# Benton County, Iowa

Benton County is a county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,575. Its county seat and largest city is Vinton. The county is named for Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. Senator from Missouri.
Benton County is part of the Cedar Rapids, IA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

## History

Benton County was formed on December 21, 1837, from sections of Dubuque County. It was named after US Senator Thomas Hart Benton.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 718 square miles (1,860 km$^2$), of which 716 square miles (1,850 km$^2$) is land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km$^2$) (0.3%) is water.

### Major highways

* Interstate 380
* U.S. Highway 30
* U.S. Highway 151
* U.S. Highway 218
* Iowa Highway 8
* Iowa Highway 21
* Iowa Highway 27
* Iowa Highway 150

### Adjacent counties

* Black Hawk County (northwest)
* Buchanan County (northeast)
* Linn County (east)
* Iowa County (south)
* Tama County (west)
* Poweshiek County (southwest)
* Johnson County (southeast)

## Demographics
### 2020 census

The 2020 census recorded a population of 25,575 in the county, with a population density of 35.6124/sq mi (13.75001/km$^2$). 96.29% of the population reported being of one race. 93.04% were non-Hispanic White, 0.45% were Black, 1.81% were Hispanic, 0.13% were Native American, 0.32% were Asian, 0.01% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 4.24% were some other race or more than one race. There were 11,076 housing units of which 10,282 were occupied.

### 2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 26,076 in the county, with a population density of 36.419/sq mi (14.061/km$^2$). There were 11,095 housing units, of which 10,302 were occupied.

### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 25,308 people, 9,746 households, and 7,056 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 inhabitants per square mile (14/km$^2$). There were 10,377 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5.4/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 98.84% White, 0.20% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. 0.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 9,746 households, out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.70% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.4% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,427, and the median income for a family was $49,701. Males had a median income of $35,044 versus $23,978 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,891. About 4.6% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Cities

* Atkins
* Belle Plaine
* Blairstown
* Garrison
* Keystone
* Luzerne
* Mount Auburn
* Newhall
* Norway
* Shellsburg
* Urbana
* Van Horne
* Vinton
* Walford

### Townships

Benton County is divided into twenty townships:
* Benton
* Big Grove
* Bruce
* Canton
* Cedar
* Eden
* Eldorado
* Florence
* Fremont
* Harrison
* Homer
* Iowa
* Jackson
* Kane
* Leroy
* Monroe
* Polk
* St. Clair
* Taylor
* Union

### Census-designated place

* Watkins

### Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Benton County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
| 1 | † Vinton | City | 4,938 |
| 2 | Belle Plaine | City | 2,330 |
| 3 | Atkins | City | 2,056 |
| 4 | Urbana | City | 1,554 |
| 5 | Walford (partially in Linn County) | City | 1,366 |
| 6 | Shellsburg | City | 961 |
| 7 | Blairstown | City | 692 |
| 8 | Newhall | City | 876 |
| 9 | Van Horne | City | 713 |
| 10 | Keystone | City | 599 |
| 11 | Norway | City | 466 |
| 12 | Garrison | City | 344 |
| 13 | Mount Auburn | City | 162 |
| 14 | Watkins | CDP | 116 |
| 15 | Luzerne | City | 112 |

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Benton County, Iowa :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 9,549 | 65.81% | 4,739 | 32.66% | 221 | 1.52% |
| 2020 | 9,188 | 62.75% | 5,160 | 35.24% | 294 | 2.01% |
| 2016 | 8,232 | 59.46% | 4,678 | 33.79% | 934 | 6.75% |
| 2012 | 6,940 | 49.49% | 6,862 | 48.93% | 221 | 1.58% |
| 2008 | 6,447 | 47.00% | 7,058 | 51.45% | 212 | 1.55% |
| 2004 | 6,658 | 49.31% | 6,747 | 49.97% | 96 | 0.71% |
| 2000 | 5,468 | 46.47% | 5,915 | 50.27% | 383 | 3.26% |
| 1996 | 3,835 | 37.31% | 5,546 | 53.95% | 898 | 8.74% |
| 1992 | 3,469 | 33.23% | 4,467 | 42.79% | 2,503 | 23.98% |
| 1988 | 4,011 | 40.20% | 5,873 | 58.87% | 93 | 0.93% |
| 1984 | 5,566 | 52.13% | 4,993 | 46.76% | 119 | 1.11% |
| 1980 | 5,329 | 50.11% | 4,223 | 39.71% | 1,083 | 10.18% |
| 1976 | 5,014 | 46.85% | 5,514 | 51.52% | 175 | 1.64% |
| 1972 | 5,273 | 54.09% | 4,282 | 43.92% | 194 | 1.99% |
| 1968 | 5,016 | 52.06% | 3,944 | 40.93% | 675 | 7.01% |
| 1964 | 3,453 | 34.24% | 6,614 | 65.59% | 17 | 0.17% |
| 1960 | 5,972 | 56.33% | 4,620 | 43.58% | 9 | 0.08% |
| 1956 | 5,634 | 56.31% | 3,946 | 39.44% | 426 | 4.26% |
| 1952 | 6,316 | 59.09% | 3,831 | 35.84% | 542 | 5.07% |
| 1948 | 3,770 | 45.06% | 4,209 | 50.30% | 388 | 4.64% |
| 1944 | 4,378 | 48.43% | 4,619 | 51.10% | 42 | 0.46% |
| 1940 | 5,298 | 49.55% | 5,363 | 50.15% | 32 | 0.30% |
| 1936 | 4,144 | 41.72% | 5,606 | 56.43% | 184 | 1.85% |
| 1932 | 3,424 | 34.87% | 6,070 | 61.82% | 325 | 3.31% |
| 1928 | 5,669 | 62.68% | 3,307 | 36.56% | 69 | 0.76% |
| 1924 | 5,314 | 58.13% | 1,459 | 15.96% | 2,369 | 25.91% |
| 1920 | 6,539 | 71.02% | 2,343 | 25.45% | 325 | 3.53% |
| 1916 | 3,189 | 54.16% | 2,556 | 43.41% | 143 | 2.43% |
| 1912 | 1,831 | 31.53% | 2,472 | 42.56% | 1,505 | 25.91% |
| 1908 | 3,180 | 55.08% | 2,418 | 41.88% | 175 | 3.03% |
| 1904 | 3,609 | 61.10% | 2,057 | 34.82% | 241 | 4.08% |
| 1900 | 3,609 | 56.89% | 2,575 | 40.59% | 160 | 2.52% |
| 1896 | 3,604 | 57.50% | 2,560 | 40.84% | 104 | 1.66% |

## Education

School districts:
* Belle Plaine Community School District
* Benton Community School District
* Center Point-Urbana Community School District
* College Community School District
* Independence Community School District
* North Linn Community School District
* Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District
* Union Community School District
There was formerly a state-operated school, Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School.