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Benton County
IN Depth Profile
County Seat:     Fowler
Benton County, Indiana
Benton, created in 1840, was one of the last of Indiana's 92 counties to be formed
Largest City:     Fowler (pop in 2006: 2,272
Population per Sq. Mile:     21.7     Sq. Miles:     406.3
Link to County's in.gov Site
Population Over TimeNumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Yesterday(1990)9,441880.2%5,544,156
Today(2007)8,810890.1%6,345,289
Tomorrow(2010 proj.)8,979900.1%6,417,198
Percent Change 1990 to 2000-0.2%83 9.7%
Sources: US Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
Components of Population Change in 2007NumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Net Domestic Migration 2006 to 2007-9049 -505
Net International Migration 2006 to 2007179 9,038
Natural Increase (births minus deaths)36670.1%33,408
Source: US Census Bureau

Population Estimates by Age in 2006NumberRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Preschool (0 to 4)599886.6%6.8%
School Age (5 to 17)1,7578719.4%18.2%
College Age (18 to 24)751898.3%9.8%
Young Adult (25 to 44)2,1939024.2%27.6%
Older Adult (45 to 64)2,3319025.8%25.2%
Older (65 plus)1,4198715.7%12.4%
Median Age39.3  Median Age = 36.3
Sources: US Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center

Population Estimates by Race or Hispanic Origin in 2006NumberRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
American Indian or Alaska Native Alone13890.1%0.3%
Asian Alone13900.1%1.3%
Black Alone49790.5%8.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone0870.0%0.0%
White Alone8,8678998.0%88.3%
Two or More Race Groups108791.2%1.1%
Hispanic or Latino(can be of any race)    
Non-Hispanic or Latino8,7348996.5%95.2%
Hispanic or Latino316653.5%4.8%
Source: US Census Bureau

Household TypesNumberRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Households in 2000 (Includes detail not shown below)3,55888100.0%100.0%
   Married With Children9638827.1%23.8%
   Married Without Children1,1559032.5%29.8%
   Single Parents289898.1%9.1%
   Living Alone8718824.5%25.9%
Source: US Census Bureau

HousingNumberRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Total Housing Units in 2006 (estimate)3,89489100.0%100.0%
Total Housing Units in 2000 (includes vacant units)3,81889100.0%100.0%
   Owner Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units)
   Median Value (2000)
2,697
$75,000
88
69
70.6%
--
65.9%
--
   Renter Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units)
   Median Rent (2000)
861
$488
86
33
22.6%
--
26.3%
--
Source: US Census Bureau

EducationNumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
School Enrollment (2006/2007 Total Reported) 1,948860.2%1,154,826
   Public1,948860.2%1,045,702
   PrivateN/R  109,124
High School Graduates (2005/2006)127830.2%62,296
   Going on to Higher Education94830.2%51,976
   4-year57820.1%38,334
   2-year24760.3%8,991
   Voc/tech.13820.3%4,651
Adults (25+ in 2000 Census)6,158880.2%3,893,278
   with High School diploma or higher86.3%9 82.1%
   with B.A. or higher degree13%43 19.4%
Sources: Indiana Department of Education; US Census Bureau
Notes: 1) School enrollment figures for 2006/2007 are preliminary. 2) Private enrollment includes home schools. 3) County rankings for high-school graduates continuing to higher education are subject to revision. Data from the Indiana Department of Education for Vigo County appear to include an erroneous entry. Until the data has been corrected by IDOE, Vigo will be removed from the rankings.

