Benton County, Arkansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Benton County, AR Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
B
Health Around averageHealthiest county in Arkansas
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B
Income Around averageWealthiest county in Arkansas
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C
Education Below averageAmong the top 3 best educated counties in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Benton County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 303,622 | 3,049,066 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 343.5 | 57.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 2.70% | 0.32% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.5 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 111,915 | 1,205,703 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Benton County grew by 44.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 303,622 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Benton County is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 23.4% of residents. That is 2.5 points above Arkansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 64,359 21.2% -0.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 71,077 23.4% +2.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 58,166 19.2% on par
- Boomers 61–79 41,606 13.7% -4.4 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Arkansas, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.2% of the people living in Benton County and men 49.8%.
- Women 50.2% Arkansas 50.6%
- Men 49.8% Arkansas 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Benton County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Benton County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Benton County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $93,533 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.92% | 4.58% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Benton County is about 53% higher than in Arkansas.
Housing
| Metric | Benton County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $246,475 | $111,957 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,277 | $947 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.0% | 66.4% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Benton County is about 16.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,277 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Benton County spend about 40 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 167 hours, about 7.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Benton County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.1 | 18.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 40.2 | 37.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 167 | 155 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,187 | $4,807 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 15.7% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 9,350 | 6,306 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,845 | 912 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Arkansas:
Arkansas County (11.9 min), Phillips County (13.2 min), Howard County (13.4 min).
Slowest:
Perry County (32.2 min), Newton County (31.6 min), Madison County (31.1 min).
The average commute time in Benton County is 20 minutes, longer than the 19 minutes in Arkansas.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Benton County has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Benton County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.8% | 22.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.69 | 2.46 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Arkansas:
Pulaski County (0.3), Benton County (0.3), Washington County (0.3).
Lowest:
Lee County (0.2), Lincoln County (0.2), Scott County (0.2).
Health
Benton County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Benton County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.1 | 75.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.6% | 22.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.6% | 23.3% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Arkansas:
Benton County (0.8), Washington County (0.8), Newton County (0.8).
Lowest:
Phillips County (0.7), Chicot County (0.7), Desha County (0.8).
Benton County, AR Compared With Nearby Counties
Benton County, AR is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 303,622 residents against a local median of 41,279. Benton County, AR's median home price, at $246,475, runs 119% above the $112,503 typical of the counties around it.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $93,533 against a local median of $58,172, 61% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 61% above the local median it puts Benton County, AR at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $99,501 on median home price, so Benton County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Benton County, AR has the highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County, AR | 303,622 | $93,533 #1/6 | $246,475 #1/6 | 20.1 min #3/6 |
| McDonald County, MO | 23,701 | $53,681 | $109,091 | 23.8 min |
| Washington County, AR | 256,746 | $70,909 | $170,355 | 18.7 min |
| Delaware County, OK | 41,279 | $56,237 | $159,375 | 23.4 min |
| Barry County, MO | 35,028 | $58,172 | $112,503 | 17.7 min |
| Newton County, MO | 60,118 | $65,823 | $70,854 | 20.4 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Benton County, Arkansas.
What is the population of Benton County, Arkansas?
About 303,622 people live in Benton County, Arkansas, in 111,915 households of 2.7 people on average. The median age is 36.5, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Benton County, Arkansas?
Averaged over its land area, Benton County, Arkansas has 343 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 4.0 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Benton County, Arkansas an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.6 times the median household income ($246,475 against $93,533), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,277 a month takes about 16% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Benton County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Benton County, Arkansas is only 3.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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