 About 4.7% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.For most of its history, Benzie County has primarily supported Republican presidential candidates, with the only times they failed to carry to the county prior to 1992 being in 1912 & 1964.Starting with the 1992 election, the county has become more of a swing county, with 2012 being the only presidential election it did not vote for the national winner from 1980 on as of 2016.