Population 692 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Benson
Household size in Benson
| Period | Benson | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.45 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.71 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.29 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Benson are small: just 2.29 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.45, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Benson
| Period | Benson | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.6 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.0 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.5 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.9 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −4.8 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 40.9, the median age in Benson is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Benson
| Period | Benson | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Benson: 6.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Benson
Renters in Benson
| Period | Benson | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.3% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 3.6% of households in Benson rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About four in ten owners (39.1%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Benson
| Period | Benson | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.0% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.4% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.0% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Benson: 13.0% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Benson
| Period | Benson | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1942 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1947 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1943 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1946 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Benson is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1946, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Benson
| Period | Benson | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $666 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $716 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $706 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $961 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$295 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Benson runs $961 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 21.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Benson
Bachelor's degrees in Benson
| Period | Benson | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.7% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Benson: 17.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Benson
| Period | Benson | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.4% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.9% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.9% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.4% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Benson: 95.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Benson
| Period | Benson | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Benson runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Benson compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benson | 2.29 | 40.9 | 6.6% | 3.6% | 13.0% | 1946 | $961 | 17.5% | 95.4% | 4.6% |
| Woodford | 2.45 | 41.0 | 10.0% | 24.0% | 6.7% | 1954 | $910 | 27.5% | 95.1% | 2.1% |
| Roanoke | 2.61 | 40.7 | 5.1% | 15.1% | 8.3% | 1958 | $1,145 | 25.9% | 93.9% | 2.8% |
| Minonk | 2.33 | 42.6 | 8.6% | 26.5% | 8.2% | 1959 | $980 | 21.9% | 92.6% | 6.2% |
| Panola | 2.55 | 39.5 | 10.4% | 23.1% | 5.8% | 1957 | $978 | 23.8% | 92.6% | 3.2% |
| Secor | 2.72 | 40.0 | 4.4% | 14.4% | 7.0% | 1969 | $1,075 | 31.2% | 96.3% | 6.6% |
| La Rose | 2.20 | 49.0 | 2.9% | 15.6% | 16.0% | 1944 | $809 | 10.8% | 94.3% | 6.5% |
| Enright | 2.45 | 44.0 | 11.3% | 14.8% | 13.5% | 1972 | $999 | 28.5% | 93.3% | 2.7% |
| Rutland | 2.23 | 52.0 | 4.9% | 14.2% | 25.5% | 1959 | $860 | 8.6% | 93.3% | 10.9% |
| Washburn | 2.30 | 46.9 | 6.2% | 18.1% | 10.0% | 1947 | $883 | 22.0% | 92.6% | 7.5% |
| Toluca | 2.42 | 41.6 | 11.4% | 22.2% | 14.7% | 1953 | $850 | 10.7% | 89.5% | 5.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Sargent, NE · Henderson, NY · Harrodsburg, IN · Harrison, IL · Rush, PA · Eden, VT · Rushville, MO · Russell, MS · Russell, NY · Salisbury Heights, NH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Benson. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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