CensusEasy
COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Benton County

Missouri · 17,180 residents · 704 sq mi
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The short version

Benton County is home to 17,180 people in Missouri. The median age is 46.3, about 11 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 9% of adults. Owners hold 82% of the housing stock. That trails the Missouri median by roughly 30%. The typical home is worth $66,800, having risen by half since 1990.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 46.3
US median: 35.2
Less educated
9% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Less affordable
home values up 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

17,180
+24%since 1990
from 13,859 in 1990
1990 – 2025
46.3
+4%since 1990
from 44.6 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
704 sq mi
Population, 19902024
13K15K17K19K21K19902000201020202024Benton County
202420K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 54.8%(818)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.2%(899)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.5%(1,121)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 195.9%(1,014)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 243.8%(648)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 348.3%(1,426)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4413.5%(2,318)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5414.1%(2,427)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6415.6%(2,681)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 7413.5%(2,324)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 846.6%(1,134)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.2%(370)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$26,646
+19%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $16,925 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$15,457
+70%since 1990
from $9,112 in 1990
US average: $21,522
15.7%
−4.5 ptssince 1990
from 20.2% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$66,800
+33%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $38,100 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$364
+5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $262 in 1990
US average: $602
82.2%
+0.8 ptssince 1990
from 81.4% in 1990
17.8% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic99.1%(13,733)
Black0%(0)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(68)
Asian0.2%(28)
2000
White, non-Hispanic97.3%(16,709)
Black0.1%(24)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(153)
Asian0.1%(21)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.4%(289)
Colombian0.2%(41)
Puerto Rican0.2%(31)
Spaniard0.1%(15)
Asian origin
Chinese0.1%(15)
Filipino0.1%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German27.3%(5,510)
English14.3%(2,879)
Irish11.9%(2,402)
American8.2%(1,662)
Scottish2.4%(475)
Dutch1.7%(342)
French1.5%(306)
Polish1.4%(276)
Italian1.3%(270)
Scotch-Irish1.3%(266)
Ukrainian1.3%(259)
Swedish0.8%(156)
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.8%(154)
Russian0.7%(138)
Norwegian0.3%(63)
Welsh0.3%(63)
Swiss0.3%(56)
Austrian0.3%(55)
Czech0.2%(47)
West Indian0.2%(40)
Greek0.2%(39)
British0.2%(34)
Romanian0.1%(16)
Slovak0.1%(16)
Hungarian0.1%(15)
Portuguese0.1%(15)
Finnish0%(10)
Section 05

Education

8.8%
+1.1 ptssince 1990
from 7.7% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
71.8%
+7.3 ptssince 1990
from 64.5% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
3.0%
+0.4 ptssince 1990
from 2.6% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

19.9 min
−34%since 1990
from 30.2 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married16.7%(1,182)
Married66.4%(4,708)
Widowed4%(286)
Divorced13%(919)
Women 15+
Never married11.6%(835)
Married65.9%(4,764)
Widowed13.2%(954)
Divorced9.3%(675)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

9.2%
−4.7 ptssince 2013
from 13.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
37.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 36.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
17.0%
−5.5 ptssince 2020
from 22.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
36.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 36.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
24.9%
+4.6 ptssince 2020
from 20.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
5.2%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 5.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
54.1%
−5.4 ptssince 2020
from 59.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
56.1%
+4.7 ptssince 2020
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)
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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Benton County, Missouri?

Benton County, Missouri has about 17,180 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Benton County, Missouri?

The typical household in Benton County, Missouri earns about $26,646 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 $66,800, and the typical rent is about $364 a month.

How educated are people in Benton County, Missouri?

About 8.8% 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 15.7% 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 3,321 residents, a change of about 24 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 →