Benzie County | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMichigan | |
 Michigan's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:44°38′N86°15′W / 44.63°N 86.25°W /44.63; -86.25 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| Founded | 1863 (created) 1869 (organized)[1] |
| Named after | Betsie River |
| Seat | Beulah |
| Largest city | Frankfort |
| Area | |
• Total | 860 sq mi (2,200 km2) |
| • Land | 320 sq mi (800 km2) |
| • Water | 540 sq mi (1,400 km2) 63% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 17,970 |
• Estimate (2023) | 18,441 |
| • Density | 55/sq mi (21/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
Benzie County (/bɛnziː/BEN-zee) is acounty in theU.S. state ofMichigan. As of the2020 census, the population was 17,970.[2] Thecounty seat isBeulah.[3] The county was initially set off in 1863 and organized in 1869.[1][4] At 321 square miles (830 km2), Benzie County is the smallest of the83 counties in Michigan in terms of land area.
Benzie County is part of theTraverse City metropolitan area. Part of theSleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is located within the county. It is also home toCrystal Mountain, one of Michigan's top-ratedski resorts.[5]
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Today's Benzie County was originally part ofLeelanau County. Leelanau County was separated fromMichilimackinac County in 1840, and was attached toGrand Traverse County.[6] In 1863, The northern section of Leelanau County was organized, and the southern section, now named Benzie County, was left attached to Grand Traverse County.[7] Benzie County was organized in its own right in 1869.[1][4]
The name "Benzie" is derived from the Frenchla rivière aux Bec-scies, "the river ofsawbills",bec-scie ("bill-saw") being a type of ducks. Americans altered the pronunciation of the river's name, which became known as the "Betsie River". A similar alteration in pronunciation produced "Benzie".[1]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 860 square miles (2,200 km2), of which 320 square miles (830 km2) is land and 540 square miles (1,400 km2) (63%) is water.[8] It is the smallest county in Michigan by land area.
Benzie County is located in the northwest of theLower Peninsula, in the "little finger" position of the mitten-shaped peninsula and is considered to be part of theNorthern Michigan region.Lake Michigan is to the west,Leelanau County and theLeelanau Peninsula are to the north.Grand Traverse County andTraverse City are to the east.Wexford County is to the southeast andManistee County to the south. TheSleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore extends into the northwest portion of the county.Crystal Lake is a prominent physical feature of the area. ThePlatte River rises out of a lake district aroundLake Ann in the northeast of the county and flows southwest and the northwest intoBig Platte Lake before emptying into Lake Michigan at Platte River Point. TheBetsie River rises in neighboring Grand Traverse County, flowing southwest across the southeast corner of the county into Manistee County, where it bends northwest until just south of Benzonia where it receives the outflow of Crystal Lake and then flows mostly west through Elberta and Frankfort and into Lake Michigan.
Portions of thePere Marquette State Forest lie within the county and offer several trails including a 10-mile (16 km) route along the Betsie River and a 5.8-mile (9.3 km) trail near Lake Ann. There are state forest campgrounds at Platte River and Lake Ann. TheBetsie River State Game Area is located just east of Elberta. 50 miles (80 km) of the Betsie River is a state-designated Natural River from Grass Lake, just west of the Grand Traverse County line, to its inlet into Lake Betsie just east of Elberta. The natural and scenic richness of the area has made it a host to a variety of conservation, education, and recreation programs, includingCrystalaire, theGrand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, and others.
US 31 enters the county from the south, passes throughBenzonia andBeulah on the south end of Crystal Lake before turning to exit the county to the east.
M-22 traverses the western edge of the county, providing a scenic drive along the shore of Lake Michigan.
M-115 enters the county from the south, angling northwest, and merges with US 31 for a couple of miles until Benzonia where M-115 continues west to end inFrankfort.Previously, an additional highway,M-168, ran in the village ofElberta, serving the formerAnn Arbor Railroad ferry docks. The route was handed back to local control in 2012.[9]
By land
By water
Source:[10]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 2,184 | — | |
| 1880 | 3,433 | 57.2% | |
| 1890 | 5,237 | 52.5% | |
| 1900 | 9,685 | 84.9% | |
| 1910 | 10,638 | 9.8% | |
| 1920 | 6,947 | −34.7% | |
| 1930 | 6,587 | −5.2% | |
| 1940 | 7,800 | 18.4% | |
| 1950 | 8,306 | 6.5% | |
| 1960 | 7,834 | −5.7% | |
| 1970 | 8,593 | 9.7% | |
| 1980 | 11,205 | 30.4% | |
| 1990 | 12,200 | 8.9% | |
| 2000 | 15,998 | 31.1% | |
| 2010 | 17,525 | 9.5% | |
| 2020 | 17,970 | 2.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 18,441 | [11] | 2.6% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] 1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14] 1990-2000[15] 2010-2018[2] | |||
As of the2000 census,[16] there were 15,998 people, 6,500 households, and 4,595 families residing in the county. By 2020, its population was 17,970.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $37,350, and the median income for a family was $42,716. Males had a median income of $30,218 versus $21,730 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $18,524. About 4.7% of families and 7.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.
