Benton County, Indiana
Benton, created in 1840, was one of the last of Indiana's 92 counties to be formed
County Seat: Fowler
Largest City: Fowler (2010 population: 2,317)
Population per Square Mile: 21.79
Square Miles: 406.30
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2000) | 9,421 | 88 | 0.2% | 6,080,485 |
| Today (2010) | 8,854 | 89 | 0.1% | 6,483,802 |
| Tomorrow (2015 projection)* | 8,204 | 90 | 0.1% | 6,581,875 |
| Percent Change 2000 to Today | -6.0% | 91 | | 6.6% |
*Projection based on 2005 population estimate.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2008-2009 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | -113 | 49 | | -6,805 |
| Net International Migration | 0 | 83 | | 9,194 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 36 | 65 | 0.1% | 32,591 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2010 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 617 | 89 | 7.0% | 6.7% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 1,667 | 89 | 18.8% | 18.1% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 631 | 89 | 7.1% | 10.0% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 2,100 | 89 | 23.7% | 25.7% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 2,445 | 90 | 27.6% | 26.5% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 1,394 | 90 | 15.7% | 13.0% |
| Median Age | 40.1 | | | Median Age = 37.0 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2010 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 11 | 92 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Asian Alone | 15 | 92 | 0.2% | 1.6% |
| Black Alone | 42 | 81 | 0.5% | 9.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 3 | 70 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| White | 8,489 | 89 | 95.9% | 84.3% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 101 | 86 | 1.1% | 2.0% |
| Non-Hispanic | 8,423 | 90 | 95.1% | 94.0% |
| Hispanic | 431 | 65 | 4.9% | 6.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2010 (Includes detail not shown below) | 3,479 | 89 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 738 | 89 | 21.2% | 19.9% |
| Married Without Children | 1,168 | 90 | 33.6% | 29.7% |
| Single Parents | 287 | 90 | 8.2% | 10.0% |
| Living Alone | 939 | 89 | 27.0% | 26.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2005-2009 5-year estimates.
| Housing | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Total Housing Units in 2009 (estimate) | 3,899 | 89 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2010 (includes vacant units) | 3,937 | 89 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 2,595 | 90 | 65.9% | 62.5% |
| Median Value (2010) | $85,200 | 81 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 884 | 87 | 22.5% | 27.0% |
| Median Rent (2010) | $406 | 74 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2005-2009 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2010/2011 Total Reported) | 1,974 | 85 | 0.2% | 1,122,909 |
| Public | 1,863 | 86 | 0.2% | 1,046,556 |
| Adults (25+ in 2010 ACS) | 5,864 | 90 | 0.1% | 4,165,617 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 89.7% | 11 | | 86.2% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 13.7% | 60 | | 22.4% |
Sources: Indiana Department of Education; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2005-2009 5-year estimates.
| Income and Poverty | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2009 | $37,697 | 10 | 110.8% | 34,022 |
| Median Household Income in 2010 | 47,520 | 26 | 106.5% | $44,616 |
| Poverty Rate in 2010 | 11.3% | 69 | 73.9% | 15.3% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 17.5% | 67 | 81.0% | 21.6% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2010 | 28 | 89 | 0.1% | 30,864 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2010 | 1,227 | 88 | 0.1% | 829,907 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2011 | 854 | 86 | 0.2% | 488,964 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Family Social Services Administration; Indiana Department of Education
| Health and Vital Statistics | Number | Rank of | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Births, 2008 | 119 | 89 | 0.1% | 88,679 |
| Births to Teens, 2008 | 11 | 90 | 0.1% | 9,715 |
| Deaths, 2007 | 87 | 87 | 0.2% | 53,882 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2010 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 4,206 | 90 | 0.1% | 3,142,265 |
| Employed | 3,771 | 90 | 0.1% | 2,822,693 |
| Unemployed | 435 | 88 | 0.1% | 319,572 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 10.3 | 49 | 101.0% | 10.2 |
| December 2011 Unemployment Rate | 8.6 | 46 | 98.9% | 8.7 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2009 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 4,308 | 100.0% | $172,981 | 100.0% | $40,153 |
| Wage and Salary | 2,629 | 61.0% | $80,908 | 46.8% | $30,775 |
| Farm Proprietors | 340 | 7.9% | $50,267 | 29.1% | $147,844 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 1,339 | 31.1% | $19,838 | 11.5% | $14,816 |
| Farm | 476 | 11.0% | $54,248 | 31.4% | $113,966 |
| Nonfarm | 3,832 | 89.0% | $118,733 | 68.6% | $30,985 |
| Private | 3,134 | 72.7% | $89,702 | 51.9% | $28,622 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Construction | 251 | 5.8% | $7,603 | 4.4% | $30,291 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Information | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Manufacturing | 370 | 8.6% | $15,819 | 9.1% | $42,754 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 126 | 2.9% | $2,134 | 1.2% | $16,937 |
| Retail Trade | 441 | 10.2% | $6,189 | 3.6% | $14,034 |
| Trans., Warehousing | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Wholesale Trade | 380 | 8.8% | $18,493 | 10.7% | $48,666 |
| Other Private (not above) | 479* | 11.1%* | $7,820* | 4.5%* | $16,326* |
| Government | 698 | 16.2% | $29,031 | 16.8% | $41,592 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
* These totals do not include county data that are not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.
| Residential Building Permits, 2010 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 7 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $1,101 | $1,960,774 |
| Single-Family | 7 | 100.0% | 74.7% | $1,101 | $1,714,875 |
| 2-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 3.0% | 0 | $33,796 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 2.9% | $0 | $35,216 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 19.4% | $0 | $176,887 |
Notes: Detail cost may not sum to total due to rounding. Greene County does not currently issue building permits, so it is excluded.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Largest Cities and Towns in Benton County
| Name | Population
in 2010 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Ambia | 239 | 2.7% | | Boswell | 778 | 8.9% | | Earl Park | 348 | 4.0% | | Fowler | 2,317 | 26.5% | | Otterbein | 895 | 10.2%* | | Oxford | 1,162 | 13.3% | | * This place crosses county lines, so only population in this county is shown. |
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