Benton Harbor is a city located in Michigan. With a 2020 population of 9,742, it is the 94th largest city in Michigan and the 3156th largest city in the United States. Benton Harbor is currently declining at a rate of -0.43% annually and its population has decreased by -2.95% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 10,038 in 2010. Benton Harbor reached it's highest population of 19,136 in 1960. Spanning over 5 miles, Benton Harbor has a population density of 2,224 people per square mile.
The average household income in Benton Harbor is $30,060 with a poverty rate of 46.86%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $653 per month, and the median house value is $66,100. The median age in Benton Harbor is 32.9 years, 31.6 years for males, and 34.6 years for females. For every 100 females there are 89.6 males.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Benton Harbor was:
| Year | Total Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 153,699 | -221 | -0.14% |
| 2019 | 153,920 | -221 | -0.14% |
| 2018 | 154,141 | -221 | -0.14% |
| 2017 | 154,362 | -111 | -0.07% |
| 2016 | 154,473 | -598 | -0.39% |
| 2015 | 155,071 | -918 | -0.59% |
| 2014 | 155,989 | -149 | -0.10% |
| 2013 | 156,138 | -488 | -0.31% |
| 2012 | 156,626 | -249 | -0.16% |
| 2011 | 156,875 | 133 | 0.08% |
| 2010 | 156,742 | 0.00% |
| Race | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 8,492 | 85.60% |
| White | 1,031 | 10.39% |
| Two or More Races | 347 | 3.50% |
| Some Other Race | 31 | 0.31% |
| Asian | 19 | 0.19% |
| Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 4,189 | 2.34 | 32.7 |
| Non Family | 1,776 | 1.14 | 24.8 |
| Female | 1,316 | 3.33 | 20.1 |
| Married | 827 | 3.14 | 63.8 |
| Male | 270 | 2.99 | 50.4 |
| Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 442 | 7.35% |
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,076 | 17.89% |
| High School Graduate | 2,321 | 38.60% |
| Some College | 1,339 | 22.27% |
| Associates Degree | 406 | 6.75% |
| Bachelors Degree | 274 | 4.56% |
| Graduate Degree | 155 | 2.58% |
| Name | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 5,077 | 3,674 | 263 |
| White | 676 | 629 | 143 |
| Hispanic | 156 | 97 | 10 |
| Multiple Races | 113 | 95 | |
| Asian | 19 | 19 | 19 |
| Other Race | 4 | 4 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among asian people with a rate of 100.00%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 100.00%.
95.11% of Benton Harbor residents speak only English, while 4.89% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 3.86% of the population.
| Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 8,459 | 4,136 | 48.89% |
| Multiple | 342 | 250 | 73.10% |
| Hispanic | 467 | 243 | 52.03% |
| White | 795 | 176 | 22.14% |
| Other | 24 | 4 | 16.67% |
46.86%
Overall Poverty Rate
45.03%
Male Poverty Rate
48.48%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Benton Harbor is Multiple, with 73.10% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Benton Harbor is Other, with 16.67% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 7.65%. Among those working part-time, it was 45.48%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 55.84%.
24.5%
Overall Marriage Rate
25.7%
Male Marriage Rate
23.4%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
| Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 215 | 3.69% |
| White | 20 | 2.21% |
| 2 or More | 10 | 5.10% |
| Hispanic | 6 | 2.51% |
28.81%
Veteran Poverty Rate
32.10%
Veteran Disability Rate
59%
Labor Force Participation
49%
Employment Rate
17.1%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
98.04%
Native Born
1.96%
Foreign Born
0.99%
Non Citizen
98.04% of Benton Harbor residents were born in the United States, with 70.53% having been born in Michigan. 0.99% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
| Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 9,742 | -42 | -0.43% |
| 2019 | 9,784 | -42 | -0.43% |
| 2018 | 9,826 | -42 | -0.43% |
| 2017 | 9,868 | -42 | -0.42% |
| 2016 | 9,910 | -55 | -0.55% |
| 2015 | 9,965 | -63 | -0.63% |
| 2014 | 10,028 | -5 | -0.05% |
| 2013 | 10,033 | -17 | -0.17% |
| 2012 | 10,050 | -12 | -0.12% |
| 2011 | 10,062 | 34 | 0.34% |
| 2010 | 10,028 | -1,154 | -1.08% |
| 2000 | 11,182 | -1,636 | -1.36% |
| 1990 | 12,818 | -1,889 | -1.37% |
| 1980 | 14,707 | -1,774 | -1.13% |
| 1970 | 16,481 | -2,655 | -1.48% |
| 1960 | 19,136 | 367 | 0.19% |
| 1950 | 18,769 | 2,101 | 1.19% |
| 1940 | 16,668 | 1,234 | 0.77% |
| 1930 | 15,434 | 3,201 | 2.35% |
| 1920 | 12,233 | 3,048 | 2.91% |
| 1910 | 9,185 | 2,623 | 3.42% |
| 1900 | 6,562 | 2,870 | 5.92% |
| 1890 | 3,692 | 0.00% |