Benson County, North Dakota
Among the top 15% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 85% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 53% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 72% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 23% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade F, better than 8% of US counties
- top 3% for commute time
- top 4% for monthly rent
- bottom 5% for airport distance
Benson County is a county in North Dakota with about 5,960 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and F for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include commute time, monthly rent, and school quality. It rates lower on walkability and airport distance.
Official websitebensoncountynd.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
comfortable
warm
comf.
cold
v.cold
freez.
79%55%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.1 in0.5 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$63k58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 44% of US counties
Home Value$79k3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$563better than 96% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 43% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.02%better than 37% of US counties
Income Tax2.50%better than 80% of US counties
Sales Tax7.04%better than 56% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden6.10%better than 86% of US counties
Unemployment2.2%better than 91% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)8°F1st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation20.0 in13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall44.5 inbetter than 16% of US counties
Sunny Days232 daysbetter than 44% of US counties
Summer Humidity57°Fbetter than 84% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk24.3better than 74% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime1676/100kbetter than 11% of US counties
Property Crime506/100kbetter than 72% of US counties
Community
Population5,96013th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age31.02nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5487th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0783rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1425th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)39.9%10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.3%13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.4%7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)57.9%99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time15 minbetter than 97% of US counties
Walkability4.2/20better than 6% of US counties
Airport Distance361 mibetter than 5% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access77.9%better than 24% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 25% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Benson County an affordable place to live?
- Benson County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 44% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Benson County?
- The median home value in Benson County is $79k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Benson County?
- Median household income in Benson County is $63k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Benson County?
- Median gross rent in Benson County is $563 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Benson County safe?
- Benson County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1676/100k (better than 11%). Property crime is 506/100k.
- What is the weather like in Benson County?
- Benson County averages 69°F in July and 8°F in January, with 20.0 in of annual precipitation and about 232 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Benson County?
- Public-school quality in Benson County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Benson County?
- The average one-way commute in Benson County is 15 min.
Other counties in North Dakota
Explore North Dakota
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)