• Benton County Population, Census 2000
• Benton County Population Growth
• Population by Political Sub-Division
• Benton County Age Distribution
• Benton County Urban Rural Population
• Benton County Population by Gender
• Benton County Population by Ethnicity

Population, Census

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Population Growth

Over the past four decades, the population of Benton County has grown steadily, increasing by 101% since 1960. After particularly rapid growth from 1970 to 1990, the county since 1990 has seen a slower rate of growth and may continue to do so through 2010. Table 1 shows the growth of the county's population from 1950 to 2000. As of 1997, the county has averaged an annual rate of population growth of 1% - which made it the 21st fastest growing county, of Minnesota's 87 counties.

Table 1 - Benton County Population Growth

Source: Minnesota State Demographers Office, 2001

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Population by Political Sub-Division

The information in Table 2 shows the population of the county by each political sub-division over the course of the last 50 years. Except for the city of Ronneby, each of the political sub-divisions has increased in population over the years.

Table 2 - Population by Political Sub-Division

* Included in Sauk Rapids Township 1940-1970
** Without Sauk Rapids and Sartell
*** Included in Gilmanton Township 1940-1970

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000

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Age Distribution

Slightly more than 30% of Benton County's population is under 20 years old, compared to just over 29% for the entire state. Overall, the county's population had a median age of 31.9 in 2000, compared to 35.4 for the state of Minnesota and 35.3 for the nation as a whole. Table 3 gives a breakdown of the county and state age distributions as of 2000. Benton County has 67% of the population considered to be "working age" or between the ages of 15 and 64.

Table 3 - Benton County Age Distribution

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000

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Urban/Rural Population

Figure 1 provides a breakdown of the county's urban and rural population since 1950. Urban is classified as census blocks with at least 1,000 people and those areas that surround urban census blocks that have an overall density of at least 500 people. The graph indicates that the urban areas of Benton County are continuously growing fastest.

Figure 1 - Benton County Urban/Rural Population

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Population by Gender

Table 4 shows Benton County's population by gender over the past four decades. The past forty years have seen a turn-around in the male female breakdown of the population. In 1960, males outnumbered females. Ten years later, the gap had narrowed somewhat, but males still outnumbered females in the county. By 1980, the situation was reversed with females gaining a small numerical edge.

Table 4 - Benton County Population by Gender

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000

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Population by Ethnicity

The population of Benton County, like that of the state as a whole, is overwhelmingly of European decent. As of 2000, minorities comprised only 3.9% of the county's total population. Figure 2 depicts the ethnic makeup of Benton County. Persons of Asian decent made up the second largest ethnic group in the county, followed closely by African Americans.

Figure 2 - Benton County Population by Ethnicity

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2001

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