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Living in
Benton.
About
Life in Benton
If you're considering Benton, you're looking at a growing suburban community with real advantages for families and people who want affordable housing near a major metro area. The median home price sits around $212,700 and median rent is just over $1,000 a month — genuinely reasonable compared to many parts of the country — and the job market is solid with unemployment at 3.3%. Your commute to Little Rock runs about 24 minutes on average, which is manageable for most work situations.
Benton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.1%
Foreign-Born
2.9%
Broadband Internet
90.4%
of households
Population Growth
+11.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Benton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Benton, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (41.4%), and 5.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.4%
of residents
65 and Older
16.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.2%
of households
Married Couples
47.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.35
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 13% above AR average
Rent, home values, and income in Benton
In Benton, rent runs 13% above the AR average, and home values are 13% above the AR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
13.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
89.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,352
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
68.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1995
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $240,440 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below AR average
Unemployment in Benton
Unemployment in Benton is 0.8 percentage points lower than the AR average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Benton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.2 min avg
How Benton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Benton, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 59% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 24 mi
Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field (LIT)
Small hub1.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 35% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Benton runs 35% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
445.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,873
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Benton Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
77.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Saline County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Saline County, which includes Benton, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 18 | Flood | None reported |
| 2022 | 15 | Hail | $5,000 |
| 2021 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $60,000 |
| 2019 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $120,000 |
| 2018 | 19 | Flood | $50,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Saline County, county-wide
Air Quality55 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Pulaski County, AR (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 20 miles from Benton) is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
55
Good Days
114
per year
Moderate Days
247
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Pulaski County, AR (20 mi away)
Climate92°F summers, 33°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Benton has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and mild winters (avg low 33°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
76°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
55°/33°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
53.4"
Annual Snowfall
1.3"
Hot Days/Year
74
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
64
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
74
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 31°F | 3.84" |
| Feb | 57°F | 34°F | 4.20" |
| Mar | 66°F | 41°F | 5.05" |
| Apr | 75°F | 50°F | 5.63" |
| May | 82°F | 60°F | 5.22" |
| Jun | 89°F | 69°F | 3.94" |
| Jul | 93°F | 72°F | 4.16" |
| Aug | 93°F | 71°F | 3.52" |
| Sep | 87°F | 63°F | 3.80" |
| Oct | 76°F | 51°F | 4.37" |
| Nov | 64°F | 40°F | 4.77" |
| Dec | 55°F | 33°F | 4.91" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Benton
Benton has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.2%
of residents
Rivendell Behavioral Health Services
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Saline Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.7 mi away · Benton
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Benton
Benton's student/teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 28.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
28.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, 19 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Benton
Benton has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site (19 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
National Historic Site
19 mi awayHot Springs National Park
National Park
28 mi awayArkansas Post National Memorial
National Memorial
82 mi awayPresident William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
86 mi awayPublic Libraries in Benton
Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library
1800 Smithers Drive, Benton
Cities Near Benton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Benton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Benton FAQ
Is Benton, Arkansas affordable?⌄
Benton's median rent is $1,072/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $72,876/year. Median home value is $212,700.
Is Benton, Arkansas safe?⌄
Benton's violent crime rate was 445 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1873 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Benton, Arkansas?⌄
Benton has an unemployment rate of 3.3%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Benton, Arkansas?⌄
The cost of living in Benton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,072/month and median household income is $72,876/year. The median home value is $212,700. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Benton, Arkansas?⌄
The average commute in Benton is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from