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Businesses on Pacific Avenue, Benson, MN

BensonMN

A town of 3,441. Nearly 4.7% of it is conserved land.

3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0
Population
3,441
+7.4% since 2010
Median home value
$156K
Census ACS
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
39.7
years
Jobs based here
1,470
Balanced

What makes Benson stand out

The 3 things Benson does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Benson’s report card

See the data ↓

Now in Benson

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The data

Ordered by what stands out in Benson. Another town gets a different order.

Outdoors

4.7% of Benson is conserved land

4.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.

#29for trails in MN
Map of Benson: conserved land, trails and the top places to walk
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below
4.7%
conserved · 95 of 2,034 acres
4.0 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
#39
most walkable in MN
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Roosevelt Park—2
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute

About one in two working residents works right in Benson

42% of Benson’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Torning (10%), Morris (5%) and Willmar (4%). Half commute less than 2 miles.

42%work in town

Where working residents work

In Benson42%
Torning10%
Morris5%
Willmar4%
Marysland3%
2 mi
median commute distance
1,470
jobs based in Benson
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Schools

Benson’s public schools outperform 47% of Minnesota districts

The public schools Benson’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 53% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

B−School Grade
SchoolGradesStudentsGrade
Northside ElementaryPK–5391B+
Benson Secondary6–12334C
Heartland Girls Ranch7–1222Not graded
Benson Area Learning Center7–1213Not graded
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduationAll 4 schools →
Safety

Less crime per resident than 77% of U.S. towns

Benson reports less crime per resident than 77% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

A−Safety Grade

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Benson2.6
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Benson0.6
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
77th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
62nd
percentile among MN towns
9
violent crimes reported in 2025
2
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Natural hazards

High risk, with inland flooding at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 69% of U.S. communities.

69risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
69High riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingCold wavesHeat waves
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate

Snowy winters, pleasant summers

Benson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 3°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

43″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter6–25°
Spring33–54°
Summer58–80°
Fall36–57°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Health

Healthier than 39% of U.S. towns

Benson beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13.

C+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better18 too close to call13 worse
What stands outBensonMN
More adults treating high blood pressure81.3%76.1%
More older adults who have lost all their teeth14.8%8.9%
Centracare - Benson
0.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
9th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
High School, Benson, Minn
1908 · High School, Benson, Minn · Wikimedia Commons
Benson’s story

Benson in pictures

18 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 3 places on the National Register.

High School, Benson, MinnPacific Avenue, Benson, Minn., looking westPacific Avenue, Benson, Minn., looking west
Explore the history →

Landmarks

3 places in Benson on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Famous people from Benson

8 notable people were born in Benson.

See all 8 →

About Benson

City in Minnesota, United States

Official town website ↗

Benson is a city in Swift County, Minnesota, United States, along the Chippewa River. The population was 3,480 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat.

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

Population
3,480
Area
3.0 sq mi
Elevation
1,047 ft
ZIP code
56215
Area code
320

Benson’s neighbors

3 towns share a border with Benson.

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More about Benson

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Photo of Benson

Benson, MN · Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0 · Source ↗