Plat book of Woodford County, Illinois, 1893
Benson’s story
153 years in pictures
Census counts: 287 in 1880, 412 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 1891 and 2 maps from 1955 on.
- 1873Benson is settled
BensonIL
403 people live in this town, settled in 1873.
Population
403
2025 Census estimate · −2.4% since 2020
Typical home
$169K
+4.7% in a year
Household income
$76K
median
Median age
43.5
years
Jobs based here
22
A commuter town
Is Benson a good place to live?
16% of residents are under 18 in Benson, against 22% in Illinois’ towns and 22% across U.S. towns. Benson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
403 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Benson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Benson, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBenson water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Benson’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWoodford County ClerkWoodford County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code6151661516 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Benson.
Housing
More of Benson’s households own their home than in the typical Illinois or U.S. town
Benson’s midpoint rent is $950 a month. Zillow values the typical Benson home at about $169,000, up 4.7% in a year, 43% below the Illinois typical home.
$169KZillow home value
| Benson | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 96% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $950 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Benson$169K
Illinois$296K
+4.7%
value change, 1 year
0
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Benson has 0.1 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
The share of working residents in Benson who work locally: 2.3%. The top destinations are Minonk (20%), Bloomington (11%) and Normal (8%). Half commute less than 23 miles.
2%work in town
| Benson | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 3.5% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.3% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $76,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Benson2%
Minonk20%
Bloomington11%
Normal8%
Peoria5%
23 mi
median commute distance
22
jobs based in Benson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Benson: four seasons and pleasant summers
Winters in Benson are chilly and summers warm. Summer afternoons peak near 85° in July, and January nights bottom out around 16°; snowfall runs to about 28 inches a winter.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–36°
Spring40–62°
Summer62–84°
Fall42–64°
Oct 17
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Benson faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
FEMA puts 47% of Benson’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 19% to cold waves. On expected storm and flood damage, Benson sits below 62% of U.S. communities. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 6 declared disasters, most recently in 2013.
38risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Benson is
In Benson, just over a third of adults sleep under 7 hours. Against the Illinois average, Benson comes out ahead on 5 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 2.
| Benson | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 37% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 35% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
5 better25 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Benson | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.2% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.8% | 13.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.2% | 7.6% |
Carle Eureka Hospital
11.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
3.5%conserved
3.5%
conserved · 4 of 104 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Benson Community Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Benson
18pages on Benson
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Benson
About 1 of every 100 Benson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Benson for work
Where Benson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
22jobs based in Benson
2%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Benson
Village in Illinois, United States
Benson is a village in Woodford County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, Benson had a population of 412. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 764 ft
- ZIP code
- 61516
- Area code
- 309
Questions about Benson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Benson, IL a good place to live?
Benson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.