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Place dossier plate
SheetAR-BENTON-AR · Benton, AR 35,954 pop · income 49th pct · 30 tracts
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Benton
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Benton on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Pine Bluff · lowest
41,250
Pine Bluff · lowest
41,250 median HH income
27.6% of the leader · rank #1
Idaho Falls · near
69,630
Idaho Falls · near
69,630 median HH income
46.6% of the leader · rank #2
Bridgeville · near
69,631
Bridgeville · near
69,631 median HH income
46.6% of the leader · rank #3
Oregon · near
69,632
Oregon · near
69,632 median HH income
46.6% of the leader · rank #4
Fort Gibson · near
69,632
Fort Gibson · near
69,632 median HH income
46.6% of the leader · rank #5
Benton · this city
69,638
Benton · this city
69,638 median HH income
46.6% of the leader · rank #6
Moorpark · highest
149,403
Moorpark · highest
149,403 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income, and FBI crime rate
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Benton on ACS population and median household income
, plus FBI UCR reporting rate when the extract covers this place. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 35,954.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
Benton - the verdict
Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Benton lands in the 49th percentile for household income and the 20th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.
49th
percentile, household income
43rd
percentile, home value
3rd
percentile, median rent
20th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this
Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.
Data Snapshot: Benton, AR
Arkansas's Benton is a small city, with 35,954 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Benton brings in $69,638 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.2%. Typical homes in Benton are valued around $199,400, and the median resident age is 37.8 years. Educational attainment runs 28.6% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 64.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 244 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 118% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2679.1 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 62.6°F with 53.4 inches of precipitation per year and 1.3 inches of snowfall.
Living costs in Arkansas run below the national norm: the state registers 86.9 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $944 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $210 across Arkansas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 55.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Benton's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from schools and households to housing and income to comparison shortlist to climate and hazard context to within-city variation to work and mobility to population change to reported crime; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Benton, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares, within-city Census tract profiles, matched public-school count, annual population history, local building permits, FBI reported-crime rates.
All six city-specific enrichment layers used by this profile are present.
Question 1
What does the education layer cover for Benton?
The NCES join finds 13 public schools within the city match. 28.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.
How far does income reach against housing in Benton?
The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 2.9 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 6.2%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.
Which cities make useful reference points for Benton?
Within Arkansas, the closest population matches are Hot Springs (38,023 residents, $46,441 income); Sherwood (32,915 residents, $79,157 income); Pine Bluff (40,436 residents, $41,250 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Moorpark, CA (35,957 residents); Kaneohe, HI (35,945 residents); Randallstown, MD (35,975 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching. The nationwide peer panel below adds a fourth FBI UCR reporting-rate lens, not personal risk.
That layer breaks the citywide income, rent, and home-value medians into smaller Census geographies, which can reveal differences that one municipal median necessarily hides. A tract is a statistical area, not a locally defined neighborhood or a promise about conditions on a particular block. Start with the city profile for the broad comparison, then use the tract layer to test whether the same housing and income pattern is consistent across the city. Large within-city spreads are a reason to avoid treating any citywide median as a universal resident experience.
PlainCities matches 30 Census tracts to this city.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Climate and hazard context
What physical conditions frame life in Benton?
NOAA normals put the annual mean temperature at 62.6°F, with 53.4 inches of precipitation and 1.3 inches of annual snowfall. FEMA's state-averaged National Risk Index score for Arkansas is 55.5 out of 100. Climate normals describe long-run weather; the FEMA score on PlainCities is a state average of county NRI inputs and combines hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and resilience.
The two sources should not be blended into one comfort or safety score. Use the climate values for baseline conditions and the risk index as a prompt to inspect specific hazards, insurance, and local emergency guidance for a particular address.
Mean temperature
62.6°F
Annual precipitation
53.4 in
FEMA risk index (state avg)
55.5
NOAA Climate Normals and FEMA National Risk Index (state-averaged on PlainCities). Hazard context is not address-level.
What does the journey to work look like in Benton?
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 81.5%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.
Public transit
0.0%
Work from home
7.5%
Drive alone
81.5%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 17,960 workers age 16+.
Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +3,763 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +10.7% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 244 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Period change
+10.7%
2025 estimate
38,898
2020 estimate
35,135
Census Population Estimates Program, 2020–2025; permit context uses Census BPS.
What can the FBI record say about safety in Benton?
Treat this as a reporting-rate comparison, not a prediction of personal risk or a neighborhood-level safety grade. Tourism, daytime population, reporting practices, and variation inside the city are not adjusted away. The state rank and same-state peer table are the narrower comparisons available on this page.
