United States › Missouri › Benton County COUNTY
Benton County Missouri · 20,536 residents (2025 est.) · 704 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
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
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
Section 01
Population & growth from 17,180 in 2000
20,536 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 26 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 46.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
13K 15K 17K 19K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Benton County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $52,567
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,646 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,457 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 15.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.440 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.7%
Public administration 2.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.3%
Transportation & warehousing 1.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
Education & health services 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$177,900
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $66,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$773
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $364 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 82.2% in 2000
16.2% rent
from 38.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.22 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.0 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 97.3%(16,709)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(153)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91.6%(18,460)
from 9 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 20 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 8.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 71.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 47.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 56.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 22.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 13.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 23.8%(2,098)
Women 15+
Never married 14.5%(1,242)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 36.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 22.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 36.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 20.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 59.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 51.4% 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) 12.8%(257)
Gulf War (1990s) 18.9%(379)
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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Benton County Head to head
Compare Benton County to nearby counties BENTON COUNTY VS
Morgan County
Income $53,412 +2%
Home value $194,400 +9%
Population 22,418 +9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BENTON COUNTY VS
Hickory County
Income $39,390 −25%
Home value $176,100 −1%
Population 9,044 −56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BENTON COUNTY VS
Henry County
Income $57,926 +10%
Home value $160,600 −10%
Population 22,671 +10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BENTON COUNTY VS
Pettis County
Income $60,430 +15%
Home value $166,300 −7%
Population 44,254 +115%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Benton County, Missouri? Benton County, Missouri has about 20,151 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Benton County, Missouri? The typical household in Benton County, Missouri earns about $52,567 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Benton County, Missouri expensive? In Benton County, Missouri, the median home is worth about $177,900, and the typical rent is about $773 a month.
How educated are people in Benton County, Missouri? About 15.0% of adults age 25 and over in Benton County, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Benton County, Missouri? About 19.9% of people in Benton County, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.
Has Benton County, Missouri grown since 1990? Yes, Benton County, Missouri has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,292 residents, a change of about 45 percent over that period.
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