RANK #330 / 996 · POP 75,636 · MI
PROJECTED GROWTH: +1.4%
South Haven, a notable town in Van Buren County, Michigan, offers Lake Michigan shoreline access, a walkable downtown, and various festivals. Located in southwest Michigan, Van Buren County is about an hour from Grand Rapids and South Bend, and just over two hours from Chicago. The county features 14 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, 300 inland lakes, and two rivers, providing opportunities for water sports, fishing, and scenic views. The Kal-Haven Trail, a 33-mile path from South Haven to Kalamazoo, offers options for biking, walking, and snowmobiling.
Van Buren County offers a quality of life that blends small-town living with access to outdoor activities. Many families reside in the county, and residents tend to own their homes. Commute options include county-wide public transit, with dial-a-ride services in towns like Paw Paw and South Haven. Local schools include districts like Mattawan Consolidated School and South Haven Public Schools. The economy is supported by sectors such as agriculture, with the county ranking second in Michigan for grape acreage, and manufacturing. Recent economic developments include investments in manufacturing.
Above national median (4.7x)
Contracting economy
Below national median
Below-average climate & terrain
Above national median (13x)
Housing is fairly valued at 5.1x relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Our Next Energy (ONE) Battery Manufacturing Campus
Our Next Energy (ONE)
|
$1,600M | Planned |
|
Project Cannoli Data Center
Google
|
$1,000M | Proposed |
|
Gypsum Peak Energy Storage
Vesper Energy
|
$100M | Planned |
|
Southwest Michigan Energy Center (Solar)
Shell
|
$100M | Planned |
|
Murch Solar Project
Heelstone Renewable Energy (associated with Amazon)
|
$85M | Under Construction |
|
Decatur Battery Storage
Unknown
|
$50M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
Van Buren County has a Boom Town Index score of 67/100, ranking #330 among 996 U.S. counties. With job growth at -0.7% and a median household income of $65,531, it's an above-average county on economic indicators.
The median home value in Van Buren County is $172,100 with median rent at $843/month. The income-to-home-value ratio is 0.3808, which is more affordable than the national average.
Population growth: +0.1% year-over-year. Job growth: -0.7%. Home values changed +1.0% in the past 12 months.
Yes — 3.87% of Van Buren County's population moved from another state, which is above the national average and indicates strong in-migration.