Reviews & Comments
Benton Harbor, MI
The lake is nice but not much else. -
11/27/2020I moved to the area from out of state and been here for about 7 years. I've lived in the Midwest all my life and unfortunately, the southwest Michigan area does not embody most of what I'm accustomed to expect from a Midwest culture. Prior to moving here, I expected people to be welcoming, helpful, and generally kind-hearted, but instead I found people to be very divided; racially, socially, and economically. I have never seen a more divided area than Benton Harbor and St. Joseph.
Benton Harbor is a rough city. The population is mostly poor whites and minorities. Its high crime. There's not a lot going on culturally or economically for this area right now, although I hear that 20 years ago it was quite a place to be. But things have changed for the worse. There is some gentrification of the downtown area, but overall Benton Harbor is not an place you want to be in and most people go to South Bend, IN or Kalamazoo, MI for their shopping and entertainment needs. St. Joseph sits right across the river from Benton Harbor, right on Lake Michigan, and its like night and day as you cross into it. Its affluent, mostly white. The wealthy expect you to know their names. Its low crime. Its lined with lovely shops on the bluff and spacious beaches. It, like most towns on the lakeside, rely heavily on tourism.
Which brings me back to the area's lack of friendliness. Even though the area relies on tourism, there is a great disdain for tourists and outsiders moving in. There is even a slang term for people from Illinois and Indiana: FIP (trust me, its not a nice term and you can look it up). There is a very possessive sentiment over the lake and it creates an unwelcoming attitude towards outsiders. I feel like the state population is generally more friendly as you move away from Lake Michigan and visit more inland.
It should also be said that Benton Harbor is in a conservative county. Its still pretty rural and you're not going to find a whole lot of open-mindedness here, unless you do visit the touristy areas.
The cost of living in the area is a mixed bag. You can find places with low rent, if you look hard enough, but you have to be careful on where it is and who you're renting from. Also, houses in the area can be expensive due to being close to the lake. You're going to find lower prices the further out you are, or extremely low prices in blighted areas which are unfortunately associated with high crime.
The most that the area has going for it is the environment. Lake Michigan is spectacular and there are plenty of nature areas to visit, if that's your thing. The Amtrak is also a plus, if you want a day trip into Chicago, its only a 2 hour ride to Union Station.
I hope someday Benton Harbor gets the TLC that it deserves. Its very disheartening and disturbing to hear how great the city used to be, but now the roads lack care, buildings are abandoned, and it lacks employment opportunities. There is just a heaviness that hangs about and it creates a very low morale.