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CITY

Benton

Arkansas · 38,898 residents (2025 est.) · 22.9 sq mi
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The short version

Benton is home to 36,595 people in Arkansas. Since 2000 the city has risen by half, up 14,689 people. The foreign-born share is 3%. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $212,700. 28% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. There are 1,598 people per square mile.

At a glance
Lower income
median household income $72,876, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 38%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Benton

What changed most since 1990

  • Population18,177 → 36,595 (+101%)US over the same years: +35%
  • Black share4.2% → 9.9% (+5.7 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts
  • Median age35.4 → 38.1 (+2.7 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years

Among the 62 cities and towns in the Little Rock metro

  • 21st in household income$72,876
  • 14th in share with a bachelor's degree28.3%
  • 14th in home value$212,700
  • 26th in diversity score47.4

Its weight in Saline County

Benton's population equals 29% of Saline County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 20% of the county's.

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
36,595
+67%since 2000
from 21,906 in 2000
38,898 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,598 / sq mi
+67%since 2000
from 957 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
38.1
+6%since 2000
from 35.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
22.9 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K22K27K33K38K19902000201020202024Benton
202437K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(1,818)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.6%(2,057)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.5%(2,732)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.7%(2,831)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.9%(2,508)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.5%(4,930)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4415.2%(5,557)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.1%(4,797)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 649.5%(3,473)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.1%(3,313)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.5%(2,023)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.5%(556)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$72,876
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $41,503 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$38,819
+96%since 2000
from $19,797 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
47.8%
+21.5 ptssince 2009
from 26.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
8.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 8.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.406
−6%since 2010
from 0.433 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information14.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services8.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade7.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration6.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Retail trade6.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance5%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing3.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$212,700
+38%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $84,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,072
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $515 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
68.2%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 67.0% in 2000
31.8% rent
Vacancy rate
5.3%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.35 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.46 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
19.0%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
38.6%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 41.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.9
+14%since 2009
from 2.6 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
49
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic92%(20,157)
Black4%(886)
Hispanic / Latino1.9%(417)
Asian0.5%(116)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic77.7%(28,435)
Black9.9%(3,638)
Hispanic / Latino7.7%(2,834)
Asian0.9%(322)
Other3.7%(1,366)
Diversity Score
47
+95%since 2009
from 24 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican5.9%(2,155)
Salvadoran0.5%(187)
Puerto Rican0.5%(181)
Costa Rican0.5%(181)
Guatemalan0.1%(31)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.4%(149)
Korean0.2%(73)
Chinese0.1%(42)
Cambodian0.1%(26)
Laotian0.1%(19)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
English13.5%(4,931)
Irish12.2%(4,451)
German11%(4,022)
American6.7%(2,446)
Scottish3.7%(1,356)
French1.5%(552)
Italian1.5%(546)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(347)
Polish0.6%(228)
Welsh0.5%(185)
Swedish0.3%(123)
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.3%(112)
British0.3%(102)
Canadian0.3%(100)
Greek0.2%(64)
Nigerian0.1%(53)
Ukrainian0.1%(53)
Dutch0.1%(47)
Swiss0.1%(43)
Austrian0.1%(28)
Norwegian0.1%(27)
Czech0.1%(26)
Finnish0.1%(20)
Slovak0%(15)
Arab0%(12)
Iraqi0%(12)
Iranian0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
28.3%
+9.4 ptssince 2000
from 18.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.8%
+12.7 ptssince 2000
from 82.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
10.3%
+4.6 ptssince 2000
from 5.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.2 min
+52%since 2000
from 15.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 79.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.1%
−5.0 ptssince 2009
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.4%
+6.0 ptssince 2009
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.0%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.4%
−3.3 ptssince 2011
from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
66.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2011
from 65.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
80.1%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 78.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
17.4%
+3.4 ptssince 2009
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
39.8%
+5.5 ptssince 2009
from 34.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.7%
+4.3 ptssince 2009
from 46.3% in 2009
Female
49.3%
−4.3 ptssince 2009
from 53.7% in 2009
Foreign born
2.9%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.9%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.0%
−1.4 ptssince 2012
from 17.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.2%
−5.9 ptssince 2013
from 13.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.4%
+14.1 ptssince 2017
from 76.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
97.7%
+3.9 ptssince 2020
from 93.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.7%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 86.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
94.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2016
from 94.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2016
from 4.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married34.2%(5,088)
Married52.6%(7,811)
Widowed2.9%(425)
Divorced10.3%(1,533)
Women 15+
Never married26.8%(4,061)
Married48.7%(7,372)
Widowed8.8%(1,335)
Divorced15.6%(2,363)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.2%
−5.9 ptssince 2013
from 13.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
57.9%
−3.2 ptssince 2020
from 61.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.1%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 11.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 18.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
18.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 18.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.4%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 3.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
69.8%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 72.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
35.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 34.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)25.9%(645)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)28.5%(711)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34%(848)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.1%(28)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.2%(5)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,493 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Benton, decade by decade

Benton population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
199018,177$58,449$126,96414.2%13.7
200021,906$75,604$153,93018.9%18.9
201030,681$68,680$177,66326.2%30.1
202035,014$72,715$180,23026.9%48.0
202436,595$72,876$212,70028.3%47.4

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Benton

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Pop 35,227
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Pop 39,357
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Pop 45,332
Sun City Center
Pop 33,548
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Head to head

Compare Benton to nearby cities

BENTON VS
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Home value$223,200+5%
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BENTON VS
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Home value$236,400+11%
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BENTON VS
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BENTON VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Benton, Arkansas?

Benton, Arkansas has about 36,595 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Benton, Arkansas?

The typical household in Benton, Arkansas earns about $72,876 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Benton, Arkansas expensive?

In Benton, Arkansas, the median home is worth about $212,700, and the typical rent is about $1,072 a month.

How educated are people in Benton, Arkansas?

About 28.3% of adults age 25 and over in Benton, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Benton, Arkansas?

About 8.1% of people in Benton, Arkansas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Benton, Arkansas grown since 1990?

Yes, Benton, Arkansas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 18,418 residents, a change of about 101 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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Benton, Arkansas: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy