Population 50,553 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Benton
Household size in Benton
| Period | Benton | Little Rock area | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.52 | 2.51 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.74 | 2.57 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.47 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.04 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
The average household in Benton has 2.53 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. The picture is much the same across the Little Rock area. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 Benton
| Period | Benton | Little Rock area | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.4 | 36.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.9 | 37.3 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.8 | 38.4 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.7 | 38.6 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +1.8 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
At 39.7, the median age in Benton is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 38.4 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the west.
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 Benton
| Period | Benton | Little Rock area | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 12.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 12.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 12.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.4% of households in Benton, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Benton has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Arkansas cities.
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 Benton
Renters in Benton
| Period | Benton | Little Rock area | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.6% | 34.2% | 32.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.8% | 34.7% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.8% | 35.9% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.0% | 36.3% | 33.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Benton own their homes; 28.0% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. More than a third of owners (37.2%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the northwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.4 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Benton
| Period | Benton | Little Rock area | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 10.6% | 13.4% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 12.3% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 12.5% | 14.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 9.7% | 13.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.4% of homes in Benton are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 4.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 101 Arkansas cities with 5,000+ people, only four have a lower vacancy rate.
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 Benton
| Period | Benton | Little Rock area | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1983 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1985 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1990 | 1986 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1988 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Benton is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1992, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1984 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the south 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 Benton
| Period | Benton | Little Rock area | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $694 | $749 | $660 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $789 | $820 | $718 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $917 | $906 | $785 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,161 | $1,127 | $1,007 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$467 | +$378 | +$346 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Benton costs $1,161 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $467 a month since 2006–10, up 67%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 24.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; 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 Benton
Bachelor's degrees in Benton
| Period | Benton | Little Rock area | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.6% | 27.4% | 20.6% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.8% | 28.4% | 21.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.2% | 30.4% | 23.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.7% | 33.3% | 26.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +5.9 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
About three in ten adults 25 and older in Benton (29.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.1 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the south.
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 Benton
| Period | Benton | Little Rock area | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.9% | 87.9% | 82.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.6% | 89.2% | 84.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.1% | 90.4% | 86.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.5% | 92.1% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +4.2 pts | +6.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Benton: 94.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 6.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Benton has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Arkansas cities.
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 Benton
| Period | Benton | Little Rock area | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 6.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 7.6% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 4.4% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 4.4% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Benton than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.2 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).
Benton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton | 2.53 | 39.7 | 8.4% | 28.0% | 5.4% | 1992 | $1,161 | 29.7% | 94.5% | 3.6% |
| Bryant | 2.64 | 37.1 | 10.5% | 29.9% | 6.4% | 1997 | $1,082 | 35.6% | 94.0% | 2.4% |
| Detonti | 2.62 | 40.1 | 7.4% | 13.0% | 8.6% | 1991 | $921 | 16.9% | 95.7% | 4.8% |
| Haskell | 2.43 | 40.1 | 12.4% | 14.1% | 5.8% | 1998 | $1,193 | 22.3% | 93.8% | 0.6% |
| Alexander | 2.87 | 37.2 | 8.7% | 15.7% | 5.1% | 2004 | $1,051 | 35.0% | 91.7% | 3.0% |
| Bauxite | 2.60 | 38.9 | 4.9% | 11.5% | 2.8% | 1999 | $1,057 | 18.9% | 94.9% | 7.0% |
| Avilla | 2.64 | 43.5 | 5.1% | 11.7% | 6.9% | 2005 | $775 | 34.4% | 89.1% | 0.4% |
| Shannon Hills | 2.46 | 40.1 | 14.5% | 12.5% | 1.9% | 1992 | $1,199 | 17.7% | 89.8% | 7.0% |
| Tull | 2.68 | 34.7 | 9.2% | 17.7% | 7.9% | 1991 | $865 | 22.0% | 92.8% | 1.6% |
| Vimy Ridge | 2.66 | 39.5 | 17.7% | 13.5% | 4.5% | 1993 | $1,126 | 11.3% | 86.2% | 14.5% |
| Sardis | 2.71 | 39.0 | 5.8% | 13.4% | 3.9% | 1999 | $1,030 | 24.6% | 95.5% | 6.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Jeffersonville, IN · Milton, FL · Rio Grande, PR · Los Banos, CA · Frankfort, KY · Cuyahoga Falls, OH · Morganton, NC · Mount Vernon, WA · Lagrange, GA · Lake Stevens, WA
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 Benton. 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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