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Benton County, WA: population growth, jobs and income

Benton County gained 2,791 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+1.3%).

Benton County had an estimated 221,722 residents in 2025, up 6.9% (14,314 more people) since 2020. That is faster than Washington as a whole (+3.5%), and the 7th fastest growth of 39 counties in Washington.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Benton County report

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

  • Median gross rent$1,306/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes6.1%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months1,4622025-10/2026-09
  • 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
See every page of a sample report

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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 1,435 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 76,642 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +6.8% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 4.7% in 2025, 1.0 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 1,663 new homes in 2025, or 7.5 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $89,874 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +24.7% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 391st.

Part of the Kennewick-Richland, WA metro area.

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Benton County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
2025221,722+2,791
2024218,931+3,226
2023215,705+2,887
2022212,818+2,206
2021210,612+3,204
2020207,408–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Benton County

Benton County grew by 14,314 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+7,439).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths+715+3,212
International migrationfrom and to other countries+648+3,752
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+1,435+7,439
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−7−89
Total change+2,791+14,314

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 WashingtonAmong U.S. counties
Population growth7th of 39391st of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents14th of 39883rd of 3,108
Private-sector job growth17th of 39996th of 3,092
Median household income9th of 39300th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate15th of 392,336th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents2nd of 39298th 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 Benton County, WA 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

Benton County grew faster than all 7 of its neighbouring counties (+6.9%, 2020–25).

Its median household income ($89,874, 2020–24) is higher than in all 7 of its neighbouring counties.

Benton County, WA and its 7 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Benton County, WA This county221,722+6.9%6.57.5$89,874
Franklin County, WA102,612+5.6%−0.97.5$86,714
Morrow County, OR12,602+3.1%6.95.1$75,448
Grant County, WA105,727+6.3%−2.54.1$73,267
Walla Walla County, WA62,361−0.4%4.42.6$74,202
Yakima County, WA259,185+1.0%−6.02.8$70,656
Umatilla County, OR81,119+1.5%−0.02.5$67,728
Klickitat County, WA24,331+6.6%5.44.2$71,042

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 39 Washington counties · Every state

Questions

Is Benton County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 6.9% between 2020 and 2025, about 14,314 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Washington as a whole changed +3.5% over the same years. That ranks 7th of 39 counties in Washington for population growth.

How many people moved to Benton County?

On net, about 1,435 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 Benton County?

It averaged 4.7% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Benton County?

About 221,722 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Benton County?

Private employers there had 76,642 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +6.8% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Washington

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

Benton County data alerts

Email me when Benton 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 Benton 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.