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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Berrien County, Michigan

Berrien County has an effective property tax rate of 1.08%. On the median home value of $224,300, that's roughly $2,429 per year. Median household income is $65,425.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
1.08%
median tax $2,429 ÷ median home $224,300
Median Home Value1
$224,300
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$65,425
per-capita $38,351
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$2,429
at 1.08% effective rate

What you'll pay, at a glance

Property taxes are the largest local tax most homeowners pay. The effective rate measures the real tax bill as a share of home value — a more useful number than the nominal “mill rate,” because assessment practices vary county to county.

MetricBerrien CountyMichigan (state context)
Effective property tax rate11.08%1.09%
Median home value1$224,300—
State income tax3top rate 4.25%top rate 4.25%
State sales tax36.00% combined6.00% combined

How this is calculated

The effective property tax rate is the median real-estate tax bill divided by the median home value — both for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-year estimates)1. Median income is also from the ACS1. Federal and state income-tax figures use IRS2 and Tax Foundation3 data.

About Berrien County, MI

Buying a home in Berrien County means weighing a median value of $224,300 against an annual property tax bill of about $2,429, which works out to an effective rate of 1.083%. That rate sits just under Michigan's statewide median of 1.087% and ranks 43rd among the state's 83 counties, placing it squarely in the middle of the pack. Compared with the national median of 0.794%, though, homeowners here pay a noticeably higher share of value in taxes. Income levels help frame the picture: the median household earns $65,425, while per-capita income is $38,351. For buyers looking in Benton Harbor, Berrien Springs, or Coloma, the combination of a mid-range tax rate and home prices well below many coastal markets may keep monthly costs within reach, even if the tax percentage itself isn't especially low.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Berrien County, MI?
The effective rate is 1.08% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 1.08% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($224,300), the estimated annual bill is about $2,429.
Is Berrien County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 1.09% and the national average near 1.1%.
How does the effective rate differ from my mill rate?
A mill rate is the nominal levy per $1,000 of assessed value. The effective rate reflects what you actually pay after exemptions and assessments — it's the median tax bill as a share of median home value, so it better predicts your real cost.
Will a reassessment raise my tax bill?
Not necessarily. If your home's assessed value rises, your bill can go up, but only if the mill rate and exemptions stay flat. Contact the Berrien County assessor's office to review your current assessment.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment?
Yes. Most counties allow an appeal when you believe the assessed value exceeds the market value. File with the Berrien County assessor within the local deadline, typically with comparable sales as evidence.
Sources
[1] U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2023) — Median home value (B25077), median real-estate taxes (B25103), median household income (B19013), per-capita income (B19301).
[2] IRS — Statistics of Income — County income, AGI, and real-estate taxes paid.
[3] Tax Foundation — State income, sales, corporate, and estate/inheritance tax rates.