City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

Lake Benton, MN

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

698
Residents
$52,000
Median income
$91,900
Median home
$973
Median rent (state)

Lake Benton - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Lake Benton lands in the 23rd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

23rd
percentile, household income
7th
percentile, home value
12th
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: Lake Benton, MN

698 people live in Lake Benton, Minnesota - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Lake Benton brings in $52,000 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.7%. Lake Benton's housing stock carries a median value of $91,900, and the median resident age is 45.1 years. About 21.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 60.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 1 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier.

Minnesota tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Minnesota at 98.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $973 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Minnesota, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Lake Benton workers runs 23.2 minutes, with 76.1% driving alone and 11.8% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 18.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

698 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Minnesota

Median Household Income

$52,000 /yr

Poverty 3.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

How does Lake Benton compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 23% higher than other cities
Home value 7% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% 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 Lake Benton'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 Minnesota, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

23rdIncome percentile

23rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Lake Benton's home value compares nationally

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

$91,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 93% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Lake Benton $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 - Lake Benton, MN Lake Benton, MN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lake Benton, MN-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 Lake Benton, MN median $52,000/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%
Lake Benton, MN'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 Lake Benton, MN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.4%

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

Population
698
Median Income
$52,000
Median Home Value
$91,900
Median Age
45.1
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Labor force participation
60.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.7%

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
675 residents680 residents685 residents690 residents 202020212022202320242025 688 residents 677 residents ▼ -1.6%
Lake Benton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 1
2021 0
2022 0
2023 3
2024 1

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.2 minutes
Drive Alone
76.1%
Carpool
8.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.4%
Work from Home
11.8%

Based on 348 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Minnesota 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 Minnesota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lake Benton sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$973/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
18.2 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Minnesota

Clarissa
700 people
Bovey
690 people
Warsaw
690 people
Hoffman
708 people
Vineland
709 people
Greenbush
685 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake Benton's 698 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hazleton, IA
698 people
Florien, LA
698 people
Grantsboro, NC
698 people
Chester Hill, PA
698 people
Port O'Connor, TX
698 people
Island Pond, VT
698 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake Benton's $52,000 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lebanon Junction, KY
$52,000 median income
Pottersville, NY
$52,000 median income
Wildwood, NJ
$51,996 median income
Garfield Heights, OH
$52,006 median income
Raton, NM
$52,007 median income
Barling, AR
$52,009 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lake Benton, MN 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 Lake Benton, MN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.4% White 92.7% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 1.9% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 4.7% 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 Lake Benton compares to nearby Minnesota cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Lake Benton (this city) 698 $52,000
Clarissa 700 $45,500
Bovey 690 $67,500
Warsaw 690 $115,313
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MN NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lake Benton, MN?

What is the population of Lake Benton, MN? +

698 people live in Lake Benton, MN according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lake Benton, MN? +

Lake Benton households earn a median of $52,000 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lake Benton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lake Benton; the closest available measure is the Minnesota state average, a cost of living index of 98.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Minnesota vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Lake Benton, MN? +

A typical home in Lake Benton is worth $91,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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