The joined FBI UCR record reports 2679.1 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, above the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 17% higher in arithmetic terms, but agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies.
Property rate
2265.2
Violent rate
414.0
Total reported rate
2679.1
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, incidents per 100,000. Voluntary agency reporting; not a danger score.
Below median income · poverty 6.2% (Below-median poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
86.9 (US=100)
Very affordable · BEA RPP 2024, Arkansas average
C
City profile score · Benton, AR
56/100
5 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Cost of living A+
86.9 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Poverty rate C
6.2%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Bachelor's+ share C
28.6%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Household income D
$69,638
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Violent crime F
414 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
Benton profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Cost of living: 97/100 (A+) · 86.9 index
Poverty rate: 58/100 (C) · 6.2%
Bachelor's+ share: 56/100 (C) · 28.6%
Household income: 49/100 (D) · $69,638
Violent crime: 21/100 (F) · 414 /100k
Where Benton sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
Benton's median home value and FBI crime rate plotted with similar-size and
same-state peers (padded with large cities when the peer set is thin). The second
read: pricey does not always mean safer, check which quadrant this city lands in.
Census ACS median home value vs FBI UCR crime rate - Benton highlighted among 9 peers.Read the chart values
Benton, AR (this city): home $199,400, crime 2,679/100k
Moorpark, CA : home $852,800, crime 813/100k
Windsor, CO : home $562,300, crime 567/100k
Hot Springs, AR : home $156,900, crime 4,697/100k
Sherwood, AR : home $190,900, crime 2,571/100k
Pine Bluff, AR : home $86,400, crime 6,129/100k
Bella Vista, AR : home $262,400, crime 691/100k
Paragould, AR : home $175,400, crime 3,813/100k
Texarkana, AR : home $162,700, crime 4,398/100k
How does Benton compare to other US cities?
Where Benton sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income49% higher than other cities
Home value43% pricier than other cities
Median rent3% pricier than other cities
Safety20% safer than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Arkansas, Benton ranks #119 of 160 Arkansas cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Benton against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Arkansas only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.
Arkansas-relative analysis
Median Gross Rent places Benton near the bottom of Arkansas's cities
Among the 524 Arkansas cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Benton ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Benton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#81 of 495
84th percentile in Arkansas
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 524
0th percentile in Arkansas
Median Home Value
#58 of 482
88th percentile in Arkansas
Poverty Rate
#394 of 524
25th percentile in Arkansas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#56 of 524
89th percentile in Arkansas
How in-state ranks are ordered
Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Arkansas only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.
Gauge source note
49th percentile nationally for median household income · 20th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
Benton's profile vs. every US city
Income, affordability, and safety percentile
Benton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.
How Benton's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$199,400Among the most affordablemore affordable than 57% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023
Benton's home-value-to-income ratio: 2.9×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#5,928 of 15,516
More affordable than 62% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#717 of 3,317
Small cities (10,000–49,999)
At 2.9×, Benton sits in the affordable band:
national rank #5,928 of 15,516 and #717 of 3,317small cities (10,000–49,999).
The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$69,638Benton, AR median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Benton, AR median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Benton, AR.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)28.6%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)6.2%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)64.4%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
35,954
Median Income
$69,638
Median Home Value
$199,400
Median Age
37.8
Poverty Rate
6.2%
Labor force participation
64.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.6%
Safety & Crime
Total Crime Rate
2679.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
414.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2265.2
per 100,000 residents
Crime reporting caveat
Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.
Climate
Avg Temperature
62.6°F
Annual Precipitation
53.4"
Annual Snowfall
1.3"
Schools
Total Schools
13
Public schools in this city
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Benton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
35,135 residents
2021
35,723 residents
2022
36,637 residents
2023
37,606 residents
2024
38,285 residents
2025
38,898 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
244
housing units authorized
Single-Family
244
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6.8
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
112
104
8
$24.9M
2020
226
224
2
$52.6M
2021
326
326
0
$89.9M
2022
304
304
0
$79.0M
2023
148
148
0
$46.8M
2024
244
244
0
$63.7M
Permit volume increased 118% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Drive Alone
81.5%
Carpool
9.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
7.5%
Based on 17,960 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
Arkansas statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $210
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Arkansas at $210 (electricity about $110 , water and sewer about $42 ).
These are Arkansas statewide averages, not a meter reading for Benton. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
Arkansas's BEA cost-of-living index is 86.9 (Well Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Benton is $944/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Arkansas statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 55.5 / 100 (Moderate).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a Arkansas statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Benton sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Benton compares to similar-size Arkansas cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.