With 20,151 people, Benton County is a county in Missouri. The median age is 54.5, about 16 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 15% of adults. Owners hold 84% of the housing stock. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $177,900, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $52,567, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 54.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Benton County
What changed most since 1990
White share98.8% → 91.6%(−7.2 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree7.7% → 15.0%(+7.2 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Median age44.6 → 54.5(+9.9 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
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)12.8%(257)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.9%(379)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era51.2%(1,027)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.1%(83)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.1%(3)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 2,006 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 County, decade by decade
Benton County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
13,859
$40,621
$91,443
7.7%
3.1
2000
17,180
$48,540
$121,687
8.8%
6.7
2010
19,056
$47,912
$140,261
12.5%
9.5
2020
19,394
$50,604
$148,596
14.7%
18.0
2024
20,151
$52,567
$177,900
15.0%
19.7
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.
