Benton County, Oregon Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Benton County, OR Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
A
Health Above averageHealthiest county in Oregon
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C
Income Below averageWealthier than 77% of counties in Oregon
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A+
Education Top gradeBest educated county in Oregon
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Benton County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 96,284 | 4,252,306 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 142.1 | 43.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.22% | 0.82% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 33.4 | 40.6 | 37.3 |
| Households | 38,530 | 1,717,698 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Benton County grew by 18.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 96,284 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Benton County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 34.4% of residents. That is 13.7 points above Oregon as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 33,150 34.4% +13.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 17,278 17.9% -5.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 16,270 16.9% -3.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 15,251 15.8% -2.2 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 Oregon, 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 49.8% of the people living in Benton County and men 50.2%.
- Women 49.8% Oregon 50.1%
- Men 50.2% Oregon 49.9%
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 C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Benton County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,897 | $83,617 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.93% | 5.70% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Benton County is about 8% lower than in Oregon.
Housing
| Metric | Benton County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $77,748 | $406,603 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,409 | $1,525 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 56.9% | 63.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Benton County is about 4.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,409 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Benton County spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 132 hours, about 5.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Benton County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.8 | 20.1 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 31.7 | 40.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 132 | 168 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,095 | $5,203 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 20.3% | 19.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 8,859 | 7,643 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 839 | 967 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Oregon:
Lake County (7.7 min), Harney County (8.6 min), Baker County (8.9 min).
Slowest:
Columbia County (31.7 min), Clackamas County (23.9 min), Polk County (22.2 min).
The average commute time in Benton County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Oregon.
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 A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Benton County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.8% | 32.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.32 | 2.41 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Oregon:
Benton County (0.4), Multnomah County (0.4), Washington County (0.4).
Lowest:
Morrow County (0.2), Malheur County (0.2), Gilliam County (0.2).
Health
Benton County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Benton County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.9 | 78.8 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 10.9% | 15.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 12.1% | 17.0% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Oregon:
Benton County (0.8), Washington County (0.8), Clackamas County (0.8).
Lowest:
Josephine County (0.8), Malheur County (0.8), Lake County (0.8).
Benton County, OR Compared With Nearby Counties
Benton County, OR is typical in size for this group, 96,284 residents against a local median of 108,598, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Benton County, OR's median home price, at $77,748, runs 75% below the $314,880 typical of the counties around it.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 15.8 min against a local median of 21.6 min, 27% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 27% below the local median it puts Benton County, OR at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $358,695 on median home price, so Benton County, OR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Benton County, OR has the 6th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County, OR | 96,284 | $76,897 #3/6 | $77,748 #6/6 | 15.8 min #1/6 |
| Polk County, OR | 89,625 | $86,020 | $85,076 | 22.2 min |
| Lincoln County, OR | 50,961 | $63,695 | $295,722 | 16.5 min |
| Yamhill County, OR | 108,598 | $89,058 | $443,771 | 21.6 min |
| Lane County, OR | 383,903 | $71,321 | $314,880 | 17.3 min |
| Linn County, OR | 130,588 | $76,336 | $326,639 | 22.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Benton County, Oregon.
How big is Benton County, Oregon by population?
About 96,284 people live in Benton County, Oregon, in 38,530 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 33.4, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Benton County, Oregon urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Benton County, Oregon has 142 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 1.6 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Benton County, Oregon?
The median home costs 1.0 times the median household income ($77,748 against $76,897), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,409 a month takes about 22% 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, Oregon?
Unemployment in Benton County, Oregon is 7.0%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Benton County, Oregon?
42.8% of adults in Benton County, Oregon hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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