Benton County, Tennessee 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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D
Benton County Well below averageLess wealthy than 81% of counties in Tennessee
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Benton County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $51,848 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,278 | $53,263 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.7% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.6% | 10.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.6% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Benton County is about 26% lower than in Tennessee. Income has been growing faster in Benton County (5.7%/yr) than in Tennessee (5.2%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Benton County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Tennessee average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Benton County, Tennessee grew by 55.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $51,848 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Benton County
| Metric | Benton County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.538 | 0.542 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,923 | $61,993 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,641 | $50,108 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 22.8% | 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 0.538, about the same as Tennessee's 0.542, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 29% more than women's income in Benton County, Tennessee. Over a 35-year career, a 29% wage gap accumulates to roughly $429,870 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, Tennessee has narrowed from about 36% to 23% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 15% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,586 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Benton County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.9% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 351 people are unemployed in Benton County, Tennessee.
The average commute time in Benton County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Tennessee.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Benton County, Tennessee has fallen from 12.8% to 5.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 16.7% in 2013.
Benton County, TN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Benton County, TN is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 16,006 residents against a local median of 19,214. Where Benton County, TN breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 18% above the local median of 4.8%/yr at 5.7%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.7%/yr on income growth, so Benton County, TN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Benton County, TN has the highest income growth 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, TN | 16,006 | $51,848 #4/6 | 5.7%/yr #1/6 | 5.3% #4/6 | 0.538 #3/6 |
| Humphreys County, TN | 19,214 | $60,904 | 5.0%/yr | 6.9% | 0.542 |
| Henry County, TN | 32,412 | $50,759 | 3.7%/yr | 4.8% | 0.521 |
| Carroll County, TN | 28,641 | $52,371 | 4.8%/yr | 4.5% | 0.541 |
| Houston County, TN | 8,353 | $59,495 | 4.9%/yr | 3.9% | 0.523 |
| Decatur County, TN | 11,579 | $45,279 | 2.4%/yr | 7.2% | 0.545 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Benton County, Tennessee has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Tennessee, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Benton County, Tennessee.
How Rich Is Benton County, Tennessee?
Benton County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $51,848, about 26% lower than the Tennessee average of $69,901.
How has median household income changed in Benton County, Tennessee?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Benton County, Tennessee rose 55%, from $33,379 to $51,848. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Tennessee as a whole: +55% against +63%.
What was the median household income in Benton County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Benton County, Tennessee was $50,364, up 6% from $47,715 in 2022. The Tennessee median that year was $67,483.
What was the median household income in Benton County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Benton County, Tennessee was $39,093. By 2024 it had risen 33% to $51,848.
What is the Gini coefficient in Benton County, Tennessee?
The Gini coefficient in Benton County is 0.538. 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, Tennessee?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Benton County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 36% to 23% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 15% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,586 since 2009.
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