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Benton
Minnesota

41K

Population

$70K

Median Income

$314K

Median Home

R+21

Politics

Economy

Median Household Income$70K

This county

national avg ~$75K

Poverty Rate9.1%

This county

national avg ~11.5%

Unemployment Rate3.4%

This county

national avg ~3.8%

GDP per Capita$56,427

Federal Spending per Capita$807

Median Individual Earnings$47K

This county

national avg $45K

Professional/Management Workers34.1%

Average Adjusted Gross Income$69K

Avg Credit Score725

Work From Home %6.5%

This county

national avg 17.0%

Population Under 1825.6%

This county

national avg 22.0%

Single-Person Households29.0%

This county

national avg 28.0%

Banks & Finance Firms14

Income (20th Percentile)$37K

Income (80th Percentile)$130K

Income (95th Percentile)$200K

Bachelor's Degree or Higher25.0%

This county

national avg 35.0%

Less Than High School8.3%

This county

national avg 11.0%

Knowledge Economy GDP %9.5%

Dependency Ratio1.08

Medicare Spending / Person$2,031

SS Benefits / Person$3,289

Education Wage Premium1.90x

Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$58K

Median Earnings (Graduate)$74K

Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$39K

Public Assistance Recipients3.2%

Average Annual Wage$56K

Professional Services Concentration0.42x national

This county

1.0 = national average share

Housing

Median Home Value$310K

This county

$335K state avg

$303K national

Market Rent (ZORI)$1048/mo

This county

$1450/mo state avg

$1400/mo national

Property Tax Rate1.07%

This county

1.02% state avg

1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $2,446

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$1,206/mo

Home Price Change (1 yr)+3.2%

Home Value to Income Ratio2.5x income

Severely Cost-Burdened Households8.8%

Homeownership Rate66.5%

This county

national avg ~65%

Market Activity

Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast

18.5%

Active Listings

New Listings / Month

Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly

Days on Market (Redfin)— Fast market

17 days

Months of Supply (Redfin)— Low inventory — sellers market

2.3 mo

Sold Above List (Redfin)

36.2%

Sale-to-List Ratio (Redfin)— Sellers market — homes selling at or above list

100.2%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy77.7 yrs

This county

national avg ~78.5 years

Food Insecurity7.3%

This county

national avg ~11%

Food Environment Index8.5 / 10

This county

higher = better access

Primary Care Shortage Score14

This county

national avg 5

Mental Health Shortage Score16

Dental Care Shortage Score13

Healthcare Shortage Score14.3

Healthcare Offices37

Obesity Rate (BRFSS)41.2%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Smoking Rate (BRFSS)15.9%

This county

national avg 14.0%

Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)16.3%

This county

national avg 18.0%

Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)23.3%

This county

national avg 24.0%

High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)28.9%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Active Physicians30

Nursing Home Rating3.5 / 5

This county

national avg ~3 stars

ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients800 / 1,000

Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$12,298

Uninsured (under 65)6.2%

This county

national avg ~10%

Adults with Depression26.1%

Education

Math Test Scores3.26 grade level

Reading Test Scores3.02 grade level

HS Diploma Holders6,850

Bachelor's Degree Holders4,172

HS Completion Rate91.7%

This county

national avg ~85%

Private Schools3

Safety

Violent Crime Rate3.2 / 1,000

This county

national avg ~4.0

Firearm Fatality Rate12.8 / 100K

This county

national avg ~13.6/100K

Drug Overdose Rate13.8 / 100K

This county

national avg ~21/100K

Traffic Fatalities4

Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)37th pct

Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)9.3 / 100K

Suicide Rate17.0 / 100K

This county

national avg ~14/100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale-3.4

January Sunshine-0.32

January Temperature-1.98

Average Temp44°F

Avg High Temp54°F

Avg Low Temp34°F

Median AQIAQI 48

Good Air Days199 days/yr

Unhealthy Air Days14 days/yr

Annual Precipitation27.9 in/yr

Avg Storm Events4.4 storms/yr

Avg Annual Storm Damage$70K

Drought Index (2022)-0.05

Heating Degree Days8,070 HDD/yr

This county

national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days574 CDD/yr

This county

national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr

Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)9,045 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)438 CDD/yr

