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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Ben Hill County

Georgia · 17,194 residents · 250 sq mi
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The short version

Ben Hill County is a county of 17,194 people in Georgia. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 11% of adults. 29.1% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That trails the Georgia median by roughly 48%. The typical home is worth $85,500, having risen by half since 2000. The average commute runs 15 minutes.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 41.1
US median: 38.8
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

17,194
−2%since 2000
from 17,484 in 2000
1990 – 2025
41.1
+18%since 2000
from 34.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
250 sq mi
Population, 19902024
16K17K17K17K18K19902000201020202024Ben Hill County
202417K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.5%(945)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.3%(1,089)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147.6%(1,306)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.6%(1,131)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.3%(907)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.1%(1,910)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412%(2,062)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.7%(2,180)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414%(2,411)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.7%(2,015)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.6%(961)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.6%(277)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$32,077
−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,100 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$18,241
+29%since 2000
from $14,093 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
17.1%
+4.4 ptssince 2009
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
29.1%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 22.3% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade16.6%
US avg: 10%
Information14.4%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade7.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance7.4%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical6.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services4.6%
US avg: 6.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.2%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction4.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration2.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$85,500
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $51,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$677
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $371 in 2000
US average: $1,124
58.5%
−8.2 ptssince 2000
from 66.7% in 2000
41.5% rent
2.50 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.54 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
2.7
+17%since 2009
from 2.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic61.9%(10,818)
Black32.4%(5,673)
Hispanic / Latino4.6%(800)
Asian0.3%(49)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic53.6%(9,219)
Black36.2%(6,222)
Hispanic / Latino6.1%(1,054)
Asian0.7%(116)
Other1%(165)
31
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican5.8%(982)
Dominican0.2%(27)
Puerto Rican0.1%(25)
Honduran0.1%(14)
Cuban0%(4)
Asian origin
Japanese0.5%(77)
Cambodian0.1%(22)
Ancestry
American12.3%(2,078)
Irish6%(1,017)
German5%(851)
English4.8%(815)
Italian1.3%(214)
Scottish1%(177)
British0.6%(99)
West Indian0.5%(92)
Jamaican0.5%(92)
French0.5%(78)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(61)
Welsh0.3%(46)
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.2%(39)
Polish0.2%(36)
Brazilian0.1%(25)
Swedish0.1%(24)
Greek0.1%(22)
Croatian0.1%(20)
Austrian0.1%(17)
Belgian0.1%(14)
Hungarian0.1%(13)
Dutch0%(6)
Section 05

Education

11.0%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 9.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
83.6%
+17.8 ptssince 2000
from 65.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
3.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2000
from 3.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

15.0 min
+19%since 2000
from 12.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
89.4%
+12.1 ptssince 2009
from 77.3% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
9.5%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

6.1%
−5.7 ptssince 2011
from 11.8% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
53.2%
−1.0 ptssince 2011
from 54.2% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
65.9%
US average: 73.3%
23.4%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

48.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.0% in 2009
51.3%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 51.0% in 2009
3.3%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
20.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2013
from 19.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
83.2%
US average: 91.9%
91.2%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married36.5%(2,297)
Married52.2%(3,286)
Widowed5%(312)
Divorced6.3%(396)
Women 15+
Never married31.2%(2,298)
Married42.8%(3,153)
Widowed11.4%(844)
Divorced14.6%(1,080)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

20.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2013
from 19.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
40.1%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
9.7%
US average: 13.7%
23.1%
US average: 17.6%
23.1%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.8%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
49.3%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
40.6%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)11.8%(114)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)19.5%(188)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era44.9%(434)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War3%(29)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II0.8%(8)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 966 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Ben Hill County, Georgia?

Ben Hill County, Georgia has about 17,194 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Ben Hill County, Georgia?

The typical household in Ben Hill County, Georgia earns about $32,077 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Ben Hill County, Georgia expensive?

In Ben Hill County, Georgia, the median home is worth about $85,500, and the typical rent is about $677 a month.

How educated are people in Ben Hill County, Georgia?

About 11.0% of adults age 25 and over in Ben Hill County, Georgia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Ben Hill County, Georgia?

About 29.1% of people in Ben Hill County, Georgia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Ben Hill County, Georgia grown since 1990?

Yes, Ben Hill County, Georgia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 949 residents, a change of about 6 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →