1st Advantage MortgageAbout 57% of Benton County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $77,702. 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
- How Benton County residents earn a living
- What Benton County households earn
- Benton County housing compared with Oregon
- The communities that make up Benton County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Budget math at the Benton County median
- What the numbers mean for Benton County borrowers
- More Benton County figures
- Licensing and complaints for Benton County
- Four steps for Benton County borrowers
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Benton County by the numbers
With an estimated 96,303 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Benton County ranks 11th of 36 in Oregon for population. Land area is 675 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 143 per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Corvallis, OR metropolitan area. The Census Bureau counts 11 places in the county (5 incorporated, 6 census-designated); the largest is Corvallis, with about 59,960 residents, or 62% of the county.
How Benton County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Benton County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 38% of workers, followed by professional and administrative services (11%). The sharpest difference from the state is in education and health care, at 38% locally and 24% for Oregon. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 7.0% in Benton County. 9% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 20% work from home. 7.4% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Benton County workers | vs Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 37.9% | +14.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 11.3% | -0.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.2% | -2.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.7% | -0.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.4% | -2.4 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 4.4% | -1.0 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
What Benton County households earn
Half of Benton County households take in less than $77,702 a year and half take in more, 6% below the Oregon median of $83,011. That places it 10th among Oregon's 36 county-level areas.
| Band | Benton County | Compared with Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 24.6% | +4.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 35.8% | -2.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.8% | -1.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 12.8% | +0.1 pts |
About 25% of households earn under $35,000, while 40% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 18.2%, 6 points higher than the state's 11.9%. For a borrower in Benton County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Benton County housing compared with Oregon
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,410 in Benton County versus $1,525 statewide. By the Census definition, 63% of Benton County renters are cost-burdened. Home values center on $513,000, or 6.6 years of median income. The ownership rate is 57%. Half the housing stock was built before 1979.
| Housing | Benton County | Oregon statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,410/mo | $1,525/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $513,000 | $477,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 57% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 63% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 29% | 31% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 6% | 8% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
The communities that make up Benton County
The table lists the 11 largest of 11 Census places in Benton County, by population. Together all 11 hold about 125,434 people, so roughly 0% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $99,125 at the median in Adair Village, $65,012 in Corvallis. Live in one of these Benton County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corvallis | city | 59,960 | $65,012 | $1,391 | 9 mi |
| Albany | city | 56,839 | $78,114 | $1,372 | 19 mi |
| Philomath | city | 5,642 | $83,672 | $1,477 | 5 mi |
| Adair Village | city | 1,233 | $99,125 | $1,836 | 16 mi |
| Monroe | city | 1,102 | $78,646 | $1,359 | 14 mi |
| Alpine | CDP | 240 | $58,333 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Alsea | CDP | 201 | $39,722 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Summit | CDP | 134 | n/a | n/a | 12 mi |
| Bellfountain | CDP | 66 | $52,386 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Kings Valley | CDP | 17 | n/a | n/a | 14 mi |
| Blodgett | CDP | 0 | n/a | n/a | 9 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Neighboring counties at a glance
Distances run center to center, from Lincoln County at 26 miles out to Yamhill County at 52. 2 of the six report a higher median household income than Benton County; Yamhill County is highest at $90,063 and Lincoln County lowest at $63,165.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | - | $77,702 | $1,410/mo | 57% |
| Lincoln County, OR | 26 mi | $63,165 | $1,201/mo | 72% |
| Polk County, OR | 28 mi | $85,118 | $1,299/mo | 65% |
| Linn County, OR | 44 mi | $76,329 | $1,320/mo | 67% |
| Lane County, OR | 47 mi | $71,544 | $1,355/mo | 60% |
| Marion County, OR | 50 mi | $77,351 | $1,414/mo | 62% |
| Yamhill County, OR | 52 mi | $90,063 | $1,480/mo | 69% |
Budget math at the Benton County median
Benton County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $77,702 a year is $6,475 of gross monthly income
- Rent at the median, $1,410, takes 22% of that
- At 36%, room after rent is $921 a month
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,374 left for all other debt payments
Two-income households and single earners in Benton County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
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.
- 18% below poverty. Emergency aid, payment plans and counseling (list) come first.
- Renters under pressure. When 63% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
More Benton County figures
54% of Benton County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 5% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Benton County | All of Oregon | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.5 | 40.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 54.2% | 36.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 4.6% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.8% | 5.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.4% | 7.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 20.3% | 19.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 18.2% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 7.0% | 5.4% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Benton County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 46.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 33.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 12.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.0% |
| 60+ min | 4.8% |
Licensing and complaints for Benton County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Benton County borrowers answers to the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. The Oregon guide covers state rules in more detail.
Four steps for Benton County borrowers
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Benton County.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Oregon borrowers.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Oregon guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Benton County?
$77,702 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $83,011 for Oregon. It ranks 10th of 36 in the state.
What do renters pay in Benton County?
$1,410 a month at the median, about 22% of median household income.
Does this page cover Corvallis?
Yes, along with the other 10 Census places in Benton County, such as Albany, Philomath, Adair Village.
Will a Benton County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Oregon as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who regulates personal lenders for Benton County residents?
The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation licenses consumer lenders in Oregon; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.