Lake Benton, Minnesota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 794, Lake 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

Lake Benton is a small community located in Minnesota, within Lincoln County. The total population is 794. It ranks as the 400th most populous out of 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lake Benton is 37.5 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 38.8 years. 11.7% 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 Lake Benton is $52,250. This is 41% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 35% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.2%. This is 128% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 3.5%. This is 14% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $99,800. Housing costs are 70% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Lake Benton is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 73.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Lake Benton is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.6%. The Asian population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 5.1%.

Education

22.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 43% lower than the state rate of 39.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Lake Benton, Minnesota 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 Minnesota state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.