Benton, Louisiana
Benton, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 | |
 Location of Benton in Bossier Parish, Louisiana. | |
.svg) Location of Louisiana in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 32°41′30″N 93°44′36″W / 32.69167°N 93.74333°W[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Bossier |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.52 sq mi (6.53 km2) |
| • Land | 2.52 sq mi (6.52 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0077 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 203 ft (62 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 2,048 |
• Estimate (2024) | 2,099  |
| • Rank | BO: 3rd |
| • Density | 814.0/sq mi (314.29/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code | 71006 |
| Area code | 318 |
| FIPS code | 22-06925 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405245[1] |
| Website | townofbentonlouisiana |
Benton is a town in, and the parish seat of, Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,048 in 2020.[3] The town is named for 19th century U.S. Senator Thomas Hart Benton, a Democrat from Missouri and an ally of U.S. President Andrew Jackson.[4]
History
[edit]On April 3, 1999, a powerful F4 tornado roared through portions of the town killing six people and injuring 90. A mobile home park located south of town and homes near the Palmetto Country Club were devastated. Neighborhoods affected included Haymeadow Trailer Park, Palmetto Park/Palmetto Place (adjacent to the country club), Bay Hills, Woodlake South, Twin Lake Community, and many other newer lakefront homes located around Cypress Lake. The population of Benton lakefront area nearly doubled between 2004 and 2008.[5]
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), all land.
Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 402 | — | |
| 1940 | 519 | 29.1% | |
| 1950 | 741 | 42.8% | |
| 1960 | 1,336 | 80.3% | |
| 1970 | 1,493 | 11.8% | |
| 1980 | 1,864 | 24.8% | |
| 1990 | 2,047 | 9.8% | |
| 2000 | 2,035 | −0.6% | |
| 2010 | 1,948 | −4.3% | |
| 2020 | 2,048 | 5.1% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 2,099 | [6] | 2.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] | |||
2020 census
[edit]As of the 2020 census, Benton had a population of 2,048.[8] The median age was 36.9 years. 26.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.4 males age 18 and over.[9]
92.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 8.0% lived in rural areas.[10]
There were 818 households in Benton, of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 37.7% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 38.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[9] There were 516 families residing in the town.[3]
There were 940 housing units, of which 13.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 15.1%.[9]
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,083 | 52.88% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 719 | 35.11% |
| Native American | 11 | 0.54% |
| Asian | 26 | 1.27% |
| Other/Mixed | 116 | 5.66% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 93 | 4.54% |
Education
[edit]The community is in the Bossier Parish School District.[11]
Benton Elementary School's attendance zone includes almost all of Benton.[12] A small portion of Benton is within the boundary of Kingston Elementary School.[13] All of Benton is in the attendance zones of: Benton Intermediate School,[14] Benton Middle School,[15] and Benton High School.[16]
Bossier Parish is in the areas of Bossier Parish Community College and Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College.[17]
Notable people
[edit]- Billy Bretherton, entomologist and co-owner of Vexcon Inc.
- Mike Johnson, 56th Speaker of the US House of Representatives[18]
- Henry Warren Ogden, Virginia-born planter in Benton and politician
- Ford E. Stinson, former state representative[19]
- Jeff R. Thompson, former state representative and judge
References
[edit]- ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Benton, Louisiana
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
- ^ "Kay McMahan, "Bossier Parish, LA, Towns"". usgwarchives.net. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
- ^ USA Today - 04 April 1999
- ^ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2025.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Bossier Parish, LA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 9, 2024. - Text list
- ^ "Benton Elementary School Attendance Zone Map" (PDF). Bossier City School Board. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
- ^ "Kingston Elementary School Attendance Zone Map" (PDF). Bossier City School Board. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
Compare to: "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Benton town, LA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 9, 2024. - ^ "Benton Intermediate School Attendance Zone Map" (PDF). Bossier City School Board. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
- ^ "Benton Middle School Attendance Zone Map" (PDF). Bossier City School Board. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
- ^ "Benton High School Attendance Zone Map" (PDF). Bossier City School Board. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
- ^ "Our Colleges". Louisiana's Technical and Community Colleges. Retrieved March 9, 2024. shows Bossier Parish in the service areas of BPCC and NLTCC.
- ^ "Mike Johnson State Representative". mikejohnsonlouisiana.com. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
- ^ "Social Security Death Index". rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved July 20, 2009.
Municipalities and communities of Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent parish or parishes | |
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