Benton County, Missouri Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Benton County is located in Missouri with a total population of 19,887. It is the 55th most populous county out of 115 in Missouri. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Benton County is 54.4 years. This is 40% higher than the state median of 38.9 years. 12.5% 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 County is $52,200. This is 24% lower than the state median of $68,920. It is also 34% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 16.7%. This is 32% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 5% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $164,700. Housing costs are 24% lower than the state median of $215,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 83.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 23% higher than the state average of 67.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Benton County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.9%. The Black or African American population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 11.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 5.1%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 2.1%.

Education

15.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 52% lower than the state rate of 31.9%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Benton County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Missouri and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.