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Benham, KY
Key Indicators
A quick look at key numbers
Population
725
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Age
43.6
years ∙ half population younger than 43.6, half older
Diversity Index
18.3%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Nativity
0%
foreign-born population
Geographic Context
Location, size, and surroundings
About
Benham is a city within Harlan County, Kentucky, United States.
Co-ordinates
DEC36.964197° N, 82.951756° W
DMS36° 57′ 51.11″ N, 82° 57′ 06.32″ W
Population Density & area
3,098/sq mi
(1,194/km²)
Demographics & Living
Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition
Population Composition
Key characteristics of the population
Sex Distribution
47.3%
male
Male
47.3%
Female
52.7%
males per 100 females
Benham
89.8
Harlan County
93.4
Kentucky
98.2
Nativity
0%
foreign-born population
% Foreign-born
Benham
0%
Harlan County
0.4%
Kentucky
4.7%
Age Distribution
How the population is spread across age groups
Median Age
43.6
years ∙ half population younger than 43.6, half older
Dependency ratio
59
dependents per 100 working-age adults
Benham
59
Harlan County
76.1
Kentucky
66.4
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of age group
Median age
| Benham | Harlan County | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Group | |||
| Children (Under 18) | 16% | 23.7% | 22.6% |
| Working age (18-64) | 62.9% | 56.8% | 60.1% |
| Senior (65+) | 21.1% | 19.5% | 17.3% |
| Dependency ratio | |||
| Total dependency ratio | 59 | 76.1 | 66.4 |
| Child dependency ratio | 25.4 | 41.8 | 37.6 |
| Old-age dependency ratio | 33.6 | 34.3 | 28.8 |
Racial & Ethnic Composition
Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares
Race & Ethnicity
Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.
Diversity Index
18.3%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Benham
18.3%
Harlan County
11.7%
Kentucky
32.6%
Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.
RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION
Race & Ethnicity
Percentage of Benham population
| Benham | Harlan County | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.3% | 0.5% | 5% |
| Mexican | 0% | 0.3% | 2.5% |
| Puerto Rican | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Cuban | 0% | 0% | 0.8% |
| Other Hispanic / Latino | 0% | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 99.7% | 99.5% | 95% |
| One race | 90.3% | 95.9% | 91.1% |
| White | 89.9% | 93.9% | 81.5% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 1.3% | 7.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 0% | 0.2% | 1.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Some Other Race | 0% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) | 9.4% | 3.6% | 3.9% |
Household & Families Composition
Household size, type, and family structure
Household structure
78%
family
Family
78%
Non family
22%
% family households
Benham
78%
Harlan County
70.4%
Kentucky
63.9%
Average household size
2.16
persons per household
Household & Family COMPOSITION
Households
Percentage of Benham population
| Benham | Harlan County | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total households | 328 | 10,731 | 1,814,469 |
| Average houshold size | 2.16 | 2.35 | 2.43 |
| Family households | 256 | 7,555 | 1,159,005 |
| Average family size | 2.46 | 2.76 | 3.03 |
| Married couple family | 175 | 5,383 | 844,820 |
| Other families | 81 | 2,172 | 314,185 |
| Male householder | 19 | 686 | 95,673 |
| Female householder | 62 | 1,486 | 218,512 |
| Non-family households | 72 | 3,176 | 655,464 |
| One-person households | 72 | 2,694 | 540,419 |
| Male householder | 42 | 1,032 | 247,145 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 7 | 327 | 79,059 |
| Female householder | 30 | 1,662 | 293,274 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 10 | 863 | 151,346 |
| Other living arrangements | 0 | 482 | 115,045 |
Housing Profile
Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens
Total housing units
371
housing units
Benham
371
Harlan County
13,036
Kentucky
2,023,116
Occupancy status
88.4%
occupied
Occupied
88.4%
Vacant
11.6%
vacancy rate
Benham
11.6%
Harlan County
17.7%
Kentucky
10.3%
Housing Characteristics
How the housing supply is structured and used
Types of Housing unit
100%
Single family houses
Median Year Built
1938
Half of houses were built before 1938, and half after.
* The Census Bureau did not report an exact median year built for Benham the estimate falls at or before 1939, the lower limit of the survey's reporting range.
Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.
