COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Benton County

Tennessee · 16,537 residents · 394 sq mi

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Benton County is home to 16,537 people in Tennessee. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 6% of adults. The median age is 41.6, about 6 years above the US median. Owners hold 81% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $62,800, having risen by half since 1990. Median rent is $367 a month.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $42,589

Older

median age 41.6

US median: 35.2

Less educated

6% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 24%

Stable housing

home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted

US median home: $120,530

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

16,537

+14%since 1990

from 14,524 in 1990

1990 – 2025

Median age

41.6

+8%since 1990

from 38.4 in 1990

US average: 35.2

Land area

394 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202416K

Age distribution, 2000

Under 55.2%(855)

US avg: 6.8%

5 to 96.5%(1,082)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146.4%(1,057)

US avg: 7.3%

15 to 196.1%(1,008)

US avg: 7.2%

20 to 244.8%(799)

US avg: 6.7%

25 to 3411.6%(1,920)

US avg: 14.2%

35 to 4414.6%(2,414)

US avg: 16%

45 to 5414.4%(2,375)

US avg: 13.4%

55 to 6412.7%(2,095)

US avg: 8.6%

65 to 749.7%(1,603)

US avg: 6.5%

75 to 845.9%(976)

US avg: 4.4%

85 and over2.1%(353)

US avg: 1.5%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$28,679

+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $20,382 in 1990

US average: $42,589

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$14,646

+46%since 1990

from $10,046 in 1990

US average: $21,522

Poverty rate

15.6%

−1.6 ptssince 1990

from 17.2% in 1990

US average: 12.4%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$62,800

+21%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $39,400 in 1990

US average: $120,530

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$367

+3%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $270 in 1990

US average: $602

Owner-occupied

80.5%

+0.3 ptssince 1990

from 80.2% in 1990

19.5% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990

White, non-Hispanic97.1%(14,106)

Black2.1%(301)

Hispanic / Latino0.4%(60)

Asian0.6%(90)

2000

White, non-Hispanic95.7%(15,834)

Black2.1%(348)

Hispanic / Latino0.9%(157)

Asian0.2%(40)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican2.3%(362)

Dominican0.3%(49)

Puerto Rican0.1%(20)

Central American0.1%(17)

Nicaraguan0.1%(17)

Asian origin

Chinese0.9%(146)

Filipino0.1%(20)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0.6%(101)

Guamanian0%(8)

Ancestry

American34%(5,445)

English11.4%(1,819)

Irish9.7%(1,550)

German7.5%(1,199)

Scottish2.9%(463)

French2.4%(391)

Italian1.8%(285)

Scotch-Irish0.9%(140)

Dutch0.6%(104)

Polish0.6%(101)

Welsh0.5%(86)

Swedish0.5%(80)

+ 16 more ancestry groups with data

Subsaharan African0.5%(79)

Norwegian0.5%(75)

British0.4%(58)

French Canadian0.3%(55)

Hungarian0.3%(41)

Finnish0.2%(25)

Lithuanian0.1%(23)

Danish0.1%(20)

West Indian0.1%(20)

Czech0.1%(17)

Portuguese0.1%(12)

Croatian0.1%(11)

Arab0.1%(9)

Moroccan0.1%(9)

Swiss0%(3)

Austrian0%(2)

RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Scottish population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

6.3%

−1.1 ptssince 1990

from 7.4% in 1990

US average: 24.4%

High school or higher

65.8%

+9.5 ptssince 1990

from 56.3% in 1990

US average: 80.3%

Graduate degree

2.8%

−0.2 ptssince 1990

from 3.0% in 1990

US average: 8.8%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

18.9 min

−15%since 1990

from 22.2 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 married16.4%(1,060)

Married67.9%(4,387)

Widowed3.5%(229)

Divorced12.1%(781)

Women 15+

Never married10.9%(767)

Married64.4%(4,545)

Widowed14%(986)

Divorced10.7%(755)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

10.1%

−6.0 ptssince 2013

from 16.1% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

45.0%

+1.9 ptssince 2020

from 43.1% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

11.9%

−2.9 ptssince 2020

from 14.8% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

27.6%

−1.8 ptssince 2020

from 29.4% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

24.1%

−2.0 ptssince 2020

from 26.1% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.3%

−2.0 ptssince 2020

from 4.3% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

55.9%

−2.1 ptssince 2020

from 58.0% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

46.5%

−3.7 ptssince 2020

from 50.2% 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)21.9%(191)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)26.9%(235)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era45.2%(395)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War1.7%(15)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II1%(9)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 873 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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