Avg Tornadoes / Year0.4

Avg Flood Events / Year0.0

Avg Hail Events / Year2.8

Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00

Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.0

Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0

Avg Heat Events / Year0.0

Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)55 / 100

Community Resilience (FEMA)98 / 100

Federal Disaster Declarations13 since 1953

Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)6.1 µg/m³

This county

EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

Historic Places (NRHP)5 properties

Brewery Scene

Total Breweries1 breweries

Microbreweries0 microbreweries

Brewpubs1 brewpubs

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed204 Mbps

This county

national avg ~120 Mbps

Upload Speed67 Mbps

Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)347 Mbps

Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)321 Mbps

Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)21 Mbps

Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)21 ms

Households with 100Mbps+96.0%

This county

national avg 75.0%

Cellular-Only Internet12.7%

This county

national avg 8.0%

Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)131 Mbps

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers1,426 workers

Public Transit Commuters159 workers

Walk to Work673 workers

Extreme Commutes (90+ min)558 workers

Bike Commuters0.1%

Walk to Work3.1%

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden31.4%

This county

national median ~27% of household income

Childcare Centers5.7 per 10K residents

Childcare Facilities13

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout75.7%

This county

national avg ~55%

Volunteering Rate1.0%

Income Inequality (Gini)3.549

Nonprofit Organizations185

Veterans Share6.5%

This county

national avg 7.0%

Married Adults50.2%

Never-Married Adults33.8%

Divorced Adults11.6%

Religious Organizations32

Asian Population1.0%

Native American Population0.5%

Membership Associations10.9 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants0.32 per 1K residents

Nursing & Care Facilities46

Grocery Stores4

Arts & Entertainment Venues5

Hotels & Lodging4

Recreation Businesses14

Professional Services Firms57

Veterinary Practices13

Real Estate Firms39

Debt Burden

Avg Mortgage Balance$100K

Avg Student Loan Balance$9K

Avg Credit Card Balance$4K

Loan Delinquency Rate24.8%

This county

national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.30%

Politics

R+21

2024 Presidential · Minnesota was D+4 statewide

vs Minnesota State

Income tax

9.85%Same (state law)

Property tax

1.07%1.02% state avg

Politics

R+21D+4

COL Index

County data95 (state)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↓ -115

More people leaving than arriving

IRS Wealth Migration

Lower-income migration pattern (IRS: 0.71x avg income)

Economic Mobility

49%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Benton County

Median home value: $314K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Local News — Benton

Legacy | Obituary · 28 seconds ago

Patrick Wolney Obituary (1947 - 2026) - Sauk Rapids, MN - Benton County Herald

A Celebration of Life will be 9:30-11:30 a.m. Sept. 14 at Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in S…

Hartquist Funeral & Cremation Services · Apr 8, 2026

Judy Johansen Obituary Apr 8, 2026

Judy Ann was born to Frank and Hertha (Claussen) Thomsen on September 1st, 1947 in Lake Benton, wher…

98.1 - Minnesota's New Country · 6 days ago

Fatal Crash on Highway 25 in Benton County Claims Life of Unbelted Driver

ST. GEORGE TOWNSHIP (WJON News) -- The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating a fatal crash in Bent…

CBS News · Mar 30, 2026

First responders step up to protect Minnesota neighborhood from fast-moving wildfire

A fast-moving wildfire — fueled by wind gusts reaching nearly 60 mph — tore through dry grass Saturd…

National Weather Service (.gov) · Mar 28, 2026

Extreme Fire Weather Conditions Produce Wildfires - March 28, 2026

A dangerous mix of heat, high winds, and bone-dry grass sparked several wildfires across South Dakot…

Sports Illustrated · 2 weeks ago

Castlewood vs Elkton/Lake Benton MN Football - Oct 2, 2026

View pregame, live and post-game details from the Castlewood vs Elkton/Lake Benton MN South Dakota g…

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Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

BentonMinnesota

Benton
Minnesota