Population 16,006 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Benton County
Household size in Benton County
| Period | Benton County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Benton County is a place of small households, averaging 2.27 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has edged down from 2.35 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few Tennessee counties have smaller households: only five of 95.
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 County
| Period | Benton County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.9 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.1 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.0 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.4 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.4, Benton County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 44.9, as it has nationally. Only eight of Tennessee's 95 counties are older.
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 County
| Period | Benton County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in Benton County (8.7%), below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Benton County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Tennessee counties.
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 County
Renters in Benton County
| Period | Benton County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.8% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.7% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.9% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.9% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in Benton County rent their homes (24.9%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 62.3% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the north and least common in the southeast. The renter share has risen 8.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Benton County
| Period | Benton County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.6% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.0% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.0% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Benton County: 15.0% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 5.6 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 County
| Period | Benton County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Benton County was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. Homes here are older than in Tennessee as a whole, where the median home dates to 1986. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, 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 Benton County
| Period | Benton County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $464 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $552 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $668 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $794 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$331 | +$526 | +$606 |
The median renter in Benton County pays $794 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $331 a month since 2006–10, up 71%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 28.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the center.
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 County
Bachelor's degrees in Benton County
| Period | Benton County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.2% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Benton County: 12.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Few Tennessee counties have a lower share of college graduates: only eight of 95.
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 County
| Period | Benton County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.2% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.0% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.2% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.6% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +12.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Benton County is close to the national rate: 88.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 12.4 points, mirroring the country.
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 County
| Period | Benton County | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Benton County is close to the national rate: 5.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Tennessee overall (4.8%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.4 points, mirroring the country.
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 County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | 2.27 | 46.4 | 8.7% | 24.9% | 15.0% | 1980 | $794 | 12.5% | 88.6% | 5.8% |
| Humphreys County | 2.72 | 43.9 | 10.6% | 21.7% | 20.1% | 1982 | $892 | 16.3% | 87.7% | 6.1% |
| Carroll County | 2.40 | 40.6 | 10.7% | 25.5% | 11.9% | 1978 | $776 | 19.1% | 89.5% | 4.4% |
| Dickson County | 2.57 | 40.6 | 10.4% | 19.7% | 8.8% | 1987 | $1,040 | 21.7% | 89.7% | 3.4% |
| Gibson County | 2.52 | 39.8 | 13.4% | 31.2% | 10.7% | 1978 | $954 | 20.7% | 88.8% | 5.9% |
| Williamson County | 2.91 | 40.9 | 6.2% | 21.2% | 5.4% | 2001 | $2,202 | 63.1% | 96.3% | 2.5% |
| Dyer County | 2.49 | 41.0 | 15.0% | 38.1% | 9.9% | 1979 | $823 | 22.0% | 89.4% | 4.9% |
| Davidson County | 2.23 | 36.3 | 12.1% | 47.2% | 10.0% | 1985 | $1,674 | 47.3% | 89.7% | 4.5% |
| Pemiscot County | 2.37 | 38.4 | 18.5% | 44.4% | 15.2% | 1972 | $706 | 10.9% | 84.8% | 9.9% |
| DeKalb County | 2.44 | 41.7 | 9.8% | 27.4% | 12.6% | 1987 | $893 | 20.7% | 84.1% | 5.9% |
| Greene County | 2.57 | 39.5 | 14.0% | 33.8% | 8.5% | 1990 | $883 | 17.0% | 86.6% | 5.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Spencer County, IN · Braxton County, WV · Swift County, MN · Sussex County, VA · Brewster County, TX · Sumter County, AL · Broadwater County, MT · Sullivan County, MO · Brown County, IL · Sublette County, WY
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 County. 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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