Benton County, Mississippi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Benton County
U.S. county
The Old Benton County courthouse in Ashland
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
Founded	1870
Named for	Samuel Benton
Seat	Ashland
Largest town	Hickory Flat
Area
• Total	409 sq mi (1,060 km2)
• Land	407 sq mi (1,050 km2)
• Water	2.0 sq mi (5 km2)  0.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,646
• Estimate  (2023)	7,438
• Density	18.694/sq mi (7.218/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st

Benton County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Mississippi. In 2020, about 7,646 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Ashland.

Many people once thought Benton County was named after a US Senator, Thomas Hart Benton. However, it was actually named to honor Samuel Benton. He was a Brigadier General from the Confederacy, from nearby Holly Springs. Benton County is also part of the larger Memphis, Tennessee, metropolitan area.

Exploring Benton County's Geography

Bottomland hardwood swamp near Ashland, Mississippi

Benton County covers a total area of 409 square miles. Most of this area, 407 square miles, is land. Only 2.0 square miles (0.5%) is water. This makes it the fifth-smallest county in Mississippi by land area.

The Wolf River starts in Benton County. Its source, or beginning, is a spring called Baker's Pond. This spring is located in the Holly Springs National Forest. The river then winds its way north and west across northern Benton County. It eventually flows into Fayette County, Tennessee.

Main Roads in Benton County

• Interstate 22
• U.S. Route 72
• U.S. Route 78
• Mississippi Highway 2
• Mississippi Highway 4
• Mississippi Highway 5
• Mississippi Highway 7
• Mississippi Highway 178
• Mississippi Highway 370

Neighboring Counties

Benton County shares borders with several other counties:

• Hardeman County, Tennessee (to the northeast)
• Tippah County (to the east)
• Union County (to the south)
• Marshall County (to the west)
• Fayette County, Tennessee (to the northwest)

Protected Natural Areas

• Holly Springs National Forest (part of it is in Benton County)

People of Benton County

2020 Census Information

The United States Census counts the population every ten years. In 2020, there were 7,646 people living in Benton County. These people lived in 3,149 households, which included 2,082 families.

Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Benton County in 2020:

Towns and Places in Benton County

A sign welcoming visitors to Benton County, Mississippi.

Benton County has several towns and other communities.

Towns

• Ashland (This is the county seat, where the main county government offices are.)
• Hickory Flat
• Snow Lake Shores

Census-Designated Place

• Lamar (This is a special area defined by the census for collecting data.)

Unincorporated Places

These are smaller communities that are not officially organized as towns:

• Canaan
• Hopewell
• Michigan City
• Winborn

Former Town

• Salem (This town no longer exists.)

Learning in Benton County

The Benton County School District runs the public schools in the area.

From 1965 to the late 1980s, there was also a private school in Ashland called Gray's Academy.

Famous People from Benton County

• Norris C. Williamson (1874–1950) was born in Benton County. He later became a member of the Louisiana State Senate. He worked to get rid of a cattle tick pest.
• Floyd Lee (1933–2020) was a blues musician born in Lamar. He helped start "Music Under New York" and later became a judge on their board.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Benton (Misisipi) para niños