Benson County, North Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Benson County, ND Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
D
Health Well below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in North Dakota
-
D
Income Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in North Dakota
-
F
Education Well below averageAmong the 5 least educated counties in North Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Benson County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,808 | 784,730 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4.0 | 11.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.88% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 30.1 | 36.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,025 | 331,016 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Benson County declined by 15.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 5,808 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Benson County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.7% of residents. That is 0.9 points below North Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,320 22.7% -0.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 965 16.6% -4.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,087 18.7% +1.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 857 14.8% -1.2 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 North Dakota, 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 49.0% of the people living in Benson County and men 51.0%.
- Women 49.0% North Dakota 49.0%
- Men 51.0% North Dakota 51.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Benson County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Benson County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Benson County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,290 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.58% | 3.32% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Benson County is about 16% lower than in North Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Benson County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $187,500 | $125,877 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $587 | $953 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.1% | 62.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Benson County is about 26.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $587 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Benson County spend about 26 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 109 hours, about 4.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Benson County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.1 | 13.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 26.3 | 27.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 109 | 115 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,394 | $3,567 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 429 | 2,106 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 194 | 360 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
North Dakota:
McIntosh County (6.9 min), Foster County (7.7 min), Pierce County (7.7 min).
Slowest:
McHenry County (28.9 min), Renville County (23.5 min), Oliver County (22.8 min).
The average commute time in Benson County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 14 minutes in North Dakota.
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
Benson County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Benson County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.3% | 29.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.86 | 2.29 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
North Dakota:
Cass County (0.3), Burleigh County (0.3), Grand Forks County (0.3).
Lowest:
Sioux County (0.2), Sheridan County (0.2), Hettinger County (0.2).
Health
Benson County has a health index of D, which means it is barely healthy.
| Metric | Benson County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 71.8 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 22.8% | 14.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 31.1% | 18.7% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
North Dakota:
Burleigh County (0.8), Steele County (0.8), Cass County (0.8).
Lowest:
Sioux County (0.7), Rolette County (0.7), Benson County (0.8).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Benson County, North Dakota.
How big is Benson County, North Dakota by population?
About 5,808 people live in Benson County, North Dakota, in 2,025 households of 2.9 people on average. The median age is 30.1, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 7 years.
Is Benson County, North Dakota urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Benson County, North Dakota has 4 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 5% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Benson County, North Dakota?
The median home costs 2.9 times the median household income ($187,500 against $64,290), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $587 a month takes about 11% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Benson County, North Dakota?
Unemployment in Benson County, North Dakota is only 3.4%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Benson County, North Dakota have a college degree?
18.3% of adults in Benson County, North Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →