Benzie County, Michigan Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 65th-largest in Michigan

The population of Benzie County, Michigan is 18,177 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 65th-largest county in Michigan. The median household income is $72,603, the median home value is $254,400, and the median age is 50.6.

The population of Benzie County has grown 5.9% since 2010 (17,495 → 18,520), a +0.41% annualized rate.

Benzie County within Michigan · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

18,177

Population

+0.41%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$72,603

Median Income

$254,400

Median Home Value

Benzie County covers 320 sq mi of land at 56.9 people per square mile.

About Benzie County, MI

Benzie County is a county in Michigan with a population of 18,177. It ranks #65 among counties in Michigan by population. The median age is 50.6, older than the national median. The population is 50.2% male and 49.8% female.

The median household income in Benzie County is $72,603, near the US median of $74,580. 6.1% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $254,400, with monthly rent averaging $974. The homeownership rate of 87.8% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Benzie County reflects 34.3% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, near the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 10.5% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 24.8 minutes each way.

Benzie County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Benzie County had a population of 17,495 in 2010 and 18,520 in 2024, a 5.9% growth over 14 years. The peak was 18,520 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.41%.

18,520

Population (2024)

17,495

Population (2010)

18,520

Peak (2024)

0.41%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	17,495	-	-	estimate
2011	17,380	-115	-0.66%	estimate
2012	17,319	-61	-0.35%	estimate
2013	17,340	+21	+0.12%	estimate
2014	17,466	+126	+0.73%	estimate
2015	17,386	-80	-0.46%	estimate
2016	17,523	+137	+0.79%	estimate
2017	17,625	+102	+0.58%	estimate
2018	17,748	+123	+0.70%	estimate
2019	17,767	+19	+0.11%	estimate
2020	17,993	+226	+1.27%	estimate
2021	18,240	+247	+1.37%	estimate
2022	18,336	+96	+0.53%	estimate
2023	18,460	+124	+0.68%	estimate
2024	18,520	+60	+0.33%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	92.1%
Black or African American	0.5%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2.8%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

50.6

Median Age

49.8%

Female

50.2%

Male

27.7%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

4.3%

5–9

4.7%

10–14

4.9%

15–19

5.0%

20–24

4.4%

25–34

10.3%

35–44

10.7%

45–54

11.3%

55–59

7.4%

60–64

9.2%

65–74

16.4%

75–84

8.1%

85+

3.2%

Children (under 15): 13.9% · Seniors (65+): 27.7%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$72,603+$1,454 vs state
Mean household income	$96,668
Per-capita income	$40,984
Poverty rate	6.1%-2.7% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.3%
Employment-to-population	52.4%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

22.9%

Education & health care

11.5%

Finance & real estate

9.9%

Manufacturing

9.4%

Construction

7.5%

Arts, entertainment & food

6.3%

Information

5.4%

Public administration

4.7%

The largest employment sector in Benzie County is professional & business services, accounting for 22.9% of workers.

How residents commute

0.8%

Drive alone

0.7%

Carpool

78.4%

Public transit

10.5%

Work from home

24.8 min

Avg commute

Housing

$254,400+$36,800 vs state

Median home value

$974

Median rent

87.8%

Homeownership rate

12,231

Total housing units

61.0%

Occupied

39.0%

Vacant

12.2%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

93.2%

With health insurance

95.7%

With broadband internet

20.4%

Foreign-born

9.7%

Veterans (18+)

16.3%

With a disability

98.0%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

93.9%

High School+

34.3%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Michigan

Detroit (636,644)Grand Rapids (197,768)Warren (138,128)Sterling Heights (133,473)Ann Arbor (121,179)Lansing (112,546)Dearborn (107,846)Livonia (94,058)Troy (87,307)Westland (84,155)All Michigan cities →

Other counties in Michigan

Wayne County (1,773,767)Oakland County (1,272,294)Macomb County (877,624)Kent County (658,844)Genesee County (404,087)Washtenaw County (368,394)Ottawa County (298,614)Ingham County (282,015)Kalamazoo County (261,437)Livingston County (195,143)All Michigan counties →

Part of Michigan

Michigan demographic profile All Michigan data →

Metro areas in Michigan

Detroit (4,367,620)Grand Rapids (1,154,320)Lansing (470,434)Flint (404,087)Ann Arbor (368,394)South Bend (324,180)Kalamazoo (261,437)Saginaw (189,210)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Benzie County, Michigan has a population of 18,177 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 65th-largest county in Michigan. Population density is 57 people per square mile.

The population of Benzie County has grown 5.9% since 2010 (17,495 → 18,520), a +0.41% annualized rate.

The median household income in Benzie County, Michigan is $72,603, with mean (average) household income of $96,668 and per-capita income of $40,984. 6.1% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Benzie County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (92.1%), Hispanic or Latino (2.8%), Black or African American (0.5%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Benzie County, Michigan is 50.6 years. Residents are 49.8% female and 50.2% male.

The median home value in Benzie County is $254,400 and median monthly rent is $974. 87.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 12,231 total housing units, 39.0% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Benzie County, Michigan is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 22.9% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.3%.

Detroit is among the largest cities associated with Benzie County, Michigan, with a population of 636,644.