United States › Michigan › Benzie County COUNTY
Benzie County Michigan · 18,568 residents (2025 est.) · 320 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Benzie County is a county of 18,310 people in Michigan. At a median age of 50.8, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Owners hold 88% of the housing stock. Few US counties rank higher on income. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. Density works out to 57 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 50.8
US median: 38.9
Average education
37% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 50%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 15,998 in 2000
18,568 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 55 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
12K 13K 15K 17K 19K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Benzie County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $74,834
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,350 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,524 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 7.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.406 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 3.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.5%
Transportation & warehousing 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
Education & health services 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$285,700
+50%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $104,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,026
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $486 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 85.7% in 2000
12.2% rent
from 39.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 31.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.7 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 95.4%(15,270)
Hispanic / Latino 1.5%(233)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91.4%(16,728)
Hispanic / Latino 2.5%(457)
from 14 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 25 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data from 20.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 85.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 76.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 30.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 17.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 13.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 77.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 92.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 25.6%(2,008)
Women 15+
Never married 20.7%(1,641)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 57.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 20.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 28.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 17.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 73.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 43.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 15.3%(225)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.9%(337)
Share of the 1,469 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Benzie County Head to head
Compare Benzie County to nearby counties BENZIE COUNTY VS
Manistee County
Income $63,516 −15%
Home value $182,200 −36%
Population 25,656 +38%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BENZIE COUNTY VS
Grand Traverse County
Income $81,647 +9%
Home value $339,400 +19%
Population 96,729 +421%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BENZIE COUNTY VS
Leelanau County
Income $99,422 +33%
Home value $458,400 +60%
Population 22,982 +24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BENZIE COUNTY VS
Wexford County
Income $61,085 −18%
Home value $170,400 −40%
Population 34,445 +86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Benzie County, Michigan? Benzie County, Michigan has about 18,310 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Benzie County, Michigan? The typical household in Benzie County, Michigan earns about $74,834 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Benzie County, Michigan expensive? In Benzie County, Michigan, the median home is worth about $285,700, and the typical rent is about $1,026 a month.
How educated are people in Benzie County, Michigan? About 36.9% of adults age 25 and over in Benzie County, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Benzie County, Michigan? About 9.7% of people in Benzie County, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.
Has Benzie County, Michigan grown since 1990? Yes, Benzie County, Michigan has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,110 residents, a change of about 50 percent over that period.
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