Benton is a town located in Polk County Tennessee. Benton has a 2024 population of 1,420. It is also the county seat of Polk County. Benton is currently declining at a rate of -1.66% annually and its population has decreased by -6.33% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 1,516 in 2020.
The average household income in Benton is $53,506 with a poverty rate of 19.08%. The median age in Benton is 38.9 years: 37 years for males, and 41 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Benton was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,427 | 90.09% |
| Two or more races | 120 | 7.58% |
| Black or African American | 33 | 2.08% |
| Other race | 4 | 0.25% |
| Native American | 0 | 0% |
| Asian | 0 | 0% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Other race
Native American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 611 | 2.37 | 56.1 | 43.9 |
| Married | 254 | 3.1 | 94.5 | 5.5 |
| Non Family | 214 | 1.05 | 20.1 | 79.9 |
| Female | 111 | 3.4 | 40.5 | 59.5 |
| Male | 32 | 1.81 | 46.9 | 53.1 |
2.99
Average Family Size
2.37
Average Household Size
56.1%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 161 | 14.85% |
| Associates Degree | 79 | 7.29% |
| Bachelors Degree | 81 | 7.47% |
| Graduate Degree | 15 | 1.38% |
| High School Graduate | 448 | 41.33% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 70 | 6.46% |
| Some College | 230 | 21.22% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 998 | 772 | 96 |
| 2+ Races | 55 | 55 | 0 |
| Black | 27 | 22 | 0 |
| Other Race | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Hispanic | 4 | 4 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among other race people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 9.62%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $51,875 | $35,833 | $52,292 |
| Graduate Degree | $55,938 | $0 | $56,250 |
| High School Graduate | $32,917 | $40,625 | $0 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $0 | $0 | $18,971 |
| Overall | $37,361 | $41,033 | $26,591 |
| Some College | $37,837 | $41,806 | $27,045 |
$37,361
Average Earnings
$41,033
Average Male
$26,591
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
98.83% of Benton residents speak only English, while 1.17% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 0.48% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 1,311 | 211 | 16.09% |
| Multiple | 110 | 62 | 56.36% |
19.08%
Overall Poverty Rate
15.68%
Male Poverty Rate
21.58%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Benton is Multiple, with 56.36% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Benton is White, with 16.09% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 5.37%. Among those working part-time, it was 11.61%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 23.13%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 22.9% |
| High School | 19.89% |
| Some College | 12.83% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 4.17% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 37.5% |
| Female Employed | 12.5% |
| Female Unemployed | 11.11% |
| Male Employed | 0.98% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $60,673 | $67,652 |
| Households | $37,569 | $53,506 |
| Married Families | $77,222 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $16,000 | $24,874 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
43.3%
Overall Marriage Rate
46.7%
Male Marriage Rate
40.2%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
99
Number of Veterans
90
Male Veterans
9
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 43 |
| Vietnam | 28 |
| First Gulf War | 21 |
| Korea | 0 |
| World War II | 0 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 33 |
| 65 to 74 | 32 |
| 18 to 34 | 18 |
| 55 to 64 | 13 |
| 75+ | 3 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 99 | 8.53% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
11.49%
Veteran Poverty Rate
18.39%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
45.8%
Labor Force Participation
42.3%
Employment Rate
7.5%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
75.57%
Born in Benton
99.43%
Native Born
0.57%
Foreign Born
0.25%
Non Citizen
0.32%
Naturalized
99.43% of Benton residents were born in the United States, with 75.57% having been born in Tennessee. 0.25% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Africa.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 1,300 | -24 | -1.81% |
| 2028 | 1,324 | -24 | -1.78% |
| 2027 | 1,348 | -24 | -1.75% |
| 2026 | 1,372 | -24 | -1.72% |
| 2025 | 1,396 | -24 | -1.69% |
| 2024 | 1,420 | -24 | -1.66% |
| 2023 | 1,444 | 10 | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 1,434 | -44 | -2.98% |
| 2021 | 1,478 | -38 | -2.51% |
| 2020 | 1,516 | 253 | 20.03% |
| 2019 | 1,263 | -34 | -2.62% |
| 2018 | 1,297 | 15 | 1.17% |
| 2017 | 1,282 | -28 | -2.14% |
| 2016 | 1,310 | -17 | -1.28% |
| 2015 | 1,327 | -15 | -1.12% |
| 2014 | 1,342 | -15 | -1.11% |
| 2013 | 1,357 | -15 | -1.09% |
| 2012 | 1,372 | -23 | -1.65% |
| 2011 | 1,395 | 23 | 1.68% |
| 2010 | 1,372 | 0 | 0% |