Benton township, Lackawanna County, PA

Township in Lackawanna County, PA, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

1,589

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

57.5

years ∙ half population younger than 57.5, half older

Diversity Index

6.5%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

0.9%

foreign-born population

99.1%Native

0.9% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Benton township, Lackawanna County is a township in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Location

Township in Lackawanna County, PA, US

Co-ordinates

DEC41.607680° N, 75.699862° W

DMS41° 36′ 27.65″ N, 75° 41′ 59.50″ W

Population Density & area

65.93/sq mi (25.51/km²)

Total Area

24.9 sq mi (64.4 km²)

Land Area

24.1 sq mi (62.3 km²) · 96.7%

Water Area

0.8 sq mi (2.1 km²) · 3.3%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

50.9% male

Male 50.9%

Female 49.1%

males per 100 females

Benton township 103.7

Lackawanna County 96.7

Pennsylvania 97.2

Nativity

0.9%

foreign-born population

99.1%Native

0.9% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Benton township 0.9%

Lackawanna County 6.7%

Pennsylvania 7.7%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

57.5

years ∙ half population younger than 57.5, half older

Benton township

57.5

Lackawanna County

41.9

Pennsylvania

40.9

Dependency ratio

90.8

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Benton township 90.8

Lackawanna County 69.5

Pennsylvania 66.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Benton township	Lackawanna County	Pennsylvania
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	16.6%	20.5%	20.4%
Working age (18-64)	52.4%	59%	60.1%
Senior (65+)	31%	20.5%	19.5%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	90.8	69.5	66.4
Child dependency ratio	31.6	34.7	34
Old-age dependency ratio	59.2	34.8	32.4

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

96.7%

Black

Asian

Hispanic

1.5%

Other

1.8%

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

6.5%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Benton township 6.5%

Lackawanna County 35.3%

Pennsylvania 44.6%

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 Benton township population

	Benton township	Lackawanna County	Pennsylvania
Hispanic or Latino	1.5%	9.8%	8.7%
Mexican	0.1%	1.2%	1.4%
Puerto Rican	0.4%	4.2%	3.7%
Cuban	0%	0.2%	0.2%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0.9%	4.2%	3.4%
Not Hispanic or Latino	98.5%	90.2%	91.3%
One race	97.9%	86.3%	87.7%
White	96.7%	79.6%	73%
Black or African American	0%	3%	10.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.2%	0.1%	0.1%
Asian	0%	3%	3.8%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Some Other Race	1.1%	0.6%	0.5%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	0.6%	3.9%	3.6%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

73.2% family

Family 73.2%

Non family 26.8%

% family households

Benton township 73.2%

Lackawanna County 60%

Pennsylvania 62.4%

Average household size

2.31

persons per household

Benton township

2.31

Lackawanna County

2.35

Pennsylvania

2.39

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Benton township population

	Benton township	Lackawanna County	Pennsylvania
Total households	687	88,263	5,274,853
Average houshold size	2.31	2.35	2.39
Family households	503	52,943	3,291,192
Average family size	2.73	3.02	3.01
Married couple family	434	36,510	2,437,812
Other families	69	16,433	853,380
Male householder	18	5,226	246,246
Female householder	51	11,207	607,134
Non-family households	184	35,320	1,983,661
One-person households	178	29,426	1,629,974
Male householder	57	13,432	733,485
Senior (65+) living alone	39	5,036	246,162
Female householder	121	15,994	896,489
Senior (65+) living alone	70	9,622	477,851
Other living arrangements	6	5,894	353,687

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

987

housing units

Benton township 987

Lackawanna County 100,177

Pennsylvania 5,806,452

Occupancy status

69.6% occupied

Occupied 69.6%

Vacant 30.4%

vacancy rate

Benton township 30.4%

Lackawanna County 11.9%

Pennsylvania 9.2%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

92.1%

Single family houses

92.1%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

1.7%

Mobile homes

6.2%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1973

Half of houses were built before 1973, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

35.3%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

21.7%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

29.1%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

14%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Benton township	Lackawanna County	Pennsylvania
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	6.5	6	6
1–3 rooms	1.4%	11%	11.7%
4–6 rooms	48.3%	52.4%	47.7%
7+ rooms	50.4%	36.5%	40.7%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	0.2%	2.1%	2.3%
1 bedroom	0.4%	9.9%	10.4%
2 bedrooms	24.3%	24%	22.5%
3 bedrooms	42.4%	45.1%	42.3%
4+ bedrooms	32.7%	18.9%	22.6%
At a glance
Median year built	1973	1956	1966
Total housing units	987	100,177	5,806,452