For most of its history, Benzie County has primarily supported Republican presidential candidates, with the only times they failed to carry to the county prior to 1992 being in 1912 & 1964. Starting with the 1992 election, the county has become a Republican-leaning bellwether county, with 2012 and 2020 being the only two presidential elections it did not vote for the national winner from 1980 on as of 2024.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 6,895 | 53.57% | 5,780 | 44.91% | 196 | 1.52% |
| 2020 | 6,601 | 53.83% | 5,480 | 44.69% | 181 | 1.48% |
| 2016 | 5,539 | 54.16% | 4,108 | 40.16% | 581 | 5.68% |
| 2012 | 5,075 | 51.26% | 4,685 | 47.32% | 141 | 1.42% |
| 2008 | 4,687 | 45.47% | 5,451 | 52.88% | 171 | 1.66% |
| 2004 | 5,284 | 54.04% | 4,383 | 44.83% | 111 | 1.14% |
| 2000 | 4,172 | 51.68% | 3,546 | 43.93% | 354 | 4.39% |
| 1996 | 2,856 | 42.09% | 3,081 | 45.41% | 848 | 12.50% |
| 1992 | 2,438 | 35.58% | 2,715 | 39.62% | 1,699 | 24.80% |
| 1988 | 3,240 | 56.52% | 2,437 | 42.52% | 55 | 0.96% |
| 1984 | 3,590 | 65.25% | 1,866 | 33.91% | 46 | 0.84% |
| 1980 | 3,054 | 55.55% | 1,842 | 33.50% | 602 | 10.95% |
| 1976 | 3,085 | 61.23% | 1,891 | 37.53% | 62 | 1.23% |
| 1972 | 2,686 | 66.26% | 1,310 | 32.31% | 58 | 1.43% |
| 1968 | 2,138 | 60.91% | 1,147 | 32.68% | 225 | 6.41% |
| 1964 | 1,674 | 45.71% | 1,983 | 54.15% | 5 | 0.14% |
| 1960 | 2,484 | 65.45% | 1,306 | 34.41% | 5 | 0.13% |
| 1956 | 2,620 | 71.18% | 1,046 | 28.42% | 15 | 0.41% |
| 1952 | 2,752 | 73.04% | 980 | 26.01% | 36 | 0.96% |
| 1948 | 2,013 | 65.17% | 964 | 31.21% | 112 | 3.63% |
| 1944 | 2,026 | 64.48% | 1,084 | 34.50% | 32 | 1.02% |
| 1940 | 2,320 | 61.62% | 1,429 | 37.95% | 16 | 0.42% |
| 1936 | 1,742 | 47.62% | 1,686 | 46.09% | 230 | 6.29% |
| 1932 | 1,595 | 50.22% | 1,432 | 45.09% | 149 | 4.69% |
| 1928 | 1,849 | 84.28% | 321 | 14.63% | 24 | 1.09% |
| 1924 | 1,922 | 73.84% | 198 | 7.61% | 483 | 18.56% |
| 1920 | 1,520 | 72.00% | 422 | 19.99% | 169 | 8.01% |
| 1916 | 900 | 47.19% | 770 | 40.38% | 237 | 12.43% |
| 1912 | 568 | 29.69% | 326 | 17.04% | 1,019 | 53.27% |
| 1908 | 1,437 | 62.97% | 551 | 24.15% | 294 | 12.88% |
| 1904 | 1,582 | 74.06% | 295 | 13.81% | 259 | 12.13% |
| 1900 | 1,472 | 66.28% | 626 | 28.19% | 123 | 5.54% |
| 1896 | 1,366 | 60.39% | 803 | 35.50% | 93 | 4.11% |
| 1892 | 774 | 52.47% | 498 | 33.76% | 203 | 13.76% |
| 1888 | 710 | 57.58% | 412 | 33.41% | 111 | 9.00% |
| 1884 | 556 | 54.89% | 380 | 37.51% | 77 | 7.60% |
The county government operates thejail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts,keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintainsvital records, administerspublic health regulations, andparticipates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. Thecounty board of commissioners controls the budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. InMichigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, streetmaintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.
(information as of September 2005)
TheNorthwest Educational Services, based inTraverse City, services the students in the county along with those ofAntrim,Grand Traverse,Kalkaska, andLeelanau. Theintermediate school district offers regionalspecial education services,early education andEnglish learner programs, andtechnical career pathways for students of its districts.[19]
Benzie County is served by the following regularpublicschool districts:[20]
Benzie County has oneprivate school, the New Covenant Christian Academy (Christian).[21]
Places adjacent to Benzie County, Michigan | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofBenzie County, Michigan,United States | ||
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| City |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Civil townships | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Indian reservation | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| Central cities | |
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| Counties | |
| Geography | |
| Transportation | |
| Economy | |
44°38′N86°15′W / 44.63°N 86.25°W /44.63; -86.25
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| National | |
