The Town FilesBenton, Maine
Town in Kennebec County · population 2,715 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $176,700
- Household income
- $61,437
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 86 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 42.8
Benton is a town of 2,715 people in Kennebec County, Maine. The median home is worth $176,700, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more of a college town than 90% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 76% of Maine towns.
How Benton ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Benton is worth $176,700, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $61,437, which is more affordable than 71% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,110 a month. 84.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Benton | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $176,700 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,110 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $61,437 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 84.2% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Benton
| People | Benton | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.0% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.0% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.1% | 90.0% |
Weather in Benton
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 8.8°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 85.5 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Benton since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, unrated, struck on July 1, 1963 about 4.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 1, 1963.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 13, 1983.
Severe weather in Kennebec County since 1996
Kennebec County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Kennebec County
Kennebec County had 62,487 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,846 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Benton itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Benton
1 public school with 515 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton Elementary School | 1-6 | 515 | 12.9 |
Towns near Benton
- Fairfield, ME4.3 mi · 2,616 people · home $139,600
- Winslow, ME5.1 mi · 5,318 people · home $217,900
- Clinton, ME5.3 mi · 3,370 people · home $187,000
- Winslow, ME5.5 mi · 7,948 people · home $225,300
- Waterville, ME7.7 mi · 15,828 people · home $184,600
- Fairfield, ME8.2 mi · 6,484 people · home $164,300
- Oakland, ME9.6 mi · 2,536 people · home $167,000
- Oakland, ME10.6 mi · 6,230 people · home $236,000
Benton questions
Is Benton, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Benton scores better for retirees than 17% of Maine towns and quieter than 34%. 21.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Benton?
The median owner-occupied home in Benton is valued at $176,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,437, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,110 a month.
What is the weather like in Benton?
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 8.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 85.5 inches of snow.
Does Benton get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Benton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events). The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)