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City · 6,863 residents · Franklin County, Illinois

Benton , Illinois

In Benton, a typical home is worth $87,200 and typical rent is $798 a month. Compared with all of Franklin County, the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $87,200

    2% below the county

    67% below Illinois

    • Benton
    • Franklin
    • Illinois

  • Typical rent

    $798a month

    About the same as the county

    37% below Illinois

    • Benton
    • Franklin
    • Illinois

  • Typical household income

    $54,123a year

    5% below the county

    35% below Illinois

    • Benton
    • Franklin
    • Illinois

  • Households that own their home

    63%

    12 points below the county

    5 points below Illinois

    • Benton
    • Franklin
    • Illinois

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$129,372
9.9% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Benton is in Franklin County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Franklin County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Benton apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Benton has the 16th lowest typical home value of the 336 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people ($87,200).

  2. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Benton rose 9.9%; in Illinois, it rose 5.3%.

  3. Nearby, in West Frankfort, the typical rent is $661: 17% less than in Benton ($798).

  4. 63% of households in Benton own their home, against 74% in Franklin County.

  5. Benton has the 27th largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 291 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people (61%).

  6. Benton has the 31st lowest typical rent of the 331 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people ($798).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Benton

What homes there are in Benton, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

As in Franklin County, most homes in Benton are detached houses (77%).

Year built

The typical home in Benton was built in 1959, 4 years before the typical one in Franklin County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,002 a month

Franklin County: $1,171 a month

Without a mortgage

$521 a month

Franklin County: $463 a month

Owners with a mortgage

47%

Franklin County: 41%

In Benton, 47% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,002 a month, against $1,171 in Franklin County. Without one it drops to $521.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Benton did not change clearly: the difference is within the Census margin of error.

The typical rent in Benton rose 20% over the same time; in Franklin County, it rose 26%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureBentonFranklin CountyIllinoisUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate5.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate3.0%1.0%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.8%2.5%3.4%
People per household 2.212.282.462.53
Drive alone 70%79%66%69%
Carpool 16%10%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate6%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%3%3%
Work from home 11%7%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

A household in Benton has 2.21 people on average, about the same as in Franklin County (2.28).

More people carpool to work in Benton than in Franklin County: 16% against 10%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Benton?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Benton, worth $87,200, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 17% of the typical household income in Benton, which is $54,123 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Franklin County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Benton. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $3,052 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$768

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$85,621
Total interest
$123,188
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $1,473 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,263 a month

    Your payment · 17%

  • Tight

    $1,263 to $1,624 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,624 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Benton ($54,123 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$768
Principal & interest$580
Property tax$113
Home insurance$36
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$39

You need at least $3,052 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Benton and Franklin County

Benton is in Franklin County, Illinois. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Benton's own numbers

Typical home value
$87,200
Typical monthly rent
$798
Typical yearly household income
$54,123
Households that own their home
63%
Effective property tax rate
1.55%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Franklin County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$930
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+41%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Franklin County.

Everything about Franklin County

Buying

Buying a home in Benton

A typical home in Benton is worth $87,200: 2% below the county and 67% below Illinois. With the typical household income in Benton ($54,123 a year), a typical home costs 1.6 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Benton 1.6 years
  • Franklin 1.6 years
  • Illinois 3.2 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Franklin County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Franklin County rose 50% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Franklin County.

Period County Illinois U.S.
Last year (2025) +0.5% +5.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +41% +47% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +50% +65% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Benton next to Franklin County, Illinois and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Benton $87,200
  • Franklin $89,000
  • Illinois $263,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Benton $798
  • Franklin $803
  • Illinois $1,274
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Benton $54,123
  • Franklin $56,740
  • Illinois $83,390
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Benton next to Franklin County and Illinois
Measure Benton Franklin County Illinois U.S.
Typical home value $87,200 $89,000 $263,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $798 $803 $1,274 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $54,123 $56,740 $83,390 $80,734
Households that own their home 63% 74% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,350 $1,394 $5,298 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.55% 1.57% 2.01% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 61% 52% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Franklin County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Benton

