Oregon · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Benton County, OR

Prices around Benton County, OR run 4% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $77,702 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,824 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $72,960 a year.

Benton County, OR at a glance

Median household income

$77,702$6,475 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,824HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)104.0+4% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity16.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential OR
Population96,303Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Benton County, OR?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,824Monthly market rent
Share of gross income28.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$72,960To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,943At 30% of $77,702
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Benton County, OR? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Corvallis, OR MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Benton County, OR, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,350$16,200$54,00020.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,451$17,412$58,04022.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,824$21,888$72,96028.2%
3-Bedroom Home$2,537$30,444$101,48039.2%
4-Bedroom Home$2,862$34,344$114,48044.2%

Rent in Benton County, OR, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Benton County, OR

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $77,702 a year ($6,475 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,238/moRent ($1,824 2-BR), utilities (~$147/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,943/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,295/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $77,702 leaves after Oregon taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Oregon tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$77,702
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$77,702
Net 75%
Fed 11%
OR 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$58,232After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,853Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,240Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate25.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,264 / yr
Oregon state income tax$5,262 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,944 / yr

Living in Benton County, OR: common questions

What is the median household income in Benton County, OR?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Benton County, OR is $77,702 per year (approximately $6,475 per month).

What is the average rent in Benton County, OR?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,350 for a studio, $1,451 for one bedroom, $1,824 for two, $2,537 for three and $2,862 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Benton County, OR expensive to live in?

Prices there run 4% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 104.0, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Benton County, OR?

To keep a $1,824 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $72,960 a year, or $6,080 a month. That is 94% of what the typical household in Benton County, OR earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Benton County, OR?

On the local median income of $77,702 ($6,475 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,238 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,943 for everything else and $1,295 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,824 takes 56% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Benton County, OR?

Homes in Oregon paid 16.3¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $147. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.