Benton County, Arkansas Income Statistics
Benton County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Benton County Around averageWealthiest county in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Benton County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $93,533 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $58,664 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.9% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 15.6% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 15.5% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Benton County is about 53% higher than in Arkansas. Income has been growing faster in Benton County (5.9%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 16% of adults in Benton County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Arkansas average of 8%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Benton County, Arkansas grew by 85.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $93,533 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Benton County
| Metric | Benton County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.537 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $69,112 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $55,319 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.0% | 19.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Benton County, it is 0.537, lower than Arkansas's 0.551, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 25% more than women's income in Benton County, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 25% wage gap accumulates to roughly $482,755 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Benton County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 21% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 25% in 2010, and was narrowest at 20% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,192 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Benton County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.1% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.7% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 4,830 people are unemployed in Benton County, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Benton County is 20 minutes, longer than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Benton County, Arkansas has fallen from 5.5% to 3.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 5.6% in 2013 and fell as low as 2.4% in 2019.
Benton County, AR Wealth 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 household income, at $93,533, runs 61% above the $58,172 typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 3.1% against a local median of 5.2%, 40% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Benton County, AR is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves sit within $17,228 of each other on median household income, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Benton County, AR, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Benton County, AR has the highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County, AR | 303,622 | $93,533 #1/6 | 5.9%/yr #1/6 | 3.1% #1/6 | 0.537 #3/6 |
| McDonald County, MO | 23,701 | $53,681 | 4.2%/yr | 6.8% | 0.553 |
| Washington County, AR | 256,746 | $70,909 | 5.7%/yr | 3.4% | 0.556 |
| Delaware County, OK | 41,279 | $56,237 | 4.9%/yr | 5.2% | 0.554 |
| Barry County, MO | 35,028 | $58,172 | 5.3%/yr | 4.6% | 0.535 |
| Newton County, MO | 60,118 | $65,823 | 5.0%/yr | 5.9% | 0.535 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Benton County, Arkansas has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Arkansas, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Benton County, Arkansas.
How Rich Is Benton County, Arkansas?
Benton County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $93,533, about 53% higher than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
Are incomes growing in Benton County, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Benton County, Arkansas rose 85%, from $50,424 to $93,533. Over the same years, income here outpaced Arkansas as a whole: +85% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Benton County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Benton County, Arkansas was $89,828, up 5% from $85,257 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Benton County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Benton County, Arkansas was $72,531. By 2024 it had risen 29% to $93,533.
How many people earn six figures in Benton County, Arkansas?
Yes. 16% of adults in Benton County, Arkansas earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 6), against 8% (about 1 in 13) in Arkansas. 15% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 7% in Arkansas.
How strong is the job market in Benton County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Benton County, Arkansas is only 3.1%, well below the Arkansas rate of 4.9%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Benton County, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Benton County is 0.537. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Benton County, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Benton County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 21% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 25% in 2010, and was narrowest at 20% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,192 since 2009.
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