For a typical $87,200 home in Benton, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Benton's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $768a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $3,052
    Cash to close
    $5,668
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $39

  • Conventional, 5% down $752a month

    Down payment
    $4,360
    Cash to close
    $6,976
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $41

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $622a month

    Down payment
    $17,440
    Cash to close
    $20,056
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $702a month

    Down payment
    $13,080
    Cash to close
    $15,696
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Benton and for Franklin County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Benton

1.55%of the home’s value each year

$1,350 a year for the typical owner in Benton.

  • Benton 1.55%
  • Franklin 1.57%
  • Illinois 2.01%

What Illinois publishes General Homestead Exemption (Illinois Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Illinois

Flood risk in Franklin County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Franklin County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2%
339
Of those, with NFIP insurance
10%
County Illinois U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2% 1.5% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 10% 25% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Benton

Typical rent in Benton is $798 a month: about the same as the county. In Benton, 61% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Franklin County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($930 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $17.88 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Franklin County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $648 $12.46 $25,920
1 bedroom $711 $13.67 $28,440
2 bedrooms $930 $17.88 $37,200
3 bedrooms $1,225 $23.56 $49,000
4 bedrooms $1,315 $25.29 $52,600

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Benton

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Benton is in ZIP code 62812.

For 2 bedrooms it is $930: the same as the fair market rent for Franklin County.

  • 62812 $930$1,230

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Benton when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Benton

HUD lists 4 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Benton. These are the largest.

  • Benton Housing 102 S Buchanan St, Benton 62812 175 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of the County of Franklin · Average payment: $395 a month · Average wait: 9 months · Homes at several sites (618) 932-2124
  • Heritage Woods of Benton 1302 Bailey Ln, Benton 62812 100 homes, 90 low-income · Studio: 44 · 1 bd: 48 · 2 bd: 8 · In service since 2004 · For older adults
  • Hunter's Trace Subdivision 1036 Hunters Cir, Benton 62812 32 low-income homes · 3 bd: 32 · In service since 2009
  • Smith Corbin Apts 1413 N Lincoln Dr, Benton 62812 18 low-income homes · 1 bd: 9 · 2 bd: 9 · In service since 1994

See all 11 buildings in Franklin County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Benton

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Franklin County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A grandmother smiles, seated at home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Benton

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Benton or Franklin County. The ones below are statewide in Illinois: they work in Benton the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Illinois

  • IHDAccess Home

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan with deferred payments for first-time buyers in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • IHDAccess Forgivable

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan forgiven little by little over ten years, for the down payment in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • IHDAccess Deferred

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance, for the down payment in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Benton

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Benton, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • C.e.f.s. Clay County Outreach Office

    835 West North, Flora · 51 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
    (618) 662-4024

  • C.e.f.s. Fayette County Outreach Office

    517 W. Gallatin Street, Vandalia · 66 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
    (618) 283-2631

  • Erba Richland County Outreach Office

    306 E Main, Olney · 67 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    217-331-7031-229

All counseling agencies in Illinois

Help in Spanish near Benton

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Benton

HUD’s record names them for Benton or Franklin County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of the County of Franklin Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (618) 932-2124

All housing agencies in Illinois Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Franklin County

These cities are also in Franklin County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Franklin County Housing in Illinois

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Benton, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Franklin County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Benton.

All guides
Three women of one family lean in together to stir the pan.

Questions

Housing questions about Benton

Short answers with the numbers for Benton and all of Franklin County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Benton?

The typical home value in Benton is $87,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Franklin County it is $89,000.

How much does it cost to rent in Benton?

Typical rent in Benton is $798 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Franklin County is $930.

What is the FHA loan limit in Benton?

Benton uses the FHA limit for all of Franklin County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Benton?

The typical homeowner in Benton pays $1,350 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.55% of the home’s value; in Franklin County, the rate is 1.57%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Benton?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Franklin County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).