Cost to Own
United StatesKentuckyMarshall CountyBenton Population 4,774 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Benton, Kentucky

A $160,000 home here costs

$1,348

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $823. The real number is $525 higher every month — 64% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Benton median: $159,600
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $128,000 borrowed $823
Property tax0.789% effective rate for Benton itself $105
Homeowners insuranceKentucky averages $1,232/yr (NAIC), or 0.631% of home value $84
Electricity14.98¢/kWh — Kentucky residential average, EIA $135
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $133
Total monthly $1,348

Benton against Marshall County and Kentucky

MeasureBentonMarshall County
Median home value$159,600$173,700
Median property tax$1,259$1,246
Effective tax rate0.789%0.717%
Median gross rent$839$773
Population4,77431,728

The weather behind that power bill

Benton sits in Marshall County, which averages a high of 89.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 27.3°F in its coldest, with 50.32" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,683 cooling and 3,925 heating degree days, which is what sets the $135 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Marshall County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Marshall County

Full Marshall County cost breakdown · Every county in Kentucky

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Benton?

A $160,000 home in Benton, Kentucky costs approximately $1,348 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $823 principal and interest, $105 property tax, $84 homeowners insurance, $203 utilities and $133 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Benton?

Benton has an effective property tax rate of 0.789%, based on a median home value of $159,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,259. That is higher than the Marshall County average of 0.717%.

What is the average home price in Benton?

The median owner-occupied home value in Benton, Kentucky is $159,600, against $173,700 across Marshall County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Benton?

Median gross rent in Benton is $839 a month, against $1,348 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Benton — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Kentucky.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology