The First Choice Program gives prospective employees an insider’s view of Michigan’s Great Southwest to help make the decision to relocate easier. Our local experts can help candidates find:
- The right neighborhoods and housing options.
- The best educational options from the wide range of choices Berrien County has available.
- Places of worship.
- Leisure activities, cultural offerings, and more.
To learn more about the First Choice Program, please call (269) 925-6100 or email MHolden@cstonealliance.org.
Please participate in our First Choice Community Tour Survey.
Welcome To Michigan’s Great Southwest
As you consider relocating to Michigan’s Great Southwest, First Choice is here to make your move as smooth and easy as possible while giving you a detailed look into all that Berrien County can offer.
We have a robust and reliable infrastructure with an inventory of shovel ready sites, industrial parks and existing buildings that are competitively priced and strategically located on or near interstate transportation corridors for easy and direct accessibility. We deliver an outstanding workforce trained in the skills and expertise you need today and into the future. We drive innovation and technology in Advanced Manufacturing, Logistics & Warehousing and Food and Beverage Processing.
Click through the tabs to learn more about the wealth of resources Berrien County has to offer your business.
There are many reasons to run a business, raise a family and retire in Berrien County. But the backbone of why this is a great place to live and work is because we are in Michigan. Our state’s business climate is stronger than ever and is ranked nationally as a Top-10 Pro-Business State.
- No Personal Property Tax on Machinery & Equipment
- No Inventory Tax
- A cost of living that is nearly 10% below the national average and ranks us as the fourth most affordable state in the country
- A diverse workforce that includes one of the highest concentrations of engineers in the U.S. as well as having a skilled trades workforce that ranks in the top 10 nationally
- Easy accessibility to markets. Michigan is within 500 miles of nearly half of the U.S. and Canadian populations and commerce centers
- A competitive tax environment. The Tax Foundation 2022 Tax Climate Index ranks Michigan 12th in the country. Michigan has no personal property tax on machinery and equipment, no inventory tax; a 6% corporate income tax rate; 4.25% personal (flat) income tax (the lowest in the Midwest); and a 6% sales tax (and no local sales tax)
- A culture that encourages innovation, imagination and a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem
- Enjoy an enviable abundance of fresh water and natural resources that attract people from around the world and entice residents to make time to play
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The right workforce is crucial to the success of any business. Michigan’s Great Southwest offers an available talent pool of 131,270.
Our regional workforce draw encompasses Southwest Michigan and parts of Indiana and Illinois. This strategic location allows us to pull talent from a tri-state workforce. We have access to a regional labor force of 631,130 within a one-hour drive (census.gov). The ability to attract, recruit and retain workers from two states adds to the existing bench strength of our labor shed pipeline. We have the talent you need to fill jobs today and well into the future.
Our regional higher education institutions and workforce development agencies support ongoing innovative and applicable job training initiatives; all designed to build a robust and fully trained talent pool to contribute to the success of your business.
Within a 60-minute commute of Berrien County, you will find a workforce that brings not only a diverse set of skills to our economy but a passion to excel at them. The majority of our local employees specialize in manufacturing (1.77 times higher than other Michigan locations), health care and social assistance and retail. Compared to other Michigan counties, Berrien has a 1.5 times higher employment rate in architecture and engineering and a 1.42 times higher rate in farming, fishing and forestry occupations. Whatever your business, our workforce is capable and willing to help it succeed.
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Always Something to Do Here!
There’s something for everyone in Michigan’s Great Southwest, where we enjoy all four seasons. Here’s a snapshot of what awaits you in our area:
- Travel + Leisure Named Southwest Michigan as one of the world’s 50 Places to Travel in 2022
- Pure Michigan named Saint Joseph as one of Michigan’s Most Enchanting Towns That Will Warm Your Soul (Dec. 2021)
- Benton Harbor-Niles region named 9th best summer town by USA Today (August, 2013)
- Home of Whirlpool Corporation global headquarters and Whirlpool North America
- Over 40 miles of Lake Michigan coastline including seven public beaches
- 306 inland lakes and rivers
- 17 parks with hiking, fishing, cycling, running walking and kayaking
- Over 400 golf courses within a 100 mile-radius
Enjoy Local Wineries, Breweries and Distilleries
We are blessed with optimal growing conditions thanks to the fertile ground produced by the cool Lake Michigan breezes which produce an abundance of local wines and spirits and a wide array of Michigan craft beers.
- Over 25 wineries are located throughout Michigan’s Great Southwest
- More than 15 breweries boasting craft beers, hard ciders and ales can be enjoyed all year long
- Three distilleries offering handcrafted artesian spirits
Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail
Southwest Michigan Makers Trail
Cultural Diversity and Inclusion
Whatever your taste, our area is full of arts and culture.
Krasl Art Center offers visitors and members high quality art through domestic and international exhibits, classes and a nationally- acclaimed art fair each July on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan.
Box Factory for the Arts showcases local artists work in their public galleries, and these same talented individuals create their masterpieces in the studios, located in the building. You can enjoy the local musical talent performing at the Box Factory in special performances throughout the year.
Benton Harbor Arts District boasts local art galleries and restaurants including a brewery where live entertainment and new craft beers can be enjoyed.
Harbor Shores Resort
Berrien County is home to the Harbor Shores Resort and Harbor Shores Golf Course, a Jack Nicklaus Sign
ature Course and home to the 2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. The 500-acre Harbor Shores Resort is home to six housing developments that include single-family and multi-family living. There are over 12 miles of walking trails in the Harbor Shores Resort that connect the Golf Course, the Inn at Harbor Shores, the Renaissance Athletic Center, the Benton Harbor Arts District and kayak/canoe rentals.