Photo: Aaron Lucas · CC BY-SA 4.075 homes sold in Benton in the last year, at a typical $112K
Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Benton homes are listed.
Every place Benton homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Benton.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Houses are 0% of Benton’s sales, at a typical — (year to May 2026)
75 homes sold in the year to September 2026.
About as many homes sell as usual, at twice the 2016 price
75 sales in the last year, against 101 in 2021 and a low of 53 in 2014. The typical sale went from $56K in 2016 to $112K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
Bidding wars in Benton are more common than before the pandemic, but 62% fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Benton’s home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to September 2026, 75 sales.
If you’re buying in Benton
- Shop in December. It brings about 7 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (14% over asking).
- Offer under asking. Buyers paid 98% of the list price on average; 23% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 30% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 55 days.
Fall brings the homes; spring brings the bidding wars
September has the most new listings (about 8 a month), but May is the most competitive: 18% of May sales close over asking. November and December offer nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (17%). January has the least competition (11%).
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and calmer than Illinois
| Benton now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | IL now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 23% | 6% | 16% | 36% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 30% | 0% | 1% | 45% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 98% | 90% | 93.7% | 99% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 55 | 199 | 115 | 51 |
20 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 62% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2018’s 63.
Benton ranks 287th of 327 busy Illinois markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Benton is one of the state’s calmer markets.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2012 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Benton home costs about $729 a month
Price: Benton’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Benton’s 1.6% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Benton is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in September
The month with the most choice. February has the fewest, about 5.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $112K home, about $1,730 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Benton, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in BentonCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
West Frankfort, Christopher, Sesser and Du Quoin sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Benton, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herrin | 174 | $134K | $95 | 18% | 73 |
| West Frankfort | 92 | $99K | $70 | 19% | 75 |
| Benton | 75 | $112K | $85 | 23% | 55 |
| Du Quoin | 37 | $115K | $81 | 3% | 65 |
| Johnston City | 29 | $145K | $106 | 22% | 84 |
| Christopher | 27 | $105K | $68 | 10% | 67 |
| Sesser | 26 | $91K | $69 | 10% | 69 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Benton, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Benton. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Benton with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Benton
What do homes sell for in Benton, IL?
75 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $112K, $85 a square foot.
Is Benton a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 23 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 6 sold, about 3.4 months of supply. Buyers paid 98% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Benton?
September brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Benton?
About 1.6% of a home’s value a year. On a $112K home that’s near $1,730.
Where can I see homes for sale in Benton?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Benton’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Benton.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).