Benton County, Missouri
Located in Missouri, Benton County has a population of 20,151 residents and a median age of 54.5 years, making it the #1,872 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 19.9%. The median home value is $177,900, and the median household income is $52,567, which is 30% below the national median.
Demographics
Benton County has a population of 20,151, making it the #1,872 most populous county in the US. The median age is 54.5 years, which is 40.1% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Benton County is $52,567, ranking #2,627 out of 3,222 counties — 30.0% below the national median. The poverty rate is 19.9% and unemployment stands at 3.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Benton County is $177,900 (-36.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $773/mo and the homeownership rate is 83.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Benton County, 15.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 55.6% below the national average, ranking #2,823 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Benton County is 73.7 years. 21.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 14.9% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
22.5% of adults in Benton County smoke , 38.4% are obese , and 20.4% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 22.3 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Benton County is 8.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 33.5 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 28.6 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
24.0% of children in Benton County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 25.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Benton County is 66.0%. The mean commute time is 32.6 min, which is 18.2% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Benton County voted Republican with a margin of 59.1%. The vote was 20.1% Dem / 79.2% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Benton County, Missouri
Benton County, Missouri has a total population of 20,151, making it the 1,872nd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Benton County is 54.5 years, which is 40.1% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Benton County is $52,567, which ranks #2,627 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 30.0% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 19.9%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.8%.
The median home value in Benton County is $177,900, 36.9% below the national median. Renters in Benton County pay a median gross rent of $773 per month. The homeownership rate is 83.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Benton County, 15.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 55.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 90.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 32.6 min.
Benton County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 91.6% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (4.1%) and Hispanic or Latino (2.0%).
All data for Benton County, Missouri comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.