Benton County, MS

County

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2024 Population

7,589

US Senator

Roger Wicker

Republican Party

US Senator

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

44.5

1.37% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

21.5%

22.6% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$46,016

9.2% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$105,100

3.84% 1-year decline

2024 Employed Population

3,248

1.22% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Benton County, MS reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96% of the residents in Benton County, MS are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Benton County, MS was $105,100, and the homeownership rate was 86%.

Most people in Benton County, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 34.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Benton County, MS was 2 cars per household.

Benton County, MS borders Marshall County, MS, Tippah County, MS, Union County, MS, Fayette County, TN, and Hardeman County, TN.

United States Mississippi Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Population & Diversity

Benton County, MS is home to a population of 7.59k people, from which 96% are citizens. As of 2024, 5.49% of Benton County, MS residents were born outside of the country (417 people).

In 2024, there were 1.75 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (4.58k people) in Benton County, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.62k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 150 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96%

2024 Citizenship

95.4%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96% of Benton County, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Benton County, MS was 95.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Benton County, MS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Benton County, MS

White (Non-Hispanic)
4.58k ± 27
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
2.62k ± 85
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
150 ± 75

2.41%

Hispanic Population

183 people

2.41% of the people in Benton County, MS are hispanic (183 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Benton County, MS as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Mississippi.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
15,967 ± 3,094 people
Honduras
6,221 ± 1,934 people
Guatemala
4,623 ± 1,668 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 15,967 Mississippi residents, followed by Honduras with 6,221 and Guatemala with 4,623.

Foreign-Born Population

5.49%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

417 people

6.43%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

488 people

As of 2024, 5.49% of Benton County, MS residents (417 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Benton County, MS was 6.43%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Benton County, MS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
94 ± 76
Vietnam
89 ± 52
Gulf War (1990s)
68 ± 59

Benton County, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.06 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Benton County, MS.

Health

90.9% of the population of Benton County, MS has health coverage, with 39.4% on employee plans, 24.8% on Medicaid, 17.4% on Medicare, 8.31% on non-group plans, and 0.893% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Benton County, MS see 7,646 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (7,646 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3775 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1860 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

7,646 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Benton County, MS

Primary care physicians in Benton County, MS see an average of 7,646 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (7,646 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Benton County, MS in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.9% under 18 years, 14.7% between 18 and 34 years, 42.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.12%

Uninsured

39.4%

Employer Coverage

24.8%

Medicaid

17.4%

Medicare

8.31%

Non-Group

0.893%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Benton County, MS declined by 31.5% from 13.3% to 9.12%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Benton County, MS changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 5.46 in Benton County, MS.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Benton County, MS.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 43.6% in Benton County, MS.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Benton County, MS.

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 18% in Benton County, MS.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Benton County, MS.

Economy

The economy of Benton County, MS employs 3.25k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Benton County, MS were Manufacturing (732 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (491 people), and Construction (432 people), and the highest paying industries were Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($59,554), Finance & Insurance ($59,554), and Public Administration ($52,986).

Employment

Occupations

3.25k

2024 Value

± 437

1.22%

1 Year growth

± 19.1%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Benton County, MS grew at a rate of 1.22%, from 3.21k employees to 3.25k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Benton County, MS, are Production Occupations (580 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (368 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (318 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Benton County, MS.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Mississippi (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

3.25k

2024 Value

± 437

1.22%

1 Year growth

± 19.1%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Benton County, MS grew at a rate of 1.22%, from 3.21k employees to 3.25k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Benton County, MS, are Manufacturing (732 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (491 people), and Construction (432 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Benton County, MS, though some of these residents may live in Benton County, MS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$35,448

Median earning men ± $3,236

$31,635

Median earning women ± $1,372

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($53,634), Manufacturing ($46,842), and Other Services Except Public Administration ($46,146).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($59,375), Public Administration ($43,542), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($38,750).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Y-Axis

1.38%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.17M people employed in Mississippi. This represents a 1.38% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 12.5%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Mississippi.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

9
Retail Trade
8
Other Services (except Public Administration)
4
Finance and Insurance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$23.1k
Transportation and Warehousing
$8.03k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$5.43k
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 60.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.439%).

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing the state of Mississippi. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Mississippi is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Benton County, MS. Showing the available data for Mississippi.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (60.9%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (38%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.439%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 60.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.439%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mississippi for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Mississippi

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Roger Wicker

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on December 31, 2007
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Trent Lott.

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on April 9, 2018
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Thad Cochran.

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing Mississippi.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Mississippi over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Benton County, MS was $105,100 in 2024, which is 0.316 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $109,300 to $105,100, a 3.84% decrease. The homeownership rate in Benton County, MS is 86%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Benton County, MS have an average commute time of 34.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Benton County, MS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 10.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Benton County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 18.4%.

Housing

Property

$105,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$8,693

$2,643

Median Property Taxes

±$312

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Benton County, MS the largest share of households pay taxes in the None range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Benton County, MS compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

86%

Homeownership

2024

58.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 86% of the housing units in Benton County, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 83.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Benton County, MS compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$46,016

Median Household Income

± $8,749

3.07k

Number of Households

± 363

In 2024, the median household income of the 3.07k households in Benton County, MS grew to $46,016 from the previous year's value of $42,139.

The following chart displays the households in Benton County, MS distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $60k - $75k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Benton County, MS is from Mississippi.

0.447

2024 Wage GINI in Mississippi

0.45

2023 Wage GINI in Mississippi

In 2024, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.447 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.74% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Mississippi in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Mississippi across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (88.4%)
Carpooled (7.02%)
Worked At Home (1.9%)

In 2024, 88.4% of workers in Benton County, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.02%) and those who worked at home (1.9%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

34.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Benton County, MS have a longer commute time (34.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.65% of the workforce in Benton County, MS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Benton County, MS compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Benton County, MS distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Benton County, MS have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 10.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Benton County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 18.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

21.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Benton County, MS (1.61k out of 7.5k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 6 - 11, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Benton County, MS is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.