Benton County vs Mahaska County
A side-by-side comparison of Benton County and Mahaska County: population, income, housing, and more.
Benton County and Mahaska County are counties in Iowa. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Benton County has the higher population (25,698 vs 22,045 in Mahaska County). Benton County has the higher median household income ($84,742 vs $69,019 in Mahaska County). Benton County has the higher median home value ($198,400 vs $140,900 in Mahaska County).
Population, income & housing
| Benton County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,698 | 22,045 |
| Median age | 43.3 yrs | 39.1 yrs |
| Median household income | $84,742 | $69,019 |
| Median home value | $198,400 | $140,900 |
| Median gross rent | $815 | $821 |
| Housing units | 11,095 | 9,708 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.3% | 67.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.9% | 23.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 3.3% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Benton County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,636 → 25,698 (+0.2%) | 22,164 → 22,045 (-0.5%) |
| Median household income | $67,729 → $84,742 (+25.1%) | $54,825 → $69,019 (+25.9%) |
| Median home value | $157,200 → $198,400 (+26.2%) | $115,300 → $140,900 (+22.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $640 → $815 (+27.3%) | $652 → $821 (+25.9%) |
Benton County
25,63625,698
$67,729$84,742
$157,200$198,400
$640$815
Mahaska County
22,16422,045
$54,825$69,019
$115,300$140,900
$652$821
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Benton County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.8% | 6.1% |
| 5 to 17 | 17.3% | 17.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.0% | 9.8% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.5% | 11.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.0% | 11.9% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.5% | 13.1% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.7% | 10.9% |
| 75 and over | 8.6% | 8.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Benton County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.7% | 92.2% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 1.5% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races | 2.5% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.9% | 2.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Benton County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.3% | 6.0% |
| High school graduate | 33.2% | 38.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 36.6% | 32.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 17.0% | 17.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 8.0% | 6.0% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Benton County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 79.9% | 80.2% |
| Carpooled | 6.8% | 9.4% |
| Public transit | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 2.0% | 3.7% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 10.4% | 6.3% |
| Other means | 0.6% | 0.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Benton County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 88.0% | 78.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.4% | 1.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 3.0% | 8.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 3.2% | 5.3% |
| 20 or more units | 1.5% | 1.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 2.9% | 5.3% |
Poverty & households
| Benton County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 11.9% |
| Average household size | 2.51 | 2.40 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 25 | 18 |
| Median year structure built | 1965 | 1963 |
Full profiles
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