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Benton

A township of 8,623 people in Franklin County, Illinois
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Headlines via Google News · Articles belong to their publishers.

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Around town

The places and views that make it Benton

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Outdoors in Benton

Parks & trails →
Conserved land1.7%387 of 23,378 acres
Trails4.6 mi0.1 mi per sq mi
Parks & preserves145 conserved acres per 1,000 residents

Know a trail or park that’s missing? Anyone can add it to OpenStreetMap, and it shows up here on the next refresh.

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

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Know Benton

The town at a glance, and the guide to how things work

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About Benton

City in Illinois, United States
1841Established
6,709Population
5.7 sq miArea
446 ftElevation

Benton is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Illinois. The population was 6,709 at the 2020 census. In 1839, Franklin County was split roughly in half and the county seat was permanently fixed "at a hill at the south end of Rowling's Prairie", the site of the future city of Benton. Benton's namesake is Missouri senator Thomas Hart Benton. The village of Benton was organized in 1841 on 20 acres (8.1 ha) of property donated by John Ewing and Walter S. Akin. In 1902, the village became a city, and incorporated under the mayor/commissioner form of government. The Franklin County Courthouse sat in the center of the Public Square. It was the fourth courthouse that served the people…

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Town numbers

ZIP code62812
Area code618
Living in Benton

Housing in Benton

$119K▲ 8.9% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Benton home is worth about $119,000, up 8.9% in a year, 60% below the Illinois typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Work & commute in Benton

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Most working residents leave Benton for work: only 19% work in town. The top destinations are Benton (18%), Mount Vernon (14%) and Marion (8%). Half commute less than 20 miles.

Benton
18%
Mount Vernon
14%
Marion
8%
West Frankfort
3%
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Benton →

Health in Benton

C−

Health Grade C−

Healthier than 19% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 35% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Illinois

1better than IL·14worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 17 are too close to call.

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

Care nearby

Franklin HospitalBenton · 2.7 mi · ER · rural critical access
Rea Clinic - BentonBenton · 2.7 mi · sliding-scale fees
Primary careShortage · county-wide
DentalShortage · county-wide
Mental healthShortage · county-wide
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · ZIP codes 62812, 62890, 62856 · CMS · HRSAHealth in Benton →

Natural hazards in Benton

72
High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 72% of U.S. communities.

🏚️ Earthquakes🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Benton →

Climate in Benton

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Benton has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

44° / 27°Winter
67° / 45°Spring
87° / 65°Summer
69° / 46°Fall
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Benton →

Schools in Benton

All Benton schools →
C

School Grade C

The public schools Benton’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 69% of Illinois’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

See how Benton’s schools compare in IL →
DistrictBenton CCSD 47Schools4

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within IL. Ratings are from neighbors.

Benton’s library

Library details →
Benton Public Library District502 South Main Street · part of Benton Public Library District
64 hrs a week
IMLS Public Libraries Survey · FY2024Benton Public Library District →
Famous people from BentonWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Benton.Meet them →

Where Benton is

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Locator map of Benton
Wikimedia Commons · Map: DemocraticLuntz · DemocraticLuntz at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Location map

Illinois · IL · Franklin CountyTown boundary on OpenStreetMap →

How things work in Benton

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You’re in Benton, ILFranklin CountyView boundary

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01