1st Advantage MortgageBenton County households have a median income of $74,410 and median rent of $982 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Benton County by the numbers
- How much Benton County households make
- Work, industries and travel time in Benton County
- What it costs to live in Benton County
- The counties around Benton County
- Places inside Benton County
- Room for a loan payment in Benton County
- What the numbers mean for Benton County borrowers
- People and households in Benton County
- Checking a lender's license in Minnesota
- Checklist for Benton County applicants
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Benton County by the numbers
Benton County is home to about 41,593 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 25th most populous of 87 county-level areas in Minnesota. Packed into 408 square miles, that is close to 102 residents for every square mile of land. It is one of the counties that make up the St. Cloud, MN metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 7 places in the county (6 incorporated, 1 census-designated); the largest is St. Cloud, with about 70,629 residents, or 170% of the county.
How much Benton County households make
Half of Benton County households take in less than $74,410 a year and half take in more, 16% below the Minnesota median of $89,062. In the state ranking that is 43rd of 87.
| Income band | Share in Benton County | Difference from Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 18.5% | +1.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.6% | +6.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 30.9% | +0.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.0% | -7.8 pts |
Some 19% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 37% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 9.9%, 1 point higher than the state's 9.3%. A household earning below the $74,410 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
By the Census industry count, 29% of employed Benton County residents work in education and health care and 14% in manufacturing. Education and health care stands out: 29% of workers here, versus 26% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 3.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 12% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 10% work from home. Households without a car make up 6.1% of the total (6.7% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Benton County | Gap to Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.7% | +2.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 14.4% | +1.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.5% | -1.2 pts |
| Construction | 9.0% | +2.6 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.7% | -3.9 pts |
| Other services | 6.0% | +1.7 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
What it costs to live in Benton County
Renters in Benton County pay a median of $982 a month, 23% below the Minnesota figure of $1,280. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 40% of renter households here. With a median value of $271,000, a typical Benton County house costs 3.6 times what the median household earns in a year. 67% of Benton County households own their home and 33% rent. The median year built is 1986.
| Housing | Benton County | Minnesota statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $982/mo | $1,280/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $271,000 | $329,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 67% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 40% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 24% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 5.5% | 2.9% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 5% | 9% | n/a |
The counties around Benton County
Six nearby counties, 20 to 36 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Wright County leads the group on income ($107,209), Morrison County trails ($69,446), and Benton County out-earns 2 of the six.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | - | $74,410 | $982/mo | 67% |
| Sherburne County, MN | 20 mi | $105,466 | $1,127/mo | 83% |
| Mille Lacs County, MN | 24 mi | $72,729 | $903/mo | 78% |
| Morrison County, MN | 25 mi | $69,446 | $788/mo | 81% |
| Stearns County, MN | 31 mi | $77,066 | $1,068/mo | 68% |
| Isanti County, MN | 35 mi | $87,440 | $1,273/mo | 84% |
| Wright County, MN | 36 mi | $107,209 | $1,288/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 100% of Benton County residents live in one of the 7. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $58,833 in Foley to $107,692 in Rice. Median rent ranges from $964 in Sauk Rapids to $1,275 in Sartell. This guide covers each of the 7 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud | city | 70,629 | $61,374 | $1,003 | 15 mi |
| Sartell | city | 19,758 | $84,131 | $1,275 | 12 mi |
| Sauk Rapids | city | 13,852 | $71,841 | $964 | 10 mi |
| Foley | city | 2,675 | $58,833 | $1,041 | 5 mi |
| Rice | city | 2,085 | $107,692 | $1,144 | 12 mi |
| Gilman | city | 233 | $93,750 | $631 | 3 mi |
| Ronneby | CDP | 67 | $101,875 | n/a | 7 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Room for a loan payment in Benton County
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Benton County's medians:
- $6,201 a month: gross income for a household at the Benton County median
- Housing at the median rent of $982 uses 16%
- $1,684: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
If your rent is above $982, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
What the numbers mean for Benton County borrowers
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Benton County borrowers.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Benton County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
People and households in Benton County
College graduates make up 26% of the adult population. 3.4% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | Benton County | Minnesota | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 38.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 26.2% | 39.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.4% | 6.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 3.4% | 4.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.1% | 6.7% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 17.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 9.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.9% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 34.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 39.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 14.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.5% |
| 60+ min | 6.7% |
Checking a lender's license in Minnesota
Benton County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. The Minnesota guide covers state rules in more detail.
Checklist for Benton County applicants
Steps that save money for Benton County residents:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Benton County.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Related local guides
The Minnesota guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Benton County earn?
The median is $74,410; 37% earn $100,000 or more and 19% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Benton County rent compare with Minnesota?
$982 locally versus $1,280 for the state, 23% below.
Which towns does the Benton County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 7 Census places: St. Cloud, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Foley, Rice.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Benton County or elsewhere in Minnesota, the same rules apply.
Is there a Benton County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Minnesota it is the Minnesota Department of Commerce.