Borough · Pennsylvania
Benton, Pennsylvania
Benton, borough, in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. Benton had 819 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 823 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 485 (±136). GEOID 4205680.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
819
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 823 · ACS 2020-2024: 485 ±136
Median household income
$34,500
±$17,607 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $77,971
Median home value
$168,400
±$33,433 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $254,500
Median gross rent
$956
±$164 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $1,209
Where is Benton and what county is it in?
Benton is a borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. It covers 0.6 square miles of land, 1,379 residents per square mile in 2020.
Benton is in the Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
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 819 people lived in Benton on July 1, 2025, down 0.5% since 2020, while Pennsylvania grew 0.4%. The 2020 Census counted 823 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 485 (±136).
| Measure | Benton | Columbia County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 485 ±136 | 65,362 | −270 |
| Households | 274 ±79 | 26,350 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.77 ±0.33 | 2.33 | −0.77 |
| Housing units | 349 ±86 | 29,824 | no clear change |
Benton's population since 2000
From 955 in 2000 to 819 in 2025: down 14.2%. 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 55.9 years old; 19.8% are under 18 and 32.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.6%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 6.0%.
| Measure | Benton | Columbia County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.9 ±11.1 | 41.0 | +21.9 |
| Under 18 years | 19.8% ±8.3 pts | 17.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 32.8% ±13.6 pts | 20.3% | – |
| Male | 40.8% ±8.4 pts | 48.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.4% ±2.5 pts | 4.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.6% ±7.8 pts | 90.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.0% ±7.6 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.9% ±3.8 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.5% ±5.8 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.2% ±4.3 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 26.2% ±11.3 pts | 15.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.0% ±5.2 pts | 4.0% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.3% ±2.4 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 10.3% ±5.5 pts | 26.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.5% ±3.1 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.4% ±4.0 pts | 88.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.2% ±1.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
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 274 households earn less than $34,500 a year (±$17,607), against $64,644 in Columbia County and $77,971 in Pennsylvania. In 2015-2019 the median was $61,791 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $27,291 after inflation. 26.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Benton | Columbia County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $34,500 ±$17,607 | $64,644 | −$27,291 |
| Mean household income | $49,489 ±$12,935 | $81,045 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,218 ±$6,529 | $33,218 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 26.2% ±13.6 pts | 13.7% | +16.4 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 24.0% ±27.4 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 28.8% ±19.4 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 85.0% ±10.5 pts | 92.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.4% ±10.6 pts | 87.8% | – |
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 43.4% of Benton's occupied homes and renters 56.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $168,400 by its owner (±$33,433). The median renter pays $956 a month including utilities, and 59.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Benton | Columbia County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $168,400 ±$33,433 | $206,200 | +$49,146 |
| Median gross rent | $956 ±$164 | $943 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 59.5% ±29.7 pts | 32.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,445 ±$258 | $1,445 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 43.4% ±13.2 pts | 69.5% | −21.2 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 56.6% ±13.2 pts | 30.5% | – |
| Housing units | 349 ±86 | 29,824 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 6.3% ±9.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±18.8 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 52.7% ±14.7 pts | 69.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 20.9% ±17.0 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±8.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.7% ±1.8 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 38.7% ±12.3 pts | 24.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.6% ±10.1 pts | 7.3% | – |
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 0 new housing units in Benton in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Pennsylvania.
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?
78.9% of Benton's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 26.9 minutes.
| Measure | Benton | Columbia County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 41.3% ±13.5 pts | 59.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% ±3.8 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 78.9% ±18.7 pts | 75.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.8% ±16.7 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±19.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 2.0% ±3.0 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.2% ±9.5 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.9 min ±8.5 | 21.7 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?
No census tract lies mostly in Benton; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 501Columbia County | 5,207 | $69,015 |
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 Pennsylvania?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Benton is the 11,141st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 642nd-most populous of 1,012 in Pennsylvania.
Benton is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 642nd | 1,012 |
Benton's figures with every place in Pennsylvania (CSV)
Every place in Pennsylvania, 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?
25 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' public schools in Benton.