Community

St. Joseph is on the west coast of Michigan in "The Riviera of the Midwest."  We are part of a chain of small communities stretching from the state line in a spectacular arc along Lake Michigan, and working to preserve our small-town feel for our residents, supporting a bustling business community, and welcoming visitors.  The lakeshore is peppered with remarkable sand dune formations and surrounded by a lush countryside that produces some of the nation's finest orchards and vineyards. It is the largest non-citrus fruit-growing region in the nation.

Located just 90 miles from downtown Chicago, St. Joseph is a quaint community situated within the larger Benton Harbor/St. Joseph MSA. The City of St. Joseph has continually operated at full economic capacity.

St. Joseph is the county seat for Berrien County, a distinction maintained since 1894. St. Joseph has prospered over the years by encouraging a balanced mix of industrial, commercial, and residential development.

St. Joseph has become well known for its beautiful location along Lake Michigan, its quality public school system, its health care system, its beaches, parks, and other natural amenities, and its hometown feel. The presence of many large employers in the area--including Whirlpool Corporation, Leco Corporation, Corewell Health, and the Berrien County Administration Center and Courthouse--as well as the busy traditional downtown business district, causes the city's population to triple during the average workday. 

Tourists come to St. Joseph every year by the tens of thousands to enjoy the beaches, Lake Michigan, the St. Joseph River, downtown shopping, festivals and more. Silver Beach County Park in downtown St. Joseph attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, and the number of visitors continues to grow. Annual festivals in St. Joseph continue to draw increasing numbers of tourists to the community.