Berrien County, Michigan
Use this county page to find the right government office or narrow down to a city or township. The service directory covers common county jobs; the local pages add property-tax context, school-district rate ranges, nearby places, and Porch Notes tied to each community.
County snapshot
Cities
8
Townships
22
School districts
19
Primary home (PRE) rates, for homes with Michigan's Principal Residence Exemption, range from 17.5749 mills to 46.6849 mills.
Other property, often called non-homestead, usually means rentals, vacation homes, and second homes. Those rates range from 29.8559 mills to 64.6849 mills.
Rate rows come from the official Michigan Treasury millage-rate reports . Data used: 2025 Michigan Treasury Total Property Tax Rates. Last reviewed July 12, 2026.
Use this carefully: Michigan Porch uses the statewide published rates as a planning aid. The local assessor or treasurer controls parcel-specific values, due dates, and special assessments.
County service directory
Find the office before you make the trip
Some questions stay with the city or township. Others move to the county, a health district, or a court. Start with the job you need done, then confirm hours, fees, and forms with the office.
-
Marriage licenses, local vital records, and elections
Berrien County clerk
Start with the clerk for a marriage license, a county-filed birth or death record, election information, and other county records.
-
Deeds, mortgages, and recorded land documents
Berrien County register of deeds
Use this office for recorded property documents. It does not decide ownership disputes or tell you whether a deed is legally sufficient.
-
Delinquent real-property tax and foreclosure questions
Berrien County treasurer
Current bills usually begin with the city or township treasurer. After the local collection period, delinquent real-property tax moves to the county or the state foreclosing unit.
-
Private wells, septic systems, and local health services
Local health department
Michigan has county and multi-county health departments. Use the state finder to see which department serves this county before applying or making an appointment.
-
District, circuit, probate, or family-court business
Michigan trial courts serving this county
The court depends on the case type and sometimes the city or district. The judiciary directory lists court locations, websites, and contact information by county.
-
Countywide assessment data and equalization
Berrien County equalization
Your local assessor and Board of Review handle an individual parcel first. County equalization studies values across local units and supports assessment administration.
County websites are checked against the State of Michigan county website directory . State and court finders are used where one office or district can serve more than one county. Directory reviewed July 12, 2026. Office roles were checked against Michigan Vital Records, Michigan Treasury taxpayer resources, and State Tax Commission guidance.
Local pages
Places in Berrien County
City
Benton Harbor
2 school districts available.
Open place page ->
City
Bridgman
1 school district available.
Open place page ->
City
Buchanan
1 school district available.
Open place page ->
City
Coloma
1 school district available.
Open place page ->
City
New Buffalo
1 school district available.
Open place page ->
City
Niles
1 school district available.
Open place page ->
City
Saint Joseph
2 school districts available.
Open place page ->
City
Watervliet
1 school district available.
Open place page ->
Township
Bainbridge Township
5 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Baroda Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Benton Township
2 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Berrien Township
4 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Bertrand Township
4 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Buchanan Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Chikaming Township
2 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Coloma Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Galien Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Hagar Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Lake Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Lincoln Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
New Buffalo Township
2 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Niles Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Oronoko Township
4 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Pipestone Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Royalton Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Saint Joseph Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Sodus Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Three Oaks Township
1 school district available.
Open place page ->
Township
Watervliet Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Township
Weesaw Township
3 school districts available.
Open place page ->
Porch Notes
Local notes from Berrien County
Stories, practical notes, and local details tied to places in this county.
Berrien County · History and culture
Bear Cave: a hiding place on the Underground Railroad
Near Buchanan, a rare tufa-rock cave above the St. Joseph River sheltered freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad — and a robber's loot hidden there in 1875 inspired the 1903 film The Great Train Robbery.
Read this note ->Berrien County · History and culture
Before Bridgman was a beach town, it was a sawmill that kept burning down
Bridgman began in 1856 as Charlotteville, a lumber town whose sawmill burned three times; the lumber is long gone, but the dunes that drew Chicagoans in the 1920s became Weko Beach.
Read this note ->Berrien County · History and culture
Blossomtime started with a sermon about fruit trees
The Blossomtime Festival began in 1906 when a Benton Harbor minister told his congregation to go look at the orchards in bloom; its Grand Floral Parade has crossed between Benton Harbor and St. Joseph since 1924.
Read this note ->Berrien County · History and culture
Deer Forest: the petting zoo that 3.5 million people remember
From 1949 to 2014, generations of southwest Michigan kids fed deer and llamas at Coloma's Deer Forest and rode the train through Storybook Lane; the North Berrien museum keeps its relics.
Read this note ->Berrien County · History and culture
Grand Beach: a resort community that became its own village
Grand Beach began as a planned resort on the Lake Michigan dunes, added cottages, golf, and the Golfmore Hotel, and incorporated as a village in 1934.
Read this note ->Berrien County · Outdoors
Jean Klock Park: a beach given in a child's name
In 1917 a Benton Harbor newspaper publisher and his wife gave the city 90 acres of Lake Michigan dunes and beach in memory of their daughter, who died in infancy — deeded to the public forever.
Read this note ->Next steps
What to check next in Berrien County
Start with a local page, then move into the Michigan rule or tool that matches the question in front of you.
- Tool Estimate a buyer tax bill Use the Michigan homebuyer tax calculator when you have a price, place, and school district. Open calculator ->
- Question Understand uncapping See why a buyer's first full-year tax bill can differ from the seller's old bill. Read the guide ->
- Places Search statewide Look up another city, township, village, county, or school district. Browse places ->
Page feedback
See something wrong or unclear?
Send a note about this page. The page address will be included automatically.
Page feedback
Send a note
The page you're on will be included automatically.