Benton County vs Washington County
A side-by-side comparison of Benton County and Washington County: population, income, housing, and more.
Benton County and Washington 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 22,539 in Washington County). Benton County has the higher median household income ($84,742 vs $71,339 in Washington County). Washington County has the higher median home value ($199,600 vs $198,400 in Benton County).
Population, income & housing
| Benton County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,698 | 22,539 |
| Median age | 43.3 yrs | 40.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $84,742 | $71,339 |
| Median home value | $198,400 | $199,600 |
| Median gross rent | $815 | $862 |
| Housing units | 11,095 | 9,638 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.3% | 72.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.9% | 24.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 2.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Benton County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,636 → 25,698 (+0.2%) | 22,100 → 22,539 (+2.0%) |
| Median household income | $67,729 → $84,742 (+25.1%) | $62,556 → $71,339 (+14.0%) |
| Median home value | $157,200 → $198,400 (+26.2%) | $151,600 → $199,600 (+31.7%) |
| Median gross rent | $640 → $815 (+27.3%) | $754 → $862 (+14.3%) |
Benton County
25,63625,698
$67,729$84,742
$157,200$198,400
$640$815
Washington County
22,10022,539
$62,556$71,339
$151,600$199,600
$754$862
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Benton County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.8% | 6.3% |
| 5 to 17 | 17.3% | 18.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.0% | 7.5% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.5% | 11.1% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.0% | 12.5% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.5% | 11.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.5% | 13.3% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.7% | 11.0% |
| 75 and over | 8.6% | 8.9% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Benton County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.7% | 89.2% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 2.5% | 2.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.9% | 7.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Benton County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.3% | 6.8% |
| High school graduate | 33.2% | 35.8% |
| Some college or associate's | 36.6% | 32.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 17.0% | 16.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 8.0% | 8.4% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Benton County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 79.9% | 77.8% |
| Carpooled | 6.8% | 9.1% |
| Public transit | 0.2% | 1.0% |
| Walked | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 10.4% | 8.5% |
| Other means | 0.6% | 1.0% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Benton County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 88.0% | 79.0% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.4% | 3.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 3.0% | 7.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 3.2% | 4.9% |
| 20 or more units | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Mobile home & other | 2.9% | 3.5% |
Poverty & households
| Benton County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 8.5% |
| Average household size | 2.51 | 2.45 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 25 | 24 |
| Median year structure built | 1965 | 1962 |
Full profiles
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