Income and PovertyNumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2006$28,1084887.1%$32,288
Median Household Income in 2005$42,4675396.4%$44,051
Poverty Rate in 20059.0%6573.8%12.2%
   Poverty Rate among Children under 1813.2%6179.5%16.6%
Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 200618910.0%41,498
Food Stamp Recipients in 2006613900.1%577,970
Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2006752810.2%374,221
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; US Census Bureau; Indiana Family Social Services Administration;
Indiana Department of Education

Health and Vital Statistics in 2005NumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Births118860.1%87,088
   Births to Teens13850.1%9,604
Deaths84880.2%55,623
Source: Indiana State Department of Health

Labor Force in 2007NumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Total Resident Labor Force4,595900.1%3,211,461
Employed4,402900.1%3,065,590
Unemployed193890.1%145,871
Unemployment Rate4.26493.3%4.5
March 2008 Unemployment Rate5.36394.6%5.6
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Indiana Department of Workforce Development

Employment and Earnings by Industry in 2006 (NAICS)EmploymentPct Dist.
in County
Earnings ($000)Pct Dist.
In County
Avg. Earnings Per Job
Total by place of work4,633100.0%$110,305100.0%$23,809
Wage and Salary2,71758.6%$71,77265.1%$26,416
Farm Proprietors4339.3%$5,0354.6%$11,628
Nonfarm Proprietors1,48332.0%$14,40913.1%$9,716
Farm51611.1%$7,2186.5%$13,988
Nonfarm4,11788.9%$103,08793.5%$25,039
Private3,40673.5%$77,17570.0%$22,659
  Accommodation, Food Serv.912.0%$5620.5%$6,176
  Arts, Ent., Recreation591.3%$3980.4%$6,746
  Construction2986.4%$6,2145.6%$20,852
  Health Care, Social Serv.2154.6%$4,1963.8%$19,516
  InformationData not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.
  Manufacturing53811.6%$19,94118.1%$37,065
  Professional, Tech. Serv.1272.7%$1,2571.1%$9,898
  Retail Trade51811.2%$6,2975.7%$12,156
  Trans., WarehousingData not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.
  Wholesale Trade3427.4%$14,80113.4%$43,278
  Other Private (not above)540*11.7%*$7,800*7.1%*$14,444*
Government71115.3%$25,91223.5%$36,444
Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis
* These totals do not include county data that are not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.

Assessed Property Value in 1999 (for taxes payable in 2000)ValueRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Assessed Value by Property Class$118,262,63084100.0%100.0%
   Commercial & Industrial$17,389,1208714.7%43.2%
   Residential$31,619,5708626.7%41.5%
   Agricultural$63,890,7404154.0%9.6%
   Utilities$5,363,200874.5%5.6%
Total Assesed Value Per Capita$12,12212  
Source: The State Board of Tax Commissioners

Residential Building Permits in 2006UnitsPct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Cost ($000)State Cost ($000)
Total Permits Filed11100.0%100.0%$1,152$4,687,933
   Single Family11100.0%84.1%$1,152$4,343,823
   Two Family00.0%3.5%$0$103,869
   Three & Four Family00.0%2.0%$0$41,336
   Five families and More00.0%10.4%$0$198,905
Source: US Census Bureau (Greene County totals are not included as it does not currently issue building permits.) Note: Detail cost may not sum to total due to rounding.

Commuting Patterns - Top 5 in 2006
Into Benton FROMNumberPercentOut of Benton TONumberPercent
All Areas64314.6%All Areas 2,20536.9%
Tippecanoe County2154.9%Tippecanoe County1,49124.9%
Warren County932.1%Newton County2363.9%
Illinois631.4%Jasper County1192.0%
Out of state501.1%White County530.9%
Newton County471.1%Illinois510.9%
Source: Indiana Department of Revenue

  Cities and Towns in Benton County
 Population
in 2006
% of County
Ambia1862.1%
Boswell7828.8%
Earl Park4585.2%
Fowler2,27225.6%
Otterbein90710.2%*
Oxford1,20613.6%
  * Population in this county is shown, this city or town crosses county lines.
 Order by Size
Fowler
Oxford
Otterbein*
Boswell
Earl Park
Ambia

  Links to Maps:
  Census Tract Boundary Map of Benton county
  Tiger Mapping Service Map of Area
  Top of page


County Profiles is a component of STATS Indiana, a web-based information service of the State of Indiana and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, developed and maintained by the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.
Updated: April 29, 2008 at 14:49