Map the Block › Places › Michigan › Benzie County
Benzie County, Michigan in numbers: crime, income, hazards
FBI reports put Benzie County at 1.6 violent crimes per 1,000 people a year over 2021-2025, 65% lower than the rate for Michigan (4.5). Households here have a median income of $74,834 and the unemployment rate was 4.2% in August 2026. It is home to roughly 18,310 residents.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Benzie County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 29 violent and 75 property crimes per year. Per 1,000 residents, the violent-crime rate works out to 1.6: 65% lower than the Michigan rate (4.5), and 57% lower than the national rate (3.7). Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 4.1 per 1,000 residents, compared with 14.3 across Michigan.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Benzie County | Per 1,000 | Michigan per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 29 | 1.6 | 4.5 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.00 | 0.06 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 7 | 0.38 | 0.61 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0.00 | 0.34 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 22 | 1.2 | 3.5 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 75 | 4.1 | 14.3 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 11 | 0.60 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 59 | 3.2 | 10.0 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 5 | 0.28 | 2.4 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (2 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Benzie County?
Median household income is $74,834, close to the statewide figure ($72,875). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $285,700, and the median rent is $1,026 a month. 7.8% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 13.5%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.2% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 371 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Benzie County | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,310 | 10,077,761 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $74,834 | $72,875 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $285,700 | $231,600 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,026 | $1,129 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 3.1% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 9.7% | 13.2% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 7.8% | 13.5% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 36.9% | 32.4% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 87.8% | 73.2% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 50.8 | 40.2 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 93.0% | 90.5% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 5.6% | 4.9% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Benzie County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Benzie County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Very Low”. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
No active Superfund site is listed in Benzie County. 1 former site has finished cleanup and been taken off EPA's National Priorities List: Metal Working Shop. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
Disasters, air and water
No federal major disaster declaration covered Benzie County from 2016 through 2025 (COVID-19 excluded). In 2024, 2 of 245 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 10 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 3 (low). NHTSA counted 8 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 2 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Benzie County?
Benzie County had 2 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (all active that day). Listed roads include M-22 and US-31. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Benzie County?
Federal school lists show 7 public and 0 private schools in the county. 2 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 6 fire or EMS stations and 2 police or sheriff stations.
What tribal lands and sacred sites are in Benzie County?
Census tribal areas that reach into Benzie County: Grand Traverse Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land.
Tribal areas are Census statistical boundaries, shown for reference; they are not legal boundaries.
See them on the map: tribal lands →
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Benzie County
Gun shops
2 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Benzie County, plus 6 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Frankfort Tackle Box (Frankfort) and Vacation Trailer Sales (Benzonia).
Liquor stores
One liquor store is on the map in Benzie County: Paul's Party Store (Thompsonville). Michigan has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Benzie County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Benzie County?
Benzie County averaged 29 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 1.6 per 1,000 residents, 65% lower than the Michigan rate (4.5). The property-crime rate was 4.1 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Benzie County?
$74,834 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $72,875 for Michigan and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Benzie County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.2% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 371 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Benzie County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Benzie County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Very Low”. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here.
Are there Superfund sites in Benzie County?
No active Superfund site is listed in Benzie County. 1 former site has finished cleanup and been taken off EPA's National Priorities List: Metal Working Shop.
Is there road construction in Benzie County right now?
Benzie County had 2 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (all active that day). Listed roads include M-22 and US-31.
How many nursing homes are in Benzie County?
2 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Benzie County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Traverse County | 96,166 | 2.2 | $81,647 |
| Leelanau County | 22,734 | 0.84 | $99,422 |
| Manistee County | 25,350 | 1.6 | $63,516 |
| Wexford County | 34,077 | 2.3 | $61,085 |
More: Michigan statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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