Town · Vermont
Benson, Vermont
Benson, town, in Rutland County, Vermont. Benson had 960 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 974 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 784 (±141). GEOID 5002105200.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
960
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 974 · ACS 2020-2024: 784 ±141
Median household income
$78,625
±$8,146 (90% margin)
Vermont: $81,203
Median home value
$242,000
±$26,405 (90% margin)
Vermont: $316,600
Median gross rent
$1,113
±$170 (90% margin)
Vermont: $1,234
Where is Benson and what county is it in?
Benson is a town in Rutland County, Vermont. It covers 43.9 square miles of land, 22 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Benson: Benson (CDP, 269 in 2020).
Benson is in the Rutland, VT 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 Benson, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 960 people lived in Benson on July 1, 2025, down 1.0% since 2020, while Vermont grew 0.2%. The 2020 Census counted 974 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 784 (±141).
| Measure | Benson | Rutland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 784±141 | 60,425 | no clear change |
| Households | 314±41 | 25,321 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.46±0.30 | 2.31 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 457±45 | 33,991 | −95 |
Benson's population since 2000
From 1,039 in 2000 to 960 in 2025: down 7.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Benson 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 Benson?
The median resident of Benson is 51.9 years old; 16.5% are under 18 and 26.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 97.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 1.1%.
| Measure | Benson | Rutland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.9±9.4 | 47.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 16.5%±6.2 pts | 17.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.9%±7.0 pts | 24.7% | – |
| Male | 54.5%±4.6 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.6%±0.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 97.3%±2.1 pts | 92.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9%±1.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±3.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±3.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±3.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.1%±1.1 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±3.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.8%±1.0 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.2%±1.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.3%±3.7 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 10.8%±3.9 pts | 15.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.8%±4.4 pts | 3.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.1%±4.2 pts | 94.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 32.6%±9.2 pts | 35.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.7%±5.8 pts | 14.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.8%±9.0 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 8.1%±9.1 pts | 2.9% | – |
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 Benson earn?
Half of Benson's 314 households earn less than $78,625 a year (±$8,146), against $68,616 in Rutland County and $81,203 in Vermont. In 2015-2019 it was $71,001 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 5.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Benson | Rutland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,625±$8,146 | $68,616 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $105,933±$23,189 | $92,636 | – |
| Per capita income | $45,541±$9,480 | $40,823 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.4%±2.8 pts | 11.8% | −7.3 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0%±17.9 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.8%±5.3 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 83.1%±7.7 pts | 92.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 76.1%±8.6 pts | 87.0% | – |
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 Benson?
Owners occupy 80.9% of Benson's occupied homes and renters 19.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $242,000 by its owner (±$26,405). The median renter pays $1,113 a month including utilities, and 46.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Benson | Rutland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $242,000±$26,405 | $229,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,113±$170 | $1,000 | +$217 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 46.6%±26.7 pts | 41.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,659±$204 | $1,666 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 80.9%±9.1 pts | 75.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 19.1%±9.1 pts | 24.9% | – |
| Housing units | 457±45 | 33,991 | −95 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.2%±1.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±32.7 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 73.3%±7.1 pts | 68.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 20.6%±6.7 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±5.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.3%±2.2 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 27.6%±6.9 pts | 31.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.3%±1.5 pts | 6.4% | – |
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 Benson building?
Builders took permits for 3 new housing units in Benson in 2025 (3 in single-family houses), 3.1 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Vermont.
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 Benson work and get to work?
72.0% of Benson's workers drive alone and 18.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 31.8 minutes.
| Measure | Benson | Rutland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.8%±6.3 pts | 58.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3%±2.9 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 72.0%±7.2 pts | 79.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.1%±3.4 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.6%±0.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 3.7%±2.5 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 18.6%±6.5 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 31.8 min±5.2 | 23.0 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 Benson?
No census tract lies mostly in Benson; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9623Rutland County | 2,528 | $91,384 |
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 Benson) · Census block assignment files
How does Benson compare with other places in Vermont?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Benson is the 7,819th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 162nd-most populous of 237 in Vermont.
Benson 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 | 162nd | 237 |
Benson's figures with every place in Vermont (CSV)
Every place in Vermont, sortable · Compare Benson 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 Benson?
21 of the 57 figures for Benson 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 Benson 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.