City profile · Arizona · Census ACS 2023

Benson, AZ

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Benson - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

5,331
Residents
$48,854
Median income
$145,700
Median home
$1,257
Median rent (state)

Benson - the verdict

Benson ranks in the 18th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

18th
percentile, household income
26th
percentile, home value
41st
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Benson, AZ

Benson is a small town in Arizona, home to 5,331 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $48,854 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 8.0%. Typical homes in Benson are valued around $145,700, and the median resident age is 53.5 years. 24.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 42.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 114 residential building permits were authorized in Benson (Building Boom), up 1800% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 63.3°F with 11.8 inches of precipitation per year and 0.2 inches of snowfall.

Arizona tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Arizona at 100.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,257 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Arizona run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 23.5 minutes, with 64.5% driving alone and 14.0% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 92.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

5,331 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Arizona

Median Household Income

$48,854 /yr

Poverty 8.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.7 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Arizona average

How does Benson compare to other US cities?

Benson measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 18% higher than other cities
Home value 26% pricier than other cities
Median rent 41% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Benson's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Arizona, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

18thIncome percentile

18th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Benson's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$145,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 74% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Benson $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Benson, AZ Benson, AZ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Benson, AZ-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Benson, AZ median $48,854/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Benson, AZ's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Benson, AZ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 42.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
5,331
Median Income
$48,854
Median Home Value
$145,700
Median Age
53.5
Poverty Rate
8.0%
Labor force participation
42.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.7%

Climate

Avg Temperature
63.3°F
Annual Precipitation
11.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,350 residents5,400 residents5,450 residents5,500 residents5,550 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,411 residents 5,532 residents ▲ +2.2%
Benson's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
114
housing units authorized
Single-Family
108
detached homes
Multifamily
6
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
21.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 6
2020 8
2021 25
2022 116
2023 53
2024 114

Permit volume increased 1800% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.5 minutes
Drive Alone
64.5%
Carpool
14.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.9%
Work from Home
14.0%
Other
3.8%

Based on 1,830 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Arizona - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$131
avg/month
Natural Gas
$34
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Arizona state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Arizona state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Benson sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.7
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,257/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Arizona

Thatcher
5,354 people
Guadalupe
5,293 people
Citrus Park
5,136 people
Cave Creek
5,033 people
Three Points
5,033 people
Kayenta
5,651 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Benson's 5,331 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Posen, IL
5,331 people
Roanoke, AL
5,332 people
Keyes, CA
5,330 people
Englewood Cliffs, NJ
5,330 people
Hollywood, SC
5,330 people
Brookshire, TX
5,330 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Benson's $48,854 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sedan, KS
$48,854 median income
Vale, OR
$48,854 median income
Vernon, TX
$48,855 median income
Three Rivers, MI
$48,852 median income
Masaryktown, FL
$48,857 median income
Grass Valley, CA
$48,850 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Benson, AZ Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Benson, AZ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.9% 12.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14.8% White 82.9% Black or African American 0.4% Asian 0.6% American Indian 1.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.1% Two or more races 12.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Benson compares to nearby Arizona cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Benson (this city) 5,331 $48,854
Thatcher 5,354 $77,455
Guadalupe 5,293 $58,507
Citrus Park 5,136 $136,653
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AZ NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Benson, AZ?

What is the population of Benson, AZ? +

Benson, AZ has a population of 5,331 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Benson, AZ? +

In Benson, the typical household earns $48,854 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Benson? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Benson; the closest available measure is the Arizona state average, a cost of living index of 100.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Arizona vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Benson, AZ? +

A typical home in Benson is worth $145,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Benson? +

The average annual temperature in Benson runs 63.3°F, 11.8 inches of precipitation, and 0.2 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.