Benton County, Indiana
Named for Thomas H. Benton, created in 1840, was one of the last of Indiana's 92 counties to be formed
County Seat: Fowler
Largest City: Fowler (2022 population: 2,347)
Population per Square Mile: 21.48
Square Miles: 406.40
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 8,719 | 89 | 0.1% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2023) | 8,729 | 89 | 0.1% | 6,862,199 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 8,299 | 89 | 0.1% | 7,014,880 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 0.1% | 56 | | 1.1% |
*Projection based on 2015 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2022-2023 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | 68 | 45 | | 4,599 |
| Net International Migration | 9 | 64 | | 17,869 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -18 | 34 | -0.2% | 7,508 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2022 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 546 | 88 | 6.3% | 5.9% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 1,564 | 89 | 17.9% | 17.0% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 680 | 89 | 7.8% | 9.9% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 2,073 | 89 | 23.8% | 25.7% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 2,273 | 90 | 26.1% | 24.5% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 1,583 | 90 | 18.2% | 16.9% |
| Median Age | 40.1 | | | Median Age = 38.2 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2022 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 31 | 90 | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 24 | 91 | 0.3% | 2.8% |
| Black Alone | 104 | 85 | 1.2% | 10.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 5 | 76 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 8,389 | 89 | 96.2% | 84.0% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 166 | 85 | 1.9% | 2.4% |
| Non-Hispanic | 8,174 | 90 | 93.7% | 92.1% |
| Hispanic | 545 | 68 | 6.3% | 7.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2022 (Includes detail not shown below) | 3,423 | 89 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 557 | 89 | 16.3% | 18.1% |
| Married Without Children | 1,000 | 90 | 29.2% | 29.6% |
| Single Parents | 344 | 85 | 10.0% | 9.0% |
| Living Alone | 1,042 | 89 | 30.4% | 29.4% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Housing | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Total Housing Units in 2022 (estimate) | 3,777 | 89 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2022 (includes vacant units) | 3,795 | 89 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 2,682 | 89 | 70.7% | 63.5% |
| Median Value (2022) | $122,600 | 77 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 741 | 88 | 19.5% | 27.1% |
| Median Rent (2022) | $551 | 73 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2022/2023 Total Reported) | 1,740 | 83 | 0.2% | 1,124,094 |
| Public | 1,609 | 85 | 0.2% | 1,035,718 |
| Adults (25+ in 2022 ACS) | 5,877 | 90 | 0.1% | 4,532,091 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 88.6% | 64 | | 90% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 18.7% | 51 | | 28.2% |
Sources: Indiana Department of Education; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Income and Poverty | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2022 | $53,842 | 36 | 92.3% | 58,323 |
| Median Household Income in 2022 | 62,248 | 59 | 93.2% | $66,768 |
| Poverty Rate in 2022 | 10.1% | 63 | 80.8% | 12.5% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 14.4% | 50 | 93.5% | 15.4% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2022 | 5 | 87 | 0.1% | 3,933 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2022 | 810 | 88 | 0.1% | 611,203 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2022/2023 | 856 | 84 | 0.2% | 511,735 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Family Social Services Administration; Indiana Department of Education
| Health and Vital Statistics | Number | Rank of | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Births, 2021 | 91 | 89 | 0.1% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 6 | 81 | 0.2% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 86 | 90 | 0.1% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2023 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 4,527 | 89 | 0.1% | 3,401,387 |
| Employed | 4,409 | 89 | 0.1% | 3,288,017 |
| Unemployed | 118 | 90 | 0.1% | 113,370 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 2.6 | 86 | 78.8% | 3.3 |
| March 2024 Unemployment Rate | 3.7 | 58 | 90.2% | 4.1 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2022 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 3,579 | 100.0% | $226,505 | 100.0% | $63,287 |
| Wage and Salary | 2,294 | 64.1% | $110,670 | 48.9% | $48,243 |
| Farm Proprietors | 293 | 8.2% | $61,318 | 27.1% | $209,276 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 992 | 27.7% | $28,014 | 12.4% | $28,240 |
| Farm | 441 | 12.3% | $69,748 | 30.8% | $158,159 |
| Nonfarm | 3,138 | 87.7% | $156,757 | 69.2% | $49,954 |
| Private | 2,577 | 72.0% | $126,214 | 55.7% | $48,977 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 42 | 1.2% | $694 | 0.3% | $16,524 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Construction | 217 | 6.1% | $10,442 | 4.6% | $48,120 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 136 | 3.8% | $4,859 | 2.1% | $35,728 |
| Information | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Manufacturing | 435 | 12.2% | $26,387 | 11.6% | $60,660 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 116 | 3.2% | $4,130 | 1.8% | $35,603 |
| Retail Trade | 283 | 7.9% | $7,700 | 3.4% | $27,208 |
| Trans., Warehousing | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Wholesale Trade | 174 | 4.9% | $11,531 | 5.1% | $66,270 |
| Other Private (not above) | 376* | 10.5%* | $13,153* | 5.8%* | $34,981* |
| Government | 561 | 15.7% | $30,543 | 13.5% | $54,444 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
* These totals do not include county data that are not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.
| Residential Building Permits, 2022 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 0 | N/A | 100% | $0 | 6,635,992 |
| Single-Family | 0 | N/A | 65.0% | $0 | $5,513,030 |
| 2-Family | 0 | N/A | 1.9% | $0 | $76,873 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 0 | N/A | 0.5% | $0 | $0 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | N/A | 32.6% | $0 | $1,031,387 |
Notes: Detail cost may not sum to total due to rounding. Greene County does not currently issue building permits, so it is excluded.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Largest Cities and Towns in Benton County
| Name | Population
in 2022 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Ambia | 229 | 2.6% |
| Boswell | 799 | 9.2% |
| Earl Park | 362 | 4.1% |
| Fowler | 2,347 | 26.9% |
| Otterbein | 792 | 9.1%* |
| Oxford | 1,162 | 13.3% |
| * This place crosses county lines, so only population in this county is shown. |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
Hoosiers by the Numbers