Benton City, Missouri Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 88, Benton City'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 City is a small community located in Missouri, within Audrain County. The total population is 88. It ranks as the 900th most populous out of 1,062 Census-designated places in Missouri.

Age Demographics

The median age in Benton City is 54.9 years. This is 41% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. Only 3.4% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 10.2% 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 City is $57,500. This is 19% lower than the state median of $70,702. It is also 29% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.4%. This is 63% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Benton City, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $91,700. Housing costs are 60% lower than the state median of $230,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.6x, Benton City is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 83.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% higher than the state average of 68.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Benton City has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 97.7% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 5.2%.

Education

3.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 89% lower than the state rate of 32.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Benton City, Missouri 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 Missouri state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,062 Census-designated places in Missouri. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.