Benton, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 27, Benton'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

Benton is a small community located in Iowa, within Ringgold County. The total population is 27. It ranks as the 991st most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in Benton is 58.5 years. This is 52% higher than the state median of 38.6 years. Only 7.4% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 22.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Benton is $51,250. This is 32% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Benton. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The survey records no unemployed residents in Benton, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 39% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Benton was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

26.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 31.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Benton, Iowa 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 Iowa state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.