Home / Home Buying by state / Wisconsin / Lafayette County / Benton

Buying a home in Benton, Wisconsin

The typical owner-occupied home in Benton is worth about $157,400, 41% below the Wisconsin median of $266,500 and 53% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,460 a year in property taxes, about 1.56% of their home's value, higher than the Wisconsin rate of 1.42%. The median household earns $80,938 a year, so the median home costs 1.9 times the median income (3.4 times for Wisconsin). 80% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 66% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Benton at a glance

Benton Wisconsin U.S.
Median home value $157,400 $266,500 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,460 $3,792 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.56% 1.42% 0.94%
Median household income $80,938 $77,485 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 80% 68% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 66% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,326 $1,689 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 17.7% 19.5% 21.0%
Median rent $889 $1,087 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 20.8% 27.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1967 1975 1980
Vacant homes 0.5% 10.8% 10.1%
Population 1,054 5,914,872 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Benton

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Benton home of $157,400 with 20% down costs about $1,117 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,379, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $47,883 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 17% of the median Benton household income of $80,938; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $266,000.

The median rent here is $889 a month, so owning the median home costs about $228 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$31,480
Loan amount$125,920
Principal and interest$847
Property taxes (1.56% a year)$205
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$66
PMI$0
Total per month$1,117

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,509
Loan amount$154,549
Principal and interest$1,040
Property taxes (1.56% a year)$205
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$66
FHA mortgage insurance$70
Total per month$1,379

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Benton

What is the median home value in Benton?

About $157,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Benton?

Homeowners pay a median $2,460 a year, which is about 1.56% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Benton?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,117 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $47,883 a year.

More about Benton

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data