Benton, IL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Illinois·Benton

Franklin County · population 6,578

AffordabilityBargain huntersSmall-town feel
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
35
Cooling
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Benton stands

17% off 5-year peak.

Median home $110,432
1-year +2.2%
5-yr CAGR -2.9%
vs 5-yr peak -16.8%
Population -0.5%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2020-07$110k$93k$109k$124k$140k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
10/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
38/100
Marginal for remote
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
61 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
18 · w22%
Distance from peak
28 · w18%
Population growth
38 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
25 · w10%
Long thesis

Benton is 17% off its 5-year peak and turning back up (+2.2% in the last year). Classic 'bought back the dip' setup — risk is that the trend reverses, reward is that it doesn't and you got in early.

Short thesis

Benton is a small market with thin transaction volume and modest appreciation. The bear case is liquidity: when you eventually sell, your buyer pool is small, slow, and price-sensitive.

About Benton

Benton is a city in Franklin County, Illinois, with an estimated population of 6,578. The median home value in Benton is $110,432 as of 2026-04, up 2.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged -2.9% annual growth, and the market currently sits about 17% below its 5-year peak. The composite momentum score is 35 of 100 (Cooling). Buyers may find more room to negotiate; sellers should price realistically.

▲ Bull case

●Affordable AND rising: median home $110,432 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
●Quiet strength: +2.2% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.

▼ Bear case

●17% off recent peak — buyers are getting through-the-cycle pricing, not the peak.
●Flat or shrinking population: -0.5% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
●Stagnant long-run trend: +0.0% 10-year CAGR plus flat population — appreciation case is weak.
○Thin housing market: small population means fewer transactions and slower resale. Liquidity risk on exit.

Playbook

Buyer

You have leverage. Negotiate price, ask for closing-cost credits, and don't waive inspection. Walk-away power is real in a Cooling market — use it.

Seller

Price aggressively (at or below recent sold comps) or be prepared to wait. Concessions — rate buydowns, closing costs, repair credits — are how deals close right now.

Investor

Cap rates are more attractive than they were 12 months ago but the appreciation tailwind is gone. Confirm tenant demand, vacancy rates, and exit liquidity before committing capital.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Franklin County right now.

NWS active alerts (IL)Illinois Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Franklin County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Benton

Canton, IL57 · StableMount Carmel, IL35 · CoolingMacomb, IL53 · StableDu Quoin, IL46 · Cooling

Run the numbers for Benton

ToolCan I afford Benton?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Benton rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Benton to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolBenton cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
33° / 18°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
189
~52% of year
Annual precip
38″ rain
22″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Benton listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Chicago area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$78,400
Illinois state median
Top industries (state-level)
FinanceManufacturingHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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