Benton County, Missouri: commercial real estate data.
Benton County, Missouri had an estimated 20,614 residents on July 1, 2024, up 6.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 19,394, across 704 square miles. County output reached $613.0 m in 2024, 383 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 16 7(a) approvals worth $17.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Benton County
How many people live in Benton County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202420,151
- Households8,573
- Average household size2.35
- Median household income$52,567
- Median age54.5
- Median gross rent$773 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$177,900
- Home value to household income3.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher15.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over15,411
- Population under 183,486
- Share under 1817.3 percent
- Population 65 and over6,322
- Share 65 and over31.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6410,343
- Civilian labor force7,279
- Unemployment rate3.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over43.7 percent
- Rank by population among Missouri counties55th of 115
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1872nd of 3,222
Benton County is the 55th largest of 115 Missouri counties by population. A median home costs 3.4 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 31.4 percent against 17.3 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Benton County
Is Benton County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202420,614
- Census 2020 base population19,394
- Population change since the 2020 census base6.29 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202454
- Births, 2024172
- Deaths, 2024312
- Natural change, 2024-140
- Net domestic migration, 2024194
- Net international migration, 20242
- Total net migration, 2024196
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,959
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents371st of 3,144
The county has grown 6.29 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Benton County
Where are people moving to Benton County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving717
- People arriving, from those returns1,407
- Tax returns filed by households leaving558
- Net household movement159
- Adjusted gross income arriving$45.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$17.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$63,954
- Average income of a leaving household$50,093
- Largest single originJackson County (96 households)
- Largest single destinationPettis County (91 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 96 | 190 | $5.8 m |
| Pettis County | 94 | 191 | $4.8 m |
| Cass County | 34 | 61 | $2.4 m |
| Henry County | 30 | 75 | $2.0 m |
| Johnson County | 27 | 49 | $1.8 m |
| Johnson County | 22 | 37 | $1.7 m |
Households arriving report $13,861 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Jackson County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Benton County
What is the Benton County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$613.0 m
- County GDP, 2023$568.7 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.8 percent
- GDP change over five years44.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Missouri areas BEA publishes65th of 115
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2256th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$30,418
Output grew 7.8 percent in the latest year and 44.7 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Benton County
Employment by industry in Benton County
- Covered employment, annual average3,736
- Establishments reporting556
- Average annual pay$38,196
- Average weekly wage$735
- Retail trade, employment723
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,341
- Accommodation and food services, employment440
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,849
- Manufacturing, employment248
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$46,500
- Construction, employment182
- Construction, average annual pay$51,687
- Finance and insurance, employment123
- Other services, except public administration, employment90
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 723 | 64 | $31,341 |
| Accommodation and food services | 440 | 48 | $18,849 |
| Manufacturing | 248 | 14 | $46,500 |
| Construction | 182 | 60 | $51,687 |
| Finance and insurance | 123 | 25 | $55,279 |
| Other services, except public administration | 90 | 32 | $33,650 |
| Wholesale trade | 82 | 13 | $42,674 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 74 | 10 | $19,606 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 723 jobs, 19.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Benton County
How many businesses are in Benton County?
- Establishments, all industries383
- Employment at those establishments2,399
- Annual payroll$75.9 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Benton County
Building permits in Benton County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20244
- Declared construction value permitted$765,000
- Single family units authorized4
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$191,250
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.5
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Benton County
SBA loans in Benton County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded16
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$17.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,083,531
- Median 7(a) approval$500,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)201
- Jobs per approval12.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals13
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer37.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter10
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderOakStar Bank (6)
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$766,000
- Average 504 approval$255,333
- Median 504 approval$249,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval1.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved6.5
- Most active CDCRural Missouri, Inc. (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$18.1 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Benton County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Benton County
Do SBA loans in Benton County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure10
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Only 4 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Benton County
SBA lending by place in Benton County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Warsaw, approvals10
- Cole Camp, approvals3
- Edwards, approvals2
- Lincoln, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Warsaw | 10 | $5,166,500 |
| Cole Camp | 3 | $6,320,000 |
| Edwards | 2 | $850,000 |
| Lincoln | 1 | $5,000,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Benton County
How large is Benton County?
- Land area704 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Missouri counties25th of 115
- Width, east to west24.9 mi
- Height, north to south32.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land29
- Establishments per square mile0.54
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Benton County
Flood risk in Benton County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Benton County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 290027
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate75.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Benton County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Benton County (community 290027), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Benton County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 75.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Benton County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Benton County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202420,151
- Households8,573
- Average household size2.35
- Median household income$52,567
- Median age54.5
Common questions
Benton County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Benton County, Missouri?
The Census Bureau estimates 20,614 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 20,151, in 8,573 households, ranking 55th of 115 Missouri counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Benton County's population growing?
The population has grown 6.29 percent since the 2020 census base of 19,394, to 20,614 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 172 births against 312 deaths, with net migration of 196. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Benton County?
$52,567. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $177,900, which is 3.4 times income, and median gross rent is $773 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Benton County?
383 establishments, employing 2,399 people with an annual payroll of $75.9 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Benton County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 723 jobs, 19.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 3,736 jobs at an average annual pay of $38,196, or $735 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Benton County?
16 7(a) approvals totaling $17.3 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $500,000, plus 3 504 approvals worth $766,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Benton County?
4 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $765,000. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Benton County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Benton County come from?
The largest single origin is Jackson County, with 96 households. Arriving households report an average income of $63,954 against $50,093 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Benton County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Benton County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Benton County
Cities and places in Benton.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Benton County. All 6 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warsaw | city | 1,980 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Lincoln | city | 1,787 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Cole Camp | city | 1,436 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Bent Tree Harbor | CDP | 391 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| White Branch | CDP | 177 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ionia | town | 74 | None recorded | 96.2 percent here, 3.8 percent Pettis County |
A further 2 of the county's 16 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Benton County, the largest being Edwards (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby