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Benton, Kansas facts for kids

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Benton, Kansas
Circle Middle School (2006)
Circle Middle School (2006)
Location within Butler County and Kansas
Location within Butler County and Kansas
KDOT map of Butler County (legend)
Country United States
State Kansas
County Butler
Founded 1884
Incorporated 1909
Named for Thomas Benton Murdock
Government
 • Type Council-Mayor
Area
 • Total 1.40 sq mi (3.62 km2)
 • Land 1.40 sq mi (3.62 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
1,375 ft (419 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 943
 • Density 673.6/sq mi (260.5/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
67017
Area code 316
FIPS code 20-06175
GNIS ID 2394143

Benton is a small city in Butler County, Kansas, United States. It's located northeast of Wichita along the K-254 highway. As of the 2020 census, about 943 people lived in Benton.

Benton's Story: How the City Began

Benton was started in 1884. It was named after Thomas Benton Murdock, a state politician. The city officially became an incorporated city in 1908.

In 1969, some parts of the movie The Gypsy Moths were filmed in the Benton area.

Benton's Location and Size

According to the United States Census Bureau, Benton covers a total area of about 1.39 square miles (3.62 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Who Lives in Benton?

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 240
1920 224 −6.7%
1930 253 12.9%
1940 235 −7.1%
1950 269 14.5%
1960 452 68.0%
1970 517 14.4%
1980 609 17.8%
1990 669 9.9%
2000 827 23.6%
2010 880 6.4%
2020 943 7.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

Benton is part of the larger Wichita, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. This means it's connected to the economy and community around Wichita.

Benton's Population in 2020

The 2020 United States census counted 943 people living in Benton. There were 375 households, which are groups of people living together. About 266 of these were families.

Most people in Benton, about 89%, were white. About 7% of the population identified as being from two or more races. About 5.5% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

  • About 33% of households had children under 18.
  • More than half (55.7%) of households were married couples.
  • About 24% of households were single individuals.
  • The average household had 2.5 people.

The median age in Benton was 39.5 years old. This means half the people were younger and half were older than 39.5.

  • About 26% of the population was under 18 years old.
  • About 15% of the population was 65 years or older.

Benton's Population in 2010

In 2010, there were 880 people living in Benton. There were 325 households.

  • About 43% of households had children under 18.
  • Most people (97.3%) were white.
  • About 2.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The median age in 2010 was 36 years.

  • About 29% of residents were under 18.
  • About 13% were 65 or older.

Learning in Benton: Schools

The public schools in Benton are part of the Circle USD 375 school district. Benton is home to two schools: Circle Benton Elementary and Circle Middle School. You can see the middle school from the K-254 highway.

Benton used to have its own high school, called Benton High School. It closed when schools were combined. The Benton Tigers baseball team won the Kansas State High School class B championship in 1957!

Circle Middle School: Home of the Thunderbolts

Circle Middle School is where students from Circle Benton Elementary, Circle Towanda Elementary, Circle Greenwich Elementary, and Circle Oil Hill Elementary go for seventh and eighth grades. The school's sports teams are called the Thunderbolts, and they are part of the Walnut Valley League (WVL). After finishing middle school, students go to Circle High School in Towanda.

Circle Middle School was built because the older elementary schools became too full. Many families moved to the area for jobs in nearby cities like Wichita, El Dorado, and Andover. The school board decided to build a new middle school in Benton. It was finished in the summer of 2002, and classes started that fall. The first group of 8th graders to attend the new middle school graduated from Circle High School in 2007.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Benton (Kansas) para niños

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