Benton is a city in Butler County,

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 943. It is located northeast of Wichita along K-254 highway.

History

Benton was founded in 1884. It was named for Thomas Benton Murdock, a state politician. Benton was incorporated as a city in 1908. In 1969, part of the film '' The Gypsy Moths'' was shot in the Benton area.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

Benton is located in the Wichita, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 943 people, 375 households, and 266 families in Benton. The population density was 674.5 per square mile (260.4/km). There were 407 housing units at an average density of 291.1 per square mile (112.4/km). The racial makeup was 89.18% (841)

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

European American European Americans are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...

(87.59%

non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

), 1.48% (14)

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

, 0.53% (5) Native American or

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, 0.11% (1) Asian, 0.11% (1)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

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, 1.27% (12) from other races, and 7.32% (69) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 5.51% (52) of the population. Of the 375 households, 33.1% had children under the age of 18; 55.7% were married couples living together; 22.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 24.3% of households consisted of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 2.8. The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 26.4% of the population. 26.1% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 103.2 males. The 2016-2020 5-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $79,250 (with a margin of error of +/- $9,249) and the median family income was $87,813 (+/- $26,580). Males had a median income of $58,000 (+/- $10,398) versus $40,938 (+/- $15,312) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $50,179 (+/- $6,863). Approximately, 4.3% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 8.0% of those under the age of 18 and 2.8% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 880 people, 325 households, and 254 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 360 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.3%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.1%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.6% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.7% of the population. There were 325 households, of which 42.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 21.8% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.08. The median age in the city was 36 years. 29.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.1% were from 25 to 44; 24.2% were from 45 to 64; and 13.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.4% male and 50.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 827 people, 308 households, and 238 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 327 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.46%

, 0.12%

, 0.24% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.48% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population. There were 308 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were

living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.07. In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $49,750, and the median income for a family was $58,214. Males had a median income of $40,380 versus $30,179 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $21,975. About 3.8% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the

, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by Circle USD 375 public school district. Benton is home to Circle Benton Elementary and Circle Middle School. The

middle school Middle school, also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school, is an educational stage between primary school and secondary school. Afghanistan In Afghanistan, middle school includes g ...

is visible as one drives on the highway past K-254. Benton High School was closed through school unification. The Benton Tigers won the Kansas State High School class B baseball championship in 1957.

Circle Middle School

Circle Middle School is the home of the Thunderbirds. The school is a part of the Walnut Valley League (WVL). Students from Circle Benton Elementary, Circle Towanda Elementary, Circle Greenwich Elementary, and Circle Oil Hill Elementary attend this school in their seventh and eighth grades. After graduating, the students move onto Circle High School in Towanda. Circle Middle School used to be a combination of Circle Benton Elementary and Circle Towanda Elementary, which, at the time, were both K-8 schools. Circle Oil Hill Elementary bused their kids over to Circle Towanda Elementary for classes. When the schools became too crowded due to the influx of jobs in nearby Wichita,

El Dorado El Dorado () is a mythical city of gold supposedly located somewhere in South America. The king of this city was said to be so rich that he would cover himself from head to foot in gold dust – either daily or on certain ceremonial occasions � ...

, and

Andover Andover may refer to: Places Australia *Andover, Tasmania Canada * Andover Parish, New Brunswick * Perth-Andover, New Brunswick United Kingdom * Andover, Hampshire, England ** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station United States * Andov ...

, the school board voted to build a middle school in Benton. The project was completed by Summer 2002. Classes began in the fall. The first 8th grade class to go through the middle school graduated in 2007 from Circle High School.

References

External links

City of Benton

Benton - Directory of Public Officials
{{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Butler County, Kansas Wichita, KS Metropolitan Statistical Area 1884 establishments in Kansas Populated places established in 1884