Benbow, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 316, Benbow's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Benbow is a small community located in California, within Humboldt County. The total population is 316. It ranks as the 1313th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Benbow is 40.2 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Benbow is $56,667. This is 43% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.5%. This is 71% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 3.0%. This is 54% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $293,100. Housing costs are 60% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.2x. 56.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Benbow has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.0% of all residents. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.0% vs 33.8%).

Education

2.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 93% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Benbow, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.