City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Benton City, WA

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

3,559
Residents
$52,581
Median income
$262,800
Median home
$1,538
Median rent (state)

Benton City - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Benton City places in the 24th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

24th
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
61st
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: Benton City, WA

Benton City is a small town in Washington, home to 3,559 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $52,581 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.5%. Typical homes in Benton City are valued around $262,800, and the median resident age is 27.1 years. Educational attainment runs 8.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 56.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 49 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 1533% from five years earlier.

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Washington at 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,538 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Washington's average monthly utility costs around $188 (state average). Commute times here average 24.9 minutes, with 78.2% driving alone and 6.8% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 87.1 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

3,559 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$52,581 /yr

Poverty 5.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Benton City compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 24% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 61% 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

Each percentile compares Benton City against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Washington only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Washington-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Benton City near the bottom of Washington's cities

Among the 599 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Benton City ranks #554 - the 7th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Benton City only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#496 of 565
12th percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#338 of 599
40th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#442 of 565
22nd percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#300 of 598
49th percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#554 of 599
7th percentile in Washington

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Washington only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

24thIncome percentile

24th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Benton City's home value compares nationally

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

$262,800 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% 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%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Benton City $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 - Benton City, WA Benton City, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Benton City, WA-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 Benton City, WA median $52,581/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%
Benton City, WA'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 Benton City, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 8.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.0%

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

Population
3,559
Median Income
$52,581
Median Home Value
$262,800
Median Age
27.1
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Labor force participation
56.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
8.9%

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 →
3,400 residents3,600 residents3,800 residents4,000 residents4,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,487 residents 4,019 residents ▲ +15.3%
Benton City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
49
housing units authorized
Single-Family
39
detached homes
Multifamily
10
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
13.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 8
2021 73
2022 35
2023 19
2024 49

Permit volume increased 1533% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.9 minutes
Drive Alone
78.2%
Carpool
15.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
6.8%

Based on 1,314 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

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

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,538/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
87.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Canyon Creek
3,556 people
Mattawa
3,553 people
Marietta-Alderwood
3,569 people
Ahtanum
3,570 people
Hansville
3,533 people
Indianola
3,517 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Benton City's 3,559 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Saylorville, IA
3,559 people
Elgin, OK
3,560 people
Palo Cedro, CA
3,561 people
Compo, CT
3,561 people
Kensington Park, FL
3,561 people
Ponderosa Park, CO
3,556 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Benton City's $52,581 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Tahoka, TX
$52,576 median income
Waupaca, WI
$52,586 median income
Colby, WI
$52,574 median income
Kenton, DE
$52,589 median income
Rocky Point, NC
$52,591 median income
Monon, IN
$52,569 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Benton City, WA 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 Benton City, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 63.1% 16.4% 17.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 37.1% White 63.1% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.2% American Indian 3.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 16.4% Two or more races 17.2% 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 Benton City compares to nearby Washington cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Benton City (this city) 3,559 $52,581
Canyon Creek 3,556 $67,295
Mattawa 3,553 $41,250
Marietta-Alderwood 3,569 $62,243
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Benton City, WA?

What is the population of Benton City, WA? +

Benton City, WA has a population of 3,559 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Benton City, WA? +

Benton City households earn a median of $52,581 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Benton City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Benton City; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Benton City, WA? +

Homes in Benton City carry a median value of $262,800, 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

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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.