Population 15,971 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Benson
Household size in Benson
| Period | Benson | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.74 | 2.63 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.80 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.86 | 2.70 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.64 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.23 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Benson run a little small, averaging 2.51 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.74, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.3 | 35.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.9 | 36.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.6 | 38.1 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.2 | 38.4 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.7 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Benson is 37.2 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 35.3 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the southeast.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.4% | 10.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 11.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.0% | 9.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Benson as they are nationally: 12.0%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the Raleigh area as a whole (9.4%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 4.4 points, a much bigger shift than 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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.8% | 32.1% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.4% | 33.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.2% | 34.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.1% | 33.4% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.7 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a quarter of households in Benson rent their homes (27.1%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 37.5% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share is down 6.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 9.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.8% | 8.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 7.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.2% | 7.6% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −1.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Benson than nationally: 12.2%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1987 | 1990 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1994 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1994 | 1999 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +9 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Benson is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1994, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. Still, homes here are older than in the wider Raleigh area, where the median home dates to 1999. The median year built has moved up from 1987 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $689 | $923 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $749 | $1,018 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $860 | $1,207 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,187 | $1,666 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$498 | +$743 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Benson runs $1,187 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $498 a month since 2006–10, up 72%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.5% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest are in the northwest.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 41.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.3% | 43.0% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.4% | 47.3% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.6% | 51.6% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +9.8 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Benson: 21.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southeast.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.0% | 89.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.9% | 90.6% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.6% | 92.0% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.0% | 93.3% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | +3.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Benson have finished high school as nationally: 88.0%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Raleigh area (93.3%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 9.0 points, as it has nationally.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 6.7% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 7.9% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 4.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Benson has been strong: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 5.8 points, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 | 2.51 | 37.2 | 12.0% | 27.1% | 12.2% | 1994 | $1,187 | 21.6% | 88.0% | 3.1% |
| Hardee Cross Roads | 2.92 | 36.3 | 9.4% | 20.1% | 6.3% | 1998 | $1,158 | 17.9% | 83.3% | 3.8% |
| Coats | 2.54 | 39.2 | 10.0% | 32.2% | 9.0% | 1990 | $923 | 20.4% | 78.9% | 3.5% |
| Four Oaks | 2.74 | 38.2 | 10.7% | 26.9% | 10.3% | 1993 | $1,017 | 20.0% | 83.9% | 3.7% |
| Coats Crossroads | 2.71 | 39.3 | 5.3% | 12.1% | 11.0% | 2004 | $1,409 | 27.7% | 91.7% | 2.2% |
| Peacocks Crossroads | 2.51 | 46.8 | 20.3% | 22.5% | 12.4% | 1988 | $812 | 11.6% | 78.0% | 5.5% |
| Angier | 2.65 | 38.9 | 9.8% | 22.5% | 5.8% | 1997 | $1,050 | 24.8% | 84.4% | 3.7% |
| Erwin | 2.46 | 44.8 | 9.8% | 28.1% | 10.6% | 1974 | $1,020 | 15.3% | 88.2% | 2.7% |
| Flowers | 3.46 | 34.6 | 2.1% | 8.5% | 4.3% | 2007 | $856 | 29.6% | 95.5% | 1.0% |
| Buies Creek | 2.23 | 29.2 | 12.2% | 56.6% | 10.2% | 2001 | $1,255 | 55.8% | 90.6% | 5.8% |
| Smithfield | 2.69 | 41.2 | 8.7% | 27.6% | 8.6% | 1988 | $1,103 | 20.5% | 86.8% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: La Grange Park, IL · New Holland, PA · Warrenville, IL · Lake Wylie, SC · Newman, CA · Newton, NJ · Lake Tapps, WA · Weatherford, OK · Cedar Springs, MI · Wells Branch, TX
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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