Benzie County vs Kalkaska County
A side-by-side comparison of Benzie County and Kalkaska County: population, income, housing, and more.
Benzie County and Kalkaska County are counties in Michigan. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Benzie County has the higher population (18,177 vs 18,116 in Kalkaska County). Benzie County has the higher median household income ($72,603 vs $60,365 in Kalkaska County). Benzie County has the higher median home value ($254,400 vs $174,300 in Kalkaska County).
Population, income & housing
| Benzie County | Kalkaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,177 | 18,116 |
| Median age | 50.6 yrs | 44.0 yrs |
| Median household income | $72,603 | $60,365 |
| Median home value | $254,400 | $174,300 |
| Median gross rent | $974 | $767 |
| Housing units | 12,231 | 11,655 |
| Homeownership rate | 87.8% | 87.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.3% | 18.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.3% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Benzie County | Kalkaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,615 → 18,177 (+3.2%) | 17,585 → 18,116 (+3.0%) |
| Median household income | $57,974 → $72,603 (+25.2%) | $46,898 → $60,365 (+28.7%) |
| Median home value | $185,500 → $254,400 (+37.1%) | $115,900 → $174,300 (+50.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $702 → $974 (+38.7%) | $702 → $767 (+9.3%) |
Benzie County
17,61518,177
$57,974$72,603
$185,500$254,400
$702$974
Kalkaska County
17,58518,116
$46,898$60,365
$115,900$174,300
$702$767
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Benzie County | Kalkaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.3% | 4.9% |
| 5 to 17 | 12.9% | 15.4% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.2% | 6.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.7% | 12.3% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.3% | 12.0% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.6% | 16.2% |
| 65 to 74 | 16.4% | 13.2% |
| 75 and over | 11.3% | 8.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Benzie County | Kalkaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 91.6% | 92.7% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 1.3% | 0.5% |
| Asian | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 3.1% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.4% | 2.2% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Benzie County | Kalkaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.1% | 10.1% |
| High school graduate | 26.7% | 38.2% |
| Some college or associate's | 32.9% | 33.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 21.2% | 11.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 13.2% | 6.9% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Benzie County | Kalkaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 78.4% | 82.7% |
| Carpooled | 8.4% | 8.5% |
| Public transit | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 10.5% | 6.6% |
| Other means | 1.1% | 1.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Benzie County | Kalkaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 86.3% | 80.8% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.4% | 0.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 2.2% | 0.6% |
| 5 to 19 units | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| 20 or more units | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Mobile home & other | 7.3% | 15.2% |
Poverty & households
| Benzie County | Kalkaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.2% | 14.1% |
| Average household size | 2.39 | 2.32 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 25 | 30 |
| Median year structure built | 1985 | 1980 |
Full profiles
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