How many renters live in Benton County, Arkansas?
The County of Benton County has 302,863 people living in 112,045 households.
There are 84,995 renters living in 33,330 renter households in this County. Renters make up 28.06 percent of the population living in Benton County.
What is the rental market like in Benton County, Arkansas?
There are an estimated 122,498 housing units in the Benton County area. Of these, 35,319 units are rental homes, making up 29 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Benton County, Arkansas, there are 1 rental units.
What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Benton County?
The rental vacancy rate in Benton County is 3 percent. This is a lower than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are low there are fewer available units. Rents tend to be higher as more people compete for scarce housing.
How many rental units are in Benton County for each bedroom size?
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Benton County
| Studio | One-Bedroom | Two-Bedroom | Three-Bedroom | Four+ Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 761 | 5,576 | 14,003 | 9,765 | 2,999 |
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Benton County
A large number of apartments in Benton County have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.
How many renter households in Benton County are overburdened by housing costs?
Among renter households in this market, 29 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 12 percent of households are extremely rent overburdened. When renters pay too much for their housing, it leaves little money for other necessities like food, clothes, or medicine.
The federal government says that renters are cost-burdened if they pay more than a third of their monthly income for rent and utilities.
How Much Is Rent in Benton County
Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $871 to $1,847. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.
| Bed Size | 2024 Fair Market Rents |
| Studio | $871 |
| One BR | $924 |
| Two BR | $1,121 |
| Three BR | $1,580 |
| Four BR | $1,847 |
2024 Fair Market Rents in Benton County, Arkansas
How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Benton County?
Renters with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher must select a home that is at or below the area’s Fair Market Rent. Markets with a large share of units above FMR tend to have longer search times to find a qualified unit, while those with a large share of units below FMR tend to have more choices and shorter search times. The share below FMR can vary by size of unit, as shown in the table below.
These are the approximate number of units renting below the FMR in this market:
| Unit Size | Count of Units Below FMR | Percentage of Total Units Below FMR |
| Studio | 475 | 62 percent |
| One BR | 2,059 | 37 percent |
| Two BR | 7,433 | 53 percent |
Rental Units Below FMR in Benton County, Arkansas
How many affordable rental units are in Benton County?
There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Benton County, Arkansas including the following:
| Federal Program | Unit Count |
| Low Income Housing Tax Credit | 2,862 |
| Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance | 272 |
| Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly | 180 |
| USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing | 410 |
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Benton County, Arkansas
Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.
Income Based Apartments in Benton County, Arkansas
Benton County features 1,159 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Benton County, Arkansas
There are 2,850 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Benton County.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Benton County, Arkansas
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Benton County landlords $400 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $300 towards rent in Benton County.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Benton County, Arkansas for a two-bedroom apartment is between $1,009 and $1,233.
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
