Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Benton’s best subject grade is an A for cost of living; its weakest is a D for incomes. No town among the 175 in Tennessee we compare has a lower median rent than Benton. Benton has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Nancy Ward Tomb and Polk County Courthouse. Benton's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 86% of U.S. towns. Benton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Benton beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Benton is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 250 in 1870, a low of 165 in 1890, 1,523 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1910 and 5 maps from 1935 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Benton, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Benton.
Benton sits above both the Tennessee town median (29%) and the median of U.S. towns (23%) on this measure. Benton beats the Tennessee average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 43% of Benton adults have obesity.
| Benton | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 29% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 39% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 19% | 14% |
| What stands out | Benton | TN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.9% | 14.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Polk County school district. One of its 3 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 421 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
Benton’s property crime rate is 4.2 per 1,000 residents, against 11.5 in Tennessee’s towns and 9.9 across U.S. towns. Benton’s violent crime rate is 1.4 per 1,000 residents.
| Benton | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.2 per 1,000 residents | 11.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.4 per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Benton has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Benton is 89°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The typical Benton home is worth about $264,000, up 6.7% in a year, 20% below the Tennessee typical home. 51% of households own their home in Benton.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Only 1 of the 178 Tennessee towns we compare have a lower median household income than Benton. Since 2013, Benton has added 117 jobs, to 496 in 2023. Most working residents leave Benton for work: only 7% work in town.
| Benton | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 23% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $29,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.9% | 12% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Benton since 1994.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Frank Hammon Memorial Park | 0.1 mi | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
3 within 15 miles of the center of Benton
About 2 of every 100 Benton residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
1,385 counted in 2010 and 1,523 in 2020; an estimated 1,476 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
3 places in Benton on the National Register of Historic Places.
Town in Tennessee, United States
Benton is a town in Polk County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,532 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Polk County. Benton is included in the Cleveland, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
