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Benton County, Tennessee facts for kids

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Benton County
Benton County Courthouse in Camden
Benton County Courthouse in Camden
Official seal of Benton County
Seal
Map of Tennessee highlighting Benton County
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Map of the United States highlighting Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Tennessee
Founded 1836
Named for David Benton (early settler)
Seat Camden
Largest city Camden
Area
 • Total 436 sq mi (1,130 km2)
 • Land 394 sq mi (1,020 km2)
 • Water 41 sq mi (110 km2)  9.6%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 15,864 Decrease
 • Density 40.26/sq mi (15.54/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts 7th, 8th

Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,864. Its county seat is Camden. The county was created in December 1835 and organized in 1836.

Benton County is located in northwest Tennessee, bordering the western branch of the Tennessee River and 30 miles south of the Kentucky border. Aside from Camden, other major communities include agrarian communities Big Sandy and Holladay. It is known well in the area for its duck hunting and fishing industries, and in the past, was recognized for sorghum production, although it is no longer produced there.

History

Benton County was formed in 1835 from part of Humphreys County. It was named in honor of David Benton (1779–1860), who was an early settler in the county and a member of the Third Regiment, Tennessee Militia in the Creek War.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 436 square miles (1,130 km2), of which 394 square miles (1,020 km2) is land and 42 square miles (110 km2) (9.6%) is water.

Adjacent counties

National protected area

State protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1840 4,772
1850 6,315 32.3%
1860 8,463 34.0%
1870 8,234 −2.7%
1880 9,780 18.8%
1890 11,230 14.8%
1900 11,888 5.9%
1910 12,452 4.7%
1920 12,046 −3.3%
1930 11,237 −6.7%
1940 11,976 6.6%
1950 11,495 −4.0%
1960 10,662 −7.2%
1970 12,126 13.7%
1980 14,901 22.9%
1990 14,524 −2.5%
2000 16,537 13.9%
2010 16,489 −0.3%
2020 15,864 −3.8%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2020
USA Benton County, Tennessee.csv age pyramid
Age pyramid Benton County

2020 census

Benton County racial composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 14,378 90.63%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 316 1.99%
Native American 50 0.32%
Asian 107 0.67%
Pacific Islander 4 0.03%
Other/Mixed 634 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 375 2.36%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,864 people, 6,762 households, and 3,832 families residing in the county.

Communities

City

Town

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Benton (Tennessee) para niños

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