0% Michigan 50.5%
- Men 49.0% Michigan 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Berrien County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Berrien County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Berrien County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,853 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.58% | 4.60% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Berrien County is about 10% lower than in Michigan.
Housing
| Metric | Berrien County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $278,301 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $942 | $1,129 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.8% | 73.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Berrien County is about 24.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $942 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Berrien County spend about 35 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 145 hours, about 6.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Berrien County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.4 | 21.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 34.7 | 42.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 145 | 178 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,483 | $5,509 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,625 | 8,204 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,619 | 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 Berrien County is 17 minutes, shorter 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
Berrien County has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Berrien County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 28.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.35 | 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
Berrien County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Berrien County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.8 | 78.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 17.8% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.9% | 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).
Berrien County, MI Compared With Nearby Counties
Berrien County, MI is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 153,288 residents against a local median of 111,917. Where Berrien County, MI breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 56% above the local median of $177,987 at $278,301.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 17.4 min against a local median of 22.1 min, 22% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 22% below the local median it puts Berrien County, MI at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $165,447 on median home price, so Berrien County, MI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Berrien County, MI has the 2nd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berrien County, MI | 153,288 | $65,853 #6/6 | $278,301 #2/6 | 17.4 min #1/6 |
| LaPorte County, IN | 111,917 | $70,422 | $205,529 | 21.0 min |
| Van Buren County, MI | 75,795 | $68,304 | $177,987 | 22.3 min |
| St. Joseph County, IN | 273,015 | $66,946 | $121,815 | 18.6 min |
| Porter County, IN | 174,798 | $86,949 | $279,292 | 25.2 min |
| Cass County, MI | 51,520 | $70,806 | $113,846 | 22.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Berrien County, Michigan.
How many people live in Berrien County, Michigan?
About 153,288 people live in Berrien County, Michigan, in 63,993 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 40.4, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
Is Berrien County, Michigan mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Berrien County, Michigan has 97 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Berrien County, Michigan?
The median home costs 4.2 times the median household income ($278,301 against $65,853), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $942 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
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