1st Advantage MortgageThe median Benton County household earns $65,875, and 14% of residents live below the poverty line. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Benton County by the numbers
- What Benton County households earn
- Work, industries and travel time in Benton County
- What it costs to live in Benton County
- Regional comparison for Benton County
- Places inside Benton County
- Debt-to-income at Benton County's medians
- People and households in Benton County
- What the numbers mean for Benton County borrowers
- Indiana rules that apply in Benton County
- Four steps for Benton County borrowers
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Benton County by the numbers
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Benton County's population at 8,735; only 88 of Indiana's 92 county-level areas are larger. It covers 406 square miles of land, or about 21 people per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. Of the 7 Census places inside Benton County, Fowler leads by population with about 2,360; 5 of the 7 are incorporated. With so few households sampled, Benton County estimates can move a lot between releases.
What Benton County households earn
The median household income in Benton County is $65,875; statewide it is $71,957, so Benton County runs 8% below Indiana as a whole.
| Households earning | Benton County | +/- vs Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.7% | +0.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 48.6% | +5.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.5% | -5.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.2% | 0.0 pts |
The spread is wide: 29% of Benton County households make $100,000 or more, and 23% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 13.9%, 2 points higher than the state's 12.3%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.412 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $65,875 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Work, industries and travel time in Benton County
The biggest employer of Benton County residents, by industry, is manufacturing at 22% of workers, followed by education and health care (18%). The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 11% locally and 1% for Indiana. Averaged over the five survey years, 3.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 80% drive to work alone and 17% have trips of 45 minutes or more.
| Sector | Benton County | Compared with Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 22.3% | +4.2 pts |
| Education and health care | 18.0% | -5.5 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 11.5% | +10.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.7% | +0.9 pts |
| Construction | 8.1% | +1.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 6.8% | -4.0 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
What it costs to live in Benton County
A typical Benton County rental runs $774 a month including utilities, which is 27% below Indiana. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 44% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $151,000, about 2.3 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 80%. Median construction year: 1954.
| Cost | Benton County | Indiana figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $774/mo | $1,062/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $151,000 | $218,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 80% | 71% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 44% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 24% | 20% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.0% | 4.4% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Regional comparison for Benton County
Six nearby counties, 17 to 31 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. 5 of the six report a higher median household income than Benton County; Warren County is highest at $82,425 and Tippecanoe County lowest at $60,636. The list crosses into Illinois, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | - | $65,875 | $774/mo | 80% |
| Warren County, IN | 17 mi | $82,425 | $830/mo | 82% |
| Newton County, IN | 25 mi | $75,481 | $918/mo | 81% |
| White County, IN | 26 mi | $67,303 | $901/mo | 81% |
| Tippecanoe County, IN | 27 mi | $60,636 | $1,124/mo | 53% |
| Iroquois County, IL | 29 mi | $66,255 | $799/mo | 80% |
| Jasper County, IN | 31 mi | $77,314 | $962/mo | 84% |
Places inside Benton County
Here are the 7 most populous of the county's 7 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 56% of Benton County residents live in one of the 7. Boswell has the highest median household income on the list ($56,875) and Oxford the lowest ($51,522), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Boswell ($735) and steepest in Oxford ($758). None of the 7 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fowler | town | 2,360 | $53,576 | $741 | 1 mi |
| Oxford | town | 1,113 | $51,522 | $758 | 7 mi |
| Boswell | town | 794 | $56,875 | $735 | 7 mi |
| Earl Park | town | 342 | $59,375 | $975 | 8 mi |
| Ambia | town | 158 | $61,250 | n/a | 13 mi |
| Raub | CDP | 97 | n/a | n/a | 13 mi |
| Templeton | CDP | 15 | n/a | n/a | 8 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Debt-to-income at Benton County's medians
Benton County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $5,490 a month: gross income for a household at the Benton County median
- Median rent: $774, or 14 cents of every gross dollar
- With a 40% ceiling, about $1,422 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
If your rent is above $774, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
People and households in Benton County
20% of Benton County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 7.1%, against 7.4% for Indiana.
| Measure | Benton County | Indiana statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 | 38.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.8% | 29.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 11.1% | 9.6% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.1% | 7.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.8% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 10.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 12.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.9% | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Benton County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 32.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 20.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 29.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 12.2% |
| 60+ min | 4.7% |
What the numbers mean for Benton County borrowers
What the Benton County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
Indiana rules that apply in Benton County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Benton County borrowers answers to the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Indiana guide.
Four steps for Benton County borrowers
Quick steps for Benton County:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Benton County.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Indiana guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Benton County earn?
The median is $65,875; 29% earn $100,000 or more and 23% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Benton County rent compare with Indiana?
$774 locally versus $1,062 for the state, 27% below.
What are the biggest places in Benton County?
By population: Fowler, Oxford, Boswell, Earl Park, Ambia. The county has 7 Census places in all.
Are Benton County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Where can someone in Benton County check a lender's license?
With the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.