Benton County, Indiana
Named for Thomas H. Benton, created in 1840, was one of the last of Indiana's 92 counties to be formed
County Seat: Fowler
Largest City: Fowler (2025 population: 2,386)
Population per Square Mile: 21.86
Square Miles: 406.40
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 8,719 | 89 | 0.1% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2025) | 8,883 | 89 | 0.1% | 6,973,333 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 8,740 | 89 | 0.1% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 1.9% | 47 | | 2.8% |
*Projection based on 2020 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2024-2025 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | -34 | 67 | | 12,197 |
| Net International Migration | 20 | 48 | | 17,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 14 | 31 | 0.2% | 8,561 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2025 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 544 | 87 | 6.1% | 5.8% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 1,554 | 89 | 17.5% | 16.8% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 737 | 88 | 8.3% | 9.8% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 2,183 | 89 | 24.6% | 25.6% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 2,128 | 90 | 24.0% | 23.5% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 1,737 | 90 | 19.6% | 18.4% |
| Median Age | 39.6 | | | Median Age = 38.6 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2025 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 50 | 86 | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Asian Alone | 19 | 92 | 0.2% | 3.2% |
| Black Alone | 90 | 83 | 1.0% | 10.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 19 | 45 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| White | 8,386 | 89 | 94.4% | 81.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 319 | 86 | 3.6% | 4.2% |
| Non-Hispanic | 8,151 | 90 | 91.8% | 90.4% |
| Hispanic | 732 | 67 | 8.2% | 9.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2024 (Includes detail not shown below) | 3,454 | 89 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 617 | 89 | 17.9% | 17.9% |
| Married Without Children | 1,019 | 91 | 29.5% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 301 | 86 | 8.7% | 8.8% |
| Living Alone | 1,058 | 89 | 30.6% | 29.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Housing | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Total Housing Units in 2025 (estimate) | 3,757 | 90 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2024 (includes vacant units) | 3,762 | 89 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 2,755 | 90 | 73.2% | 64.4% |
| Median Value (2024) | $151,000 | 77 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 699 | 88 | 18.6% | 26.9% |
| Median Rent (2024) | $581 | 73 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2025/2026 Total Reported) | 1,688 | 82 | 0.2% | 1,112,710 |
| Public | 1,569 | 84 | 0.2% | 1,010,042 |
| Adults (25+ in 2024 ACS) | 5,907 | 90 | 0.1% | 4,596,004 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 88.9% | 65 | | 90.4% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 19.8% | 50 | | 29.5% |
Sources: Indiana Department of Education; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Income and Poverty | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2024 | $54,199 | 61 | 84.6% | 64,077 |
| Median Household Income in 2024 | 71,407 | 40 | 99.2% | $71,958 |
| Poverty Rate in 2024 | 9.8% | 64 | 81.0% | 12.1% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 13.3% | 54 | 84.2% | 15.8% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2025 | 5 | 88 | 0.1% | 4,863 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2025 | 670 | 87 | 0.1% | 578,293 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2025/2026 | 793 | 84 | 0.2% | 476,608 |
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, 2021 | 91 | 89 | 0.1% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 6 | 81 | 0.2% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 86 | 90 | 0.1% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2025 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 4,533 | 89 | 0.1% | 3,506,284 |
| Employed | 4,389 | 88 | 0.1% | 3,377,760 |
| Unemployed | 144 | 89 | 0.1% | 128,524 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 3.2 | 74 | 86.5% | 3.7 |
| June 2026 Unemployment Rate | 3.2 | 67 | 88.9% | 3.6 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2024 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 3,579 | 100.0% | $204,762 | 100.0% | $57,212 |
| Wage and Salary | 2,294 | 64.1% | $128,944 | 63.0% | $56,209 |
| Farm Proprietors | 293 | 8.2% | $19,159 | 9.4% | $65,389 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 992 | 27.7% | $25,534 | 12.5% | $25,740 |
| Farm | 441 | 12.3% | $32,718 | 16.0% | $74,190 |
| Nonfarm | 3,138 | 87.7% | $172,044 | 84.0% | $54,826 |
| Private | 2,577 | 72.0% | $138,254 | 67.5% | $53,649 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 42 | 1.2% | $0 | 0.0% | $0 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Construction | 217 | 6.1% | $9,422 | 4.6% | $43,419 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 136 | 3.8% | $0 | 0.0% | $0 |
| Information | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Manufacturing | 435 | 12.2% | $25,488 | 12.4% | $58,593 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 116 | 3.2% | $3,470 | 1.7% | $29,914 |
| Retail Trade | 283 | 7.9% | $9,416 | 4.6% | $33,272 |
| Trans., Warehousing | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Wholesale Trade | 174 | 4.9% | $19,836 | 9.7% | $114,000 |
| Other Private (not above) | 376* | 10.5%* | $18,624* | 9.1%* | $49,532* |
| Government | 561 | 15.7% | $33,790 | 16.5% | $60,232 |
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, 2025 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 6 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $1,679 | $8,792,236 |
| Single-Family | 6 | 100.0% | 68.4% | $1,679 | $7,272,703 |
| 2-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 1.7% | 0 | $80,213 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 0.6% | $0 | $31,389 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 29.3% | $0 | $1,407,931 |
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 2025 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Ambia | 231 | 2.6% |
| Boswell | 812 | 9.1% |
| Earl Park | 369 | 4.2% |
| Fowler | 2,386 | 26.9% |
| Otterbein | 811 | 9.1%* |
| Oxford | 1,183 | 13.3% |
| * This place crosses county lines, so only population in this county is shown. |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
