Benzie County, Michigan
Among the top 2% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 52% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 10% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 81% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 35% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A+, better than 98% of US counties
- top 10% for broadband access
- top 13% for amenities nearby
- bottom 2% for annual snowfall
Benzie County is a county in Michigan with about 18,000 residents. It grades A+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for weather. Standout strengths include broadband access, amenities nearby, and sales tax. It rates lower on sunny days and annual snowfall.
Official websitebenzieco.net (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
very cold
63%27%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.7 in2.4 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$71k77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 34% of US counties
Home Value$244k79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$970better than 26% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 42% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.84%better than 51% of US counties
Income Tax4.30%better than 71% of US counties
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.16%better than 57% of US counties
Unemployment4.5%better than 55% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)21°F14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation36.1 in34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall102.9 inbetter than 2% of US counties
Sunny Days189 daysbetter than 10% of US counties
Summer Humidity59°Fbetter than 80% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk22.7better than 75% of US counties
Air Quality38 AQIbetter than 74% of US counties
School Quality71.9better than 76% of US counties
Violent Crime643/100kbetter than 59% of US counties
Property Crime643/100kbetter than 64% of US counties
Community
Population18,05839th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age50.494th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1423rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0156th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)92.4%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.7%29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.5%24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.3%30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.1%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time26 minbetter than 41% of US counties
Walkability6.1/20better than 53% of US counties
Airport Distance125 mibetter than 35% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.4%better than 90% of US counties
Amenities Nearby10.52better than 87% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 73% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Benzie County an affordable place to live?
- Benzie County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 34% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Benzie County?
- The median home value in Benzie County is $244k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Benzie County?
- Median household income in Benzie County is $71k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Benzie County?
- Median gross rent in Benzie County is $970 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Benzie County safe?
- Benzie County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 643/100k (better than 59%). Property crime is 643/100k.
- What is the weather like in Benzie County?
- Benzie County averages 69°F in July and 21°F in January, with 36.1 in of annual precipitation and about 189 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Benzie County?
- Public-school quality in Benzie County is above average, scoring better than 76% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Benzie County?
- The average one-way commute in Benzie County is 26 min.
Other counties in Michigan
Explore Michigan
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)