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 (2021 population: 2,328)
Population per Square Mile: 21.44
Square Miles: 406.40
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2010) | 8,836 | 89 | 0.1% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2021) | 8,714 | 89 | 0.1% | 6,813,532 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 8,201 | 90 | 0.1% | 7,143,795 |
| Percent Change 2010 to Today | -1.4% | 56 | | 5.1% |
*Projection based on 2010 Census counts.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2020-2021 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | -10 | 67 | | 5,230 |
| Net International Migration | 0 | 82 | | 15,490 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 10 | 18 | 1.0% | 1,024 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2021 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 533 | 89 | 6.1% | 6.0% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 1,618 | 88 | 18.6% | 17.3% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 660 | 89 | 7.6% | 9.7% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 2,060 | 89 | 23.6% | 25.7% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 2,293 | 90 | 26.3% | 24.9% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 1,550 | 90 | 17.8% | 16.4% |
| Median Age | 40.0 | | | Median Age = 38.1 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2021 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 29 | 90 | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 20 | 91 | 0.2% | 2.7% |
| Black Alone | 96 | 86 | 1.1% | 10.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 5 | 74 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 8,404 | 89 | 96.4% | 84.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 160 | 86 | 1.8% | 2.3% |
| Non-Hispanic | 8,192 | 90 | 94.0% | 92.3% |
| Hispanic | 522 | 68 | 6.0% | 7.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2021 (Includes detail not shown below) | 3,319 | 90 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 508 | 90 | 15.3% | 18.2% |
| Married Without Children | 1,010 | 90 | 30.4% | 29.8% |
| Single Parents | 395 | 81 | 11.9% | 9.2% |
| Living Alone | 960 | 89 | 28.9% | 29.1% |
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 2021 (estimate) | 3,779 | 89 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2021 (includes vacant units) | 3,804 | 89 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 2,484 | 90 | 65.3% | 62.9% |
| Median Value (2021) | $107,000 | 77 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 835 | 87 | 22.0% | 27.2% |
| Median Rent (2021) | $526 | 66 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2021/2022 Total Reported) | 1,705 | 84 | 0.2% | 1,120,155 |
| Public | 1,619 | 85 | 0.2% | 1,036,519 |
| Adults (25+ in 2021 ACS) | 5,857 | 90 | 0.1% | 4,501,214 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 88.4% | 59 | | 89.8% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 17.5% | 55 | | 27.8% |
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 2021 | $53,602 | 25 | 94.9% | 56,497 |
| Median Household Income in 2021 | 60,738 | 48 | 96.8% | $62,723 |
| Poverty Rate in 2021 | 10.5% | 57 | 86.8% | 12.1% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 15.1% | 50 | 96.2% | 15.7% |
| 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 2021/2022 | 801 | 88 | 0.2% | 481,568 |
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, 2019 | 109 | 88 | 0.1% | 80,859 |
| Births to Teens, 2017 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Deaths, 2019 | 86 | 90 | 0.1% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2021 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 4,199 | 89 | 0.1% | 3,321,548 |
| Employed | 4,085 | 89 | 0.1% | 3,203,166 |
| Unemployed | 114 | 89 | 0.1% | 118,382 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 2.7 | 63 | 75.0% | 3.6 |
| December 2022 Unemployment Rate | 2.1 | 55 | 87.5% | 2.4 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2021 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 3,672 | 100.0% | $223,645 | 100.0% | $60,906 |
| Wage and Salary | 2,400 | 65.4% | $106,239 | 47.5% | $44,266 |
| Farm Proprietors | 300 | 8.2% | $64,754 | 29.0% | $215,847 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 972 | 26.5% | $24,896 | 11.1% | $25,613 |
| Farm | 464 | 12.6% | $71,955 | 32.2% | $155,075 |
| Nonfarm | 3,208 | 87.4% | $151,690 | 67.8% | $47,285 |
| Private | 2,627 | 71.5% | $121,163 | 54.2% | $46,122 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Construction | 226 | 6.2% | $10,597 | 4.7% | $46,889 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 140 | 3.8% | $4,966 | 2.2% | $35,471 |
| Information | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Manufacturing | 462 | 12.6% | $26,588 | 11.9% | $57,550 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 110 | 3.0% | $4,591 | 2.1% | $41,736 |
| Retail Trade | 293 | 8.0% | $7,594 | 3.4% | $25,918 |
| Trans., Warehousing | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Wholesale Trade | 168 | 4.6% | $10,443 | 4.7% | $62,161 |
| Other Private (not above) | 309* | 8.4%* | $10,743* | 4.8%* | $34,767* |
| Government | 581 | 15.8% | $30,527 | 13.6% | $52,542 |
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, 2021 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 3 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $393 | $7,583,249 |
| Single-Family | 3 | 100.0% | 74.4% | $393 | $6,692,956 |
| 2-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 2.4% | 0 | $117,031 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 0.4% | $0 | $30,324 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 22.7% | $0 | $742,937 |
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 2021 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Ambia | 231 | 2.7% |
| Boswell | 803 | 9.2% |
| Earl Park | 358 | 4.1% |
| Fowler | 2,328 | 26.7% |
| Otterbein | 795 | 9.1%* |
| Oxford | 1,168 | 13.4% |
| * 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