Town · Maine
Benton, Maine
Benton, town, in Kennebec County, Maine. Benton had 2,821 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,715 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,770 (±17). GEOID 2301104475.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,821
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,715 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,770 ±17
Median household income
$61,437
±$4,881 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733
Median home value
$176,700
±$23,043 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600
Median gross rent
$1,110
±$123 (90% margin)
Maine: $1,139
Where is Benton and what county is it in?
Benton is a town in Kennebec County, Maine. It covers 28.4 square miles of land, 96 residents per square mile in 2020.
Benton is in the Augusta-Waterville, ME micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Benton is the same area as Census Tract 220 of Kennebec County: the tract's figures are Benton's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Benton, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,821 people lived in Benton on July 1, 2025, up 3.9% since 2020, in line with Maine (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 2,715 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,770 (±17).
| Measure | Benton | Kennebec County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,770±17 | 126,808 | +61 |
| Households | 1,135±102 | 54,312 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.44±0.22 | 2.25 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,232±95 | 63,521 | no clear change |
Benton's population since 2000
From 2,557 in 2000 to 2,821 in 2025: up 10.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Benton as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Benton?
The median resident of Benton is 42.8 years old; 19.9% are under 18 and 21.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 96.5%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 2.2%.
| Measure | Benton | Kennebec County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8±6.0 | 43.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.9%±4.8 pts | 18.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.0%±3.7 pts | 21.1% | – |
| Male | 55.8%±2.7 pts | 48.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.3%±1.3 pts | 2.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 96.5%±2.0 pts | 91.8% | −2.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.2%±1.6 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.9%±0.7 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.0%±0.9 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.5%±2.7 pts | 9.5% | – |
| With a disability | 22.3%±7.7 pts | 16.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.0%±5.5 pts | 5.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.6%±1.9 pts | 94.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 21.2%±4.8 pts | 31.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.3%±2.6 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.2%±5.1 pts | 88.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.5%±1.8 pts | 1.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Benton earn?
Half of Benton's 1,135 households earn less than $61,437 a year (±$4,881), against $69,077 in Kennebec County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 it was $71,325 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Benton | Kennebec County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,437±$4,881 | $69,077 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $76,229±$12,296 | $88,742 | – |
| Per capita income | $31,526±$5,326 | $38,597 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 10.0%±4.8 pts | 11.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 10.0%±10.5 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.7%±5.9 pts | 13.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.9%±3.0 pts | 95.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.1%±6.5 pts | 91.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Benton?
Owners occupy 84.2% of Benton's occupied homes and renters 15.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $176,700 by its owner (±$23,043). The median renter pays $1,110 a month including utilities, and 61.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Benton | Kennebec County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $176,700±$23,043 | $238,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,110±$123 | $992 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 61.2%±23.3 pts | 38.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,104±$156 | $1,499 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 84.2%±5.5 pts | 73.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 15.8%±5.5 pts | 26.3% | – |
| Housing units | 1,232±95 | 63,521 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±2.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±14.2 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 66.3%±8.7 pts | 67.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 24.7%±8.9 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8%±0.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.5%±3.6 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 18.6%±6.3 pts | 22.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.3%±4.6 pts | 7.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Benton building?
Builders took permits for 14 new housing units in Benton in 2025 (14 in single-family houses), 5.0 per 1,000 residents against 4.9 across Maine.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Benton work and get to work?
75.8% of Benton's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 19.5 minutes.
| Measure | Benton | Kennebec County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.4%±5.6 pts | 60.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.7%±2.1 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 75.8%±9.8 pts | 73.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.0%±5.7 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±2.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 1.1%±1.7 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.7%±4.7 pts | 15.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.5 min±2.2 | 25.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Benton?
1 census tract lies mostly in Benton (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 220Kennebec County | 2,770 | $61,437 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Benton) · Census block assignment files
How does Benton compare with other places in Maine?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Benton is the 3,727th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 107th-most populous of 454 in Maine.
Benton ranks 240th of 349 places in Maine with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 107th | 454 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 124th | 273 |
| Residents per square mile | 197th | 353 |
| Median household income | 240th | 349 |
| Per capita income | 294th | 353 |
| Median home value | 270th | 352 |
| Median gross rent | 122nd | 301 |
| Poverty rate | 160th | 277 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 278th | 352 |
| Median age | 241st | 353 |
| Owner-occupied share | 139th | 353 |
| Travel time to work | 285th | 352 |
Benton's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)
Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare Benton with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Benton?
20 of the 57 figures for Benton on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Benton are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.