Gambrel-Style Barn, 2012
Benton Township’s story
Benton Township in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2012 and 4 maps from 1892 on.
Explore the history →
Benton TownshipPA
49% more nonprofits per person than the typical Pennsylvania town. In Pennsylvania, this town has 1,752 residents.
7 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Nicholas · CC BY 2.0
Population
1,752
2025 Census estimate · +1.9% since 2020
Median home value
$257K
Census ACS
Household income
$65K
median
Median age
57.5
years
Jobs based here
227
A commuter town
Is Benton Township a good place to live?
The best of Benton Township’s subject grades are an A for civic life and an A− for the outdoors; the weakest is a D for cost of living. Benton Township’s age of the median resident is 57.5 years, above both the Pennsylvania town median (43.2 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). On cost of living, just 65 of Pennsylvania’s 1,749 towns do worse. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 80% of U.S. towns. 22% of the land in Benton Township is conserved, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 8.2% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Only 82 of Pennsylvania’s 1,717 towns score higher on civic life. Lackawanna State Park, at 771 acres with 8.7 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Benton Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Benton Township stand out
Where Benton Township beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Benton Township5.5
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical PA town3.7
Civic lifeA
49% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Pennsylvania town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Natural hazardsA−
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Benton Township for work
Where Benton Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
227jobs based in Benton Township
2%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Benton Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Benton Township is from typical.
Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.5 of 20; 1.6% of households have no car; 2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 26% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →SchoolsBeat 73% of Pennsylvania districts on tests and graduationB+Open →HealthLehigh Valley Hospital - Dickson City 11.1 miles awayB+Open →Jobs & incomeClose to the middle of the towns comparedBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsBased on green space, trails and conserved landA−Open →HistoryMore history than most townsBOpen →Civic life5.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Benton Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Benton Township, and how to reach them.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBenton Hills MHPNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Benton Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLackawanna County Board of ElectionsLackawanna County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes18414, 18419, 18446, 1842018414 35% · 18419 33% · 18446 18% · 18420 10%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Benton Township.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Benton Township has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
2.1% of working residents work locally in Benton Township. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs locally rose by 179, to 227. The top destinations are Scranton (14%), Scott Township (5%) and Carbondale (4%). The town’s typical household income stands at $65,000.
2%work in town
| Benton Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 5.2% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.1% | 6.3% | 8% |
| Work from home | 9% | 12% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Benton Township2%
Scranton14%
Scott Township5%
Carbondale4%
Dunmore3%
14 mi
median commute distance
227
jobs based in Benton Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 20% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB+
Benton Township ranks healthier than 73% of the country’s towns
The share of adults in Benton Township who report frequent mental distress: 16%. Of 26 CDC measures, Benton Township beats the Pennsylvania average on 3 and trails it on 1. In Benton Township, just over a fifth of adults get no exercise outside work, and 17% say their health is fair or poor.
73%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Benton Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 24% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 19% | 19% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 14% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
3 better22 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Benton Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11.6% | 14.5% |
| Fewer adults in fair or poor health | 16.7% | 18.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.8% | 8.8% |
Lehigh Valley Hospital - Dickson City
11.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsA−
Conservation land takes up 22.4% of Benton Township
15 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. In Benton Township, the trail density is 0.6 miles per square mile.
22.4%conserved
22.4%
conserved · 3,553 of 15,833 acres
15 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lackawanna State Park | 8.7 mi | 771 |
| 2. Gardner Spencer Preserve | 2.1 mi | 89 |
| 3. Ziegler Preserve | 1.3 mi | 39 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Who lives here
A older population than Pennsylvania as a whole
Benton Township: 17% of residents are under 18. People 65 and older are 31% of residents (20% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 14% of residents (22% statewide). Pennsylvania has 35% of adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more; here it is 34%.
57.5median age · PA 40.9
| Benton Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 17% | 20% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 34% | 29% | 29% |
Benton TownshipPennsylvaniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
25%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school33%
Some college14%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s20%
Graduate15%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.6 points. Across Pennsylvania, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Benton Township | PA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.9% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.7% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.1% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.3% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 6.9% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.5% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 24.5% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.6% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 17.4% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.6% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 33.2% | 32.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 13.7% | 15.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.4% | 8.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.5% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 14.5% | 14.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,800, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
The biggest natural risk in Benton Township is inland flooding, at a low overall level
Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in nearly three quarters of U.S. communities. 52 flood insurance claims have been paid in Benton Township since 1979. FEMA puts 75% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 9% to cold waves.
26risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
52
paid flood claims since 1979
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
The climate in Benton Township brings snowy winters and pleasant summers
Benton Township’s typical July afternoon high comes in at 82°F.
45″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–35°
Spring35–57°
Summer57–80°
Fall40–60°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade D
The median home in Benton Township sells for about $220K
Among households in Benton Township, 87% own their home. The rent at the middle of the market locally is $1,223 a month.
$220Kmedian sale price
| Benton Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 87% | 78% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,223 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
0
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 34 attractions →Steamtown National Historic Site and 18 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Benton Township. Close and well known come first.
14 mi National Historic SiteSteamtown National Historic Site61K visitors a year
27 mi LakeLake Wallenpaupack
34 mi State parkRicketts Glen State Park11 mi Ski areaElk Mountain Ski Resort28 runs · 908 ft vertical17 mi Theme parkRocky Glen Park
39 mi State parkHickory Run State ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Steamtown National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · Lake Wallenpaupack: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ricketts Glen State Park: en:User:Msitler, Public domain · Hickory Run State Park: Mtruch, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Benton Township
18pages on Benton Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
8 within 15 miles of the center of Benton Township
Keystone CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · La Plume5.1 mi$18,300 tuitionJohnson CollegeCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Scranton11.2 mi$21,225 tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State ScrantonUniversity or college · Public · Dunmore12.2 mi$15,208 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Benton Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
About Benton Township
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Benton Township is a township in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,728 at the 2020 census. The village of Fleetville is in Benton Township.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 25 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,148 ft
Benton Township’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with Benton Township.
North Abington TownshipScott TownshipNicholson TownshipLa Plume TownshipLenox TownshipClinton TownshipGreenfield TownshipBenton Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton Township | — | — | D | — | B+ | B+ |
| North Abington Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Scott Township | #70 | A+ | B− | A+ | A− | B+ |
| Nicholson Township | — | — | B | — | B+ | B− |
| La Plume Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lenox Township | — | — | C+ | — | B | B− |
| Clinton Township | — | — | B− | — | B+ | B+ |
| Greenfield Township | — | — | C+ | — | A− | B− |
Benton Township, Nicholson Township, Lenox Township, Clinton Township and Greenfield Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Benton Township, Nicholson Township, Lenox Township, Clinton Township and Greenfield Township report no FBI crime data of their own. North Abington Township and La Plume Township aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Benton Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Benton Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Benton Township, PA a good place to live?
49% more nonprofits per person than the typical Pennsylvania town.
Is Benton Township, PA expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $257,000, 10% below the Pennsylvania typical home. That is 4 years of the area's median household income ($65,158 across the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.