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Benson County, ND: population growth, jobs and income

Benson County gained 28 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.5%).

Benson County had an estimated 5,759 residents in 2025, down 3.0% (181 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than North Dakota as a whole (+2.5%), and the 36th fastest growth of 51 counties in North Dakota.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Benson County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Benson County, ranked against North Dakota and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$588/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes20.1%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months02025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

New homes permitted

0

2025

0.0 per 1,000 residents

Small base: the change swings on a few homes or people, so we don't show it.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 2 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 809 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −14.7% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.5% in 2025, 0.5 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 0 new homes in 2025, or 0.0 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $64,033 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +27.2% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,694th.

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Benson County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
20255,759+28
20245,731−35
20235,766−20
20225,786+15
20215,771−169
20205,940–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Benson County

Benson County lost 181 people since 2020; the biggest drag was domestic migration (−274).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths+13+56
International migrationfrom and to other countries+12+46
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+2−274
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+1−9
Total change+28−181

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn North DakotaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth36th of 512,694th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents27th of 521,861st of 3,108
Private-sector job growth48th of 522,953rd of 3,092
Median household income41st of 521,682nd of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate44th of 52963rd of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents52nd of 522,848th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Benson County, ND as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Benson County's population change (−3.0%) was ahead of 3 of its 6 neighbouring counties and behind 3.

3 of its 6 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Benson County's $64,033 (2020–24).

Benson County, ND and its 6 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Benson County, ND This county5,759−3.0%0.30.0$64,033
Wells County, ND3,729−5.9%−4.30.3$66,114
Pierce County, ND3,838−3.6%−5.50.5$59,365
Towner County, ND2,040−5.0%4.40.0$67,350
Eddy County, ND2,329+0.1%2.60.0$50,850
Ramsey County, ND11,530−0.4%−2.60.5$61,006
Nelson County, ND2,963−1.0%13.81.3$67,193

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 53 North Dakota counties · Every state

Questions

Is Benson County growing?

No. Its population fell 3.0% between 2020 and 2025, about 181 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). North Dakota as a whole changed +2.5% over the same years. That ranks 36th of 51 counties in North Dakota for population growth.

How many people moved to Benson County?

On net, about 2 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Benson County?

It averaged 3.5% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Benson County?

About 5,759 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Benson County?

Private employers there had 809 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −14.7% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in North Dakota

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other North Dakota county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Benson County data alerts

Email me when Benson County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Benson County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.