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

86.5% owners

Renter-occupied 13.5%

Owner-occupied 86.5%

homeownership rate

Benton township 86.5%

Lackawanna County 65.4%

Pennsylvania 69.3%

Average household size

2.24

Owner-occupied

2.74

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Benton township 2.24

Lackawanna County 2.5

Pennsylvania 2.53

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Benton township	Lackawanna County	Pennsylvania
Total occupied units	687	88,263	5,274,853
Year moved in
2020 or later	10.1%	18.2%	20.2%
2010 to 2019	19.8%	35%	36.1%
2000 to 2009	21.1%	17.2%	17.5%
1999 or earlier	48.9%	29.7%	26.2%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	99.7%	98.6%	98.4%
1.01 to 1.50	0.3%	1.1%	1%
1.51 or more	0%	0.3%	0.6%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	1.6%	9.4%	10.4%
1 vehicle	27.5%	38.5%	35.1%
2 vehicles	33%	35.3%	35.9%
3 or more vehicles	37.8%	16.8%	18.6%
House heating fuel used
Gas	24%	70.3%	56.4%
Electricity	28.8%	18.6%	25.3%
Solar	0%	0%	0.1%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	32.3%	8%	14%
All other fuels	14.9%	2.7%	3.7%
No fuel used	0%	0.4%	0.5%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.4%	0.2%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.4%	1%	0.8%
No telephone service available	1.9%	0.7%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$257,400

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Benton township

$257,400

Lackawanna County

$201,800

Pennsylvania

$254,500

Housing Cost Burden

31.9%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

31.9%

Owners without a mortgage

36.2%

Renters

38.8%

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

	Benton township	Lackawanna County	Pennsylvania
Property value
Median Value	$257,400	$201,800	$254,500
Under $100,000	11.9%	14.5%	13.9%
$100,000 - $200,000	13.8%	34.9%	22.4%
$200,000 - $300,000	33%	27.3%	22.9%
$300,000 - $500,000	28.8%	17%	25.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	12.5%	5.2%	12.8%
$1,000,000 and more	0%	1.1%	2.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	39.1%	52.1%	58%
Without a mortgage	60.9%	47.9%	42%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,719	$1,539	$1,762
Without a mortgage	$788	$673	$644
Gross rent
Median rent	$1,223	$1,007	$1,209

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

34%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Benton township 34%

Lackawanna County 30.6%

Pennsylvania 35.2%

Adults without a high school diploma

4.6%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Benton township 4.6%

Lackawanna County 8.3%

Pennsylvania 7.9%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

241

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

2.5%

K–12

86.7%

College / Undergraduate

7.1%

Graduate / Professional

3.7%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

13.8%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Benton township

13.8%

Lackawanna County

52.8%

Pennsylvania

44%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Benton township	Lackawanna County	Pennsylvania
Total enrolled (age 3+)	241	49,468	2,913,513
Nursery / preschool	2.5%	5.4%	5.7%
K–12	86.7%	65.6%	66.9%
Kindergarten	4.1%	4.5%	4.8%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	20.7%	18.6%	19.7%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	32.4%	21.3%	20.7%
High School: Grades 9–12	29.5%	21.1%	21.7%
College or graduate school	10.8%	29%	27.4%
College, undergraduate	7.1%	23.6%	21.2%
Graduate, professional school	3.7%	5.4%	6.2%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	13.8%	52.8%	44%
School type
Public school	64.7%	73.7%	75.3%
Private school	35.3%	26.3%	24.7%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

1,261

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

1.3%

9th-12th, no diploma

3.3%

HS graduate

33.2%

Some college no degree

13.7%

Associates degree

14.4%

Bachelors degree

19.5%

Graduate or professional degree

14.5%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

56.3% · 43.8%

9th-12th, no diploma

59.5% · 40.5%

HS graduate

48.9% · 51.1%

Some college no degree

37.6% · 62.4%

Associates degree

63.7% · 36.3%

Bachelors degree

50.8% · 49.2%

Graduate or professional degree

33.3% · 66.7%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Benton township	Lackawanna County	Pennsylvania
Population (25+)	1,261	152,596	9,189,697
Less than 9th grade	1.3%	2.8%	2.9%
9th–12th, no diploma	3.3%	5.5%	5%
High school diploma or GED	33.2%	34.4%	32.9%
Some college, no degree	13.7%	16.5%	15.1%
Associate's degree	14.4%	10.1%	8.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher	34%	30.6%	35.2%
Bachelor's degree	19.5%	18.3%	20.9%
Graduate or professional	14.5%	12.3%	14.3%
High School or higher	95.4%	91.7%	92.1%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$49,306

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$29,583

HS graduate

$40,417

Some college or associates

$40,313

Bachelors degree

$73,333

Graduate or professional degree

$87,083

Poverty Rate

0.5%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

5.2%

HS graduate

9.8%

Some college or associates

1.7%

Bachelors degree or higher

0.5%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Benton township	Lackawanna County	Pennsylvania
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$49,306	$48,724	$53,549
Less than high school graduate	$29,583	$29,118	$33,591
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$40,417	$38,642	$40,643
Some college or associate's degree	$40,313	$45,295	$47,736
Bachelor's degree	$73,333	$63,162	$69,335
Graduate or professional degree	$87,083	$76,205	$87,132
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	5.2%	29.8%	25.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	9.8%	15.3%	13.3%
Some college or associate's degree	1.7%	11%	9.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher	0.5%	5.3%	4.1%

Insights for Benton township, Lackawanna County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

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