Is Benton City, WA a Good Place to Live?
Benton City is a small town of 3,498 in Washington, with a median household income of $51,558 and a 5.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 99 (US average = 100), which is 1% below the national average.
Strengths: Benton City stands out for below-average home prices.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Benton City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Benton City city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 99.4Benton City's overall cost of living index is 99.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Benton City costs roughly 1% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Benton City, WA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $224,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $815 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 78.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $51,558 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageBenton City's violent crime rate is 289.6 per 100,000 residents — 24% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Benton City is served primarily by Kiona-Benton City School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Benton City, WA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Kiona-Benton City School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 16.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 8.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 86.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Benton City sees average highs of 40.6°F in January and 89.3°F in July, with 8.8 inches of annual precipitation and 2.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Benton City, WA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 40.6°F |
| Average High — July | 89.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Benton City, WA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,498 | — |
| Median Age | 29.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 26.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.3% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 31.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 12.0% | 16.8% |