Housing Characteristics
Units, rooms & bedrooms
Physical characteristics of housing units
| Benham | Harlan County | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms per unit | |||
| Median rooms | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.7 |
| 1–3 rooms | 4% | 9.8% | 10.4% |
| 4–6 rooms | 64.2% | 55.7% | 54.2% |
| 7+ rooms | 31.7% | 34.5% | 35.4% |
| Bedrooms | |||
| No bedroom / studio | 0% | 2.9% | 1.7% |
| 1 bedroom | 1.9% | 6.7% | 8.2% |
| 2 bedrooms | 29.4% | 23.8% | 25.1% |
| 3 bedrooms | 45.3% | 47.4% | 45.2% |
| 4+ bedrooms | 23.5% | 19.3% | 19.7% |
| At a glance | |||
| Median year built | 1938 | 1977 | 1983 |
| Total housing units | 371 | 13,036 | 2,023,116 |
Occupancy Profile
Who is inside and how they use it
Homeownership
82%
owners
Renter-occupied
18%
Owner-occupied
82%
homeownership rate
Benham
82%
Harlan County
71.6%
Kentucky
68.3%
Average household size
2.17
Owner-occupied
2.1
Renter-occupied
owner-occupied average size
Benham
2.17
Harlan County
2.35
Kentucky
2.53
Housing Characteristics
Occupied unit characteristics
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Benham | Harlan County | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total occupied units | 328 | 10,731 | 1,814,469 |
| Year moved in | |||
| 2020 or later | 22.6% | 16.1% | 23.8% |
| 2010 to 2019 | 26.2% | 35.9% | 38.4% |
| 2000 to 2009 | 10.7% | 17.3% | 16.7% |
| 1999 or earlier | 40.5% | 30.7% | 21.1% |
| Occupants per room | |||
| 1.00 or fewer | 98.2% | 98.1% | 98% |
| 1.01 to 1.50 | 1.8% | 0.5% | 1.4% |
| 1.51 or more | 0% | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Vehicles availability | |||
| No vehicles | 9.1% | 8.1% | 6.8% |
| 1 vehicle | 32.6% | 31.8% | 32.4% |
| 2 vehicles | 32% | 36.6% | 37.1% |
| 3 or more vehicles | 26.2% | 23.5% | 23.7% |
| House heating fuel used | |||
| Gas | 14.3% | 8.5% | 41.5% |
| Electricity | 82.6% | 84.9% | 54.9% |
| Solar | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Fuel oil, kerosene etc | 0% | 1.2% | 0.7% |
| All other fuels | 3% | 4.8% | 2.3% |
| No fuel used | 0% | 0.7% | 0.4% |
| Selected characteristics | |||
| Lacking complete plumbing | 0% | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Lacking complete kitchen | 0% | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| No telephone service available | 2.7% | 1% | 1.1% |
Housing Value
What owner-occupied units are worth
Median home value
$53,000
owner-occupied units
Housing Cost Burden
21.2%
of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened
Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.
Financial characteristics
Property value and housing costs
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Benham | Harlan County | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property value | |||
| Median Value | $53,000 | $73,700 | $205,600 |
| Under $100,000 | 83.3% | 67.5% | 20.9% |
| $100,000 - $200,000 | 13.4% | 21.9% | 27.6% |
| $200,000 - $300,000 | 3.3% | 7.1% | 23.1% |
| $300,000 - $500,000 | 0% | 2.4% | 20.1% |
| $500,000 - $1,000,000 | 0% | 1.1% | 7.1% |
| $1,000,000 and more | 0% | 0% | 1.2% |
| Owner-occupied households | |||
| With a mortgage | 31.6% | 31.5% | 56.1% |
| Without a mortgage | 68.4% | 68.5% | 43.9% |
| Median monthly owner costs | |||
| With a mortgage | $867 | $979 | $1,433 |
| Without a mortgage | $488 | $349 | $469 |
| Gross rent | |||
| Median rent | $769 | $678 | $967 |
Education Profile
How educated is the community and how education pays off
Adults with a college degree
17.8%
of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
Benham
17.8%
Harlan County
13%
Kentucky
27.6%
Adults without a high school diploma
21%
of adults (25+) without a high school diploma
Benham
21%
Harlan County
18.3%
Kentucky
11.1%
School Enrollment
Who is enrolled in school and at what level
School enrollment
145
population (age 3+) enrolled in school
College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)
43.2%
of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school
Enrollment & school type
Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split
Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school
| Benham | Harlan County | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total enrolled (age 3+) | 145 | 5,695 | 1,039,376 |
| Nursery / preschool | 16.6% | 4.2% | 5.5% |
| K–12 | 45.5% | 77% | 70.6% |
| Kindergarten | 6.9% | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Elementary: Grades 1–4 | 2.8% | 26% | 21.4% |
| Elementary: Grades 5–8 | 14.5% | 27% | 21.9% |
| High School: Grades 9–12 | 21.4% | 19.9% | 22.2% |
| College or graduate school | 37.9% | 18.8% | 23.8% |
| College, undergraduate | 22.8% | 15% | 18.9% |
| Graduate, professional school | 15.2% | 3.7% | 5% |
| College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds | 43.2% | 27.4% | 36% |
| School type | |||
| Public school | 100% | 91.6% | 81.9% |
| Private school | 0% | 8.4% | 18.1% |
Education Attainment by Level & Gender
What is the highest level of education completed among adults
Education attainment
535
population 25 years and over
Attainment by gender
Male vs Female
Adults (25+) · Share within each education level
Educational Attainment Overview
Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)
Highest credential completed · adults 25+
| Benham | Harlan County | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (25+) | 535 | 17,958 | 3,098,758 |
| Less than 9th grade | 7.7% | 7.8% | 4.3% |
| 9th–12th, no diploma | 13.3% | 10.5% | 6.8% |
| High school diploma or GED | 34% | 36.8% | 32.6% |
| Some college, no degree | 17.9% | 21% | 19.7% |
| Associate's degree | 9.3% | 10.8% | 9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 13% | 27.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 9.2% | 6.4% | 16.2% |
| Graduate or professional | 8.6% | 6.7% | 11.3% |
| High School or higher | 79.1% | 81.7% | 88.9% |
Earnings by education level
percentage as applicable
Median Earnings
$33,750
Median earnings for adults 25+, by level
Poverty Rate
32.6%
for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher
Outcomes by Education Level
Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)
Adults 25+
| Benham | Harlan County | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median earnings | |||
| Population 25+, with earnings | $33,750 | $36,420 | $46,524 |
| Less than high school graduate | $— | $28,053 | $29,659 |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | $18,661 | $33,891 | $37,177 |
| Some college or associate's degree | $— | $33,561 | $43,534 |
| Bachelor's degree | $— | $51,940 | $60,526 |
| Graduate or professional degree | $— | $53,341 | $70,952 |
| Poverty rates | |||
| Less than high school graduate | 3.6% | 39.7% | 33.5% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 7.7% | 22.5% | 17% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 22.6% | 23.8% | 11.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.6% | 5.5% | 4.7% |
About Neilsberg Research
Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.
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