United States › Illinois › Benton CITY
Benton Illinois · 6,558 residents (2025 est.) · 5.49 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 6,863 people, Benton is a city in Illinois. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $87,200. Households here earn about 35% less than in Illinois as a whole. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. At a median age of 42.6, this is an older place than the country as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 6,880 in 2000
6,558 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,250 / sq mi
−2%since 2009
from 1,272 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
7K 7K 7K 7K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Benton Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $54,123
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,177 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,787 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 17.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.439 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 7.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 3.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.5%
Education & health services 1.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$87,200
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $46,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$798
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $382 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 70.4% in 2000
37.4% rent
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.24 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 24.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 98.3%(6,766)
Hispanic / Latino 0.5%(35)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 89.5%(6,143)
Hispanic / Latino 3.3%(229)
from 11 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data from 13.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 76.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 84.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 54.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 68.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 73.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 47.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 33.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 58.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 51.8% 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) 14.8%(61)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.8%(61)
Share of the 413 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.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Benton, Illinois? Benton, Illinois has about 6,863 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Benton, Illinois? The typical household in Benton, Illinois earns about $54,123 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Benton, Illinois expensive? In Benton, Illinois, the median home is worth about $87,200, and the typical rent is about $798 a month.
How educated are people in Benton, Illinois? About 17.6% of adults age 25 and over in Benton, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Benton, Illinois? About 17.7% of people in Benton, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Benton, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Benton, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 350 residents, a change of about -5 percent over that period.
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