Map the Block › Places › North Dakota › Benson County
Benson County, North Dakota in numbers: crime, income, hazards
The violent-crime rate in Benson County was 0.66 per 1,000 residents (2021-2025 average, FBI), 75% lower than the statewide rate (2.7). Median household income is $64,033 and the unemployment rate was 2.5% in August 2026. About 5,808 people live in the county.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Benson County?
Police agencies in Benson County reported an average of 82 violent crimes and 24 property crimes a year from 2021 to 2025. The violent rate, 0.66 per 1,000 people, is 75% lower than the North Dakota rate (2.7); nationally it is 3.7. Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 1.4 per 1,000 residents, compared with 18.5 across North Dakota. Most violent crimes here are aggravated assaults (90%).
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Benson County | Per 1,000 | North Dakota per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 82 | 0.66 | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 2 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 4 | 0.03 | 0.53 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.02 | 0.25 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 74 | 0.59 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 24 | 1.4 | 18.5 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 6 | 0.05 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 8 | 0.06 | 13.2 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 9 | 0.38 | 2.2 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (2 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Benson County?
Median household income is $64,033, 16% lower than the statewide figure ($76,657). The typical owner-occupied home is valued at $90,000 by its owners; renters pay a median $588. 20.5% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 6.6%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 2.5% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 54 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Benson County | North Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,808 | 784,841 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $64,033 | $76,657 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $90,000 | $249,900 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $588 | $954 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 3.4% | 2.8% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 25.6% | 10.8% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 20.5% | 6.6% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 32.7% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 73.1% | 62.9% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 32.6 | 35.9 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 80.9% | 88.7% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 10.4% | 6.5% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Benson County?
Benson County carries a “Very Low” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists no Superfund site in Benson County, active or completed (October 2026).
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 10 high-hazard dams in Benson County. None is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory; 10 are rated Satisfactory or Fair. The two tallest are Spirit Lake Bia 5 (40 ft) and Spirit Lake Bia 4 North (38 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Disasters, air and water
Benson County was covered by 2 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Severe Storm 1, Flood 1), not counting COVID-19. Of 4 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest). NHTSA counted 5 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 2 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Benson County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 2 highway work zones in Benson County (all active that day). Listed roads include 2W and 57E. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Benson County?
Federal school lists show 14 public and 0 private schools in the county. USGS mapping shows 7 fire or EMS stations and 2 police or sheriff stations.
What tribal lands and sacred sites are in Benson County?
Census tribal areas that reach into Benson County: Spirit Lake Reservation.
Tribal areas are Census statistical boundaries, shown for reference; they are not legal boundaries.
See them on the map: tribal lands →
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Benson County
Gun shops
No gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Benson County. There is 1 licensed dealer without a public storefront (not shown).
Liquor stores
One liquor store is on the map in Benson County: Dakota Spirits INC (Minnewaukan).
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Benson County on the map.
See them on the map: liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Benson County?
Benson County averaged 82 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 0.66 per 1,000 residents, 75% lower than the North Dakota rate (2.7). The property-crime rate was 1.4 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Benson County?
$64,033 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $76,657 for North Dakota and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Benson County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 2.5% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 54 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Benson County?
Benson County carries a “Very Low” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here.
Is there road construction in Benson County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 2 highway work zones in Benson County (all active that day). Listed roads include 2W and 57E.
How does Benson County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eddy County | 2,307 | 0.79 | $50,850 |
| Nelson County | 3,016 | 0.87 | $67,193 |
| Pierce County | 3,928 | 0.64 | $59,365 |
| Ramsey County | 11,556 | 2.7 | $61,006 |
| Towner County | 2,079 | 0.87 | $67,350 |
| Wells County | 3,890 | 1.4 | $66,114 |
More: North Dakota statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
Home · Open the map · All places · About the data · Privacy · Terms