Benton County, Washington Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Benton County, WA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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B
Income Around averageWealthier than 84% of counties in Washington
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C
Education Below averageBetter educated than 74% of counties in Washington
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Benton County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 212,794 | 7,801,159 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 120.9 | 109.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.60% | 1.21% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.9 | 36.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 78,002 | 3,058,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Benton County grew by 32.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 212,794 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Benton County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.1% of residents. That is 0.7 points above Washington as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 47,014 22.1% +0.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 45,655 21.5% -1.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 39,254 18.4% -1.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 33,075 15.5% -0.7 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 Washington, 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% Washington 49.7%
- Men 50.2% Washington 50.3%
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 | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $89,893 | $98,224 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.90% | 5.64% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Benton County is about 8% lower than in Washington.
Housing
| Metric | Benton County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $279,282 | $485,016 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,306 | $1,759 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.6% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Benton County is about 17.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,306 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Benton County spend about 36 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 152 hours, about 6.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Benton County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.2 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 36.5 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 152 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,714 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 12.9% | 19.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,055 | 10,119 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 886 | 1,525 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Washington:
Walla Walla County (12.2 min), San Juan County (12.3 min), Asotin County (13.2 min).
Slowest:
Mason County (32.0 min), Garfield County (28.4 min), Snohomish County (28.3 min).
The average commute time in Benton County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Washington.
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 | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 35.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.70 | 2.50 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Washington:
King County (0.4), San Juan County (0.4), Jefferson County (0.4).
Lowest:
Adams County (0.2), Yakima County (0.2), Grant County (0.2).
Health
Benton County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Benton County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.6 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.3% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.6% | 16.4% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Washington:
King County (0.8), Whitman County (0.8), San Juan County (0.8).
Lowest:
Adams County (0.8), Okanogan County (0.8), Pacific County (0.8).
Benton County, WA Compared With Nearby Counties
Benton County, WA is the largest of the 5 counties compared here, 212,794 residents against a local median of 89,415. Where Benton County, WA breaks from the counties next to it is median household income, sitting 22% above the local median of $73,645 at $89,893. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread $18,678 on median household income, so Benton County, WA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Benton County, WA has the highest median household income of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County, WA | 212,794 | $89,893 #1/5 | $279,282 #2/5 | 18.2 min #4/5 |
| Franklin County, WA | 98,902 | $86,960 | $387,681 | 18.6 min |
| Grant County, WA | 101,798 | $73,032 | $238,970 | 16.3 min |
| Umatilla County, OR | 79,928 | $68,282 | $260,068 | 16.0 min |
| Walla Walla County, WA | 62,160 | $74,258 | $38,811 | 12.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Benton County, Washington.
How big is Benton County, Washington by population?
About 212,794 people live in Benton County, Washington, in 78,002 households of 2.7 people on average. The median age is 36.9, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Benton County, Washington mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Benton County, Washington has 121 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Benton County, Washington?
The median home costs 3.1 times the median household income ($279,282 against $89,893), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,306 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
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