Town guide

Benson, North Carolina

Benson is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina, home to about 4,282 people across 2.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 27504.

Homes sold for a median of $187 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.

Population4,2821,529 per sq mi
Median home value$279,800Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$187Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking9%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Benson

1 ZIP code

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Benson. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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  • History
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  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around Benson

Distances

Nearest major airportRaleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)36 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Raleigh, NC30 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Philadelphia, PA369 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Benson; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Benson

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Benson had 3,967 residents in the 2020 census, up 36% since 2000.

It’s the 199th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.

Johnston County grew from 32,250 residents in 1900 to 215,999 in 2020.

Benson population by census2000: 2,923, 2010: 3,311, 2020: 3,9672,92320003,31120103,9672020

Johnston County, 1900–2020

Johnston County population, 1900 to 20201900: 32,250, 1910: 41,401, 1920: 48,998, 1930: 57,621, 1940: 63,798, 1950: 65,906, 1960: 62,936, 1970: 61,737, 1980: 70,599, 1990: 81,306, 2000: 121,965, 2010: 168,878, 2020: 215,99932K’00’1049K’20’3064K’40’5063K’60’7071K’80’90122K’00’10216K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 92°F in summer, and winter lows average 32°F. About 50.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 2 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near BensonJan: high 55°F, low 32°F, 3.6 in; Feb: high 58°F, low 34°F, 3.2 in; Mar: high 66°F, low 40°F, 3.7 in; Apr: high 75°F, low 49°F, 3.6 in; May: high 82°F, low 58°F, 3.8 in; Jun: high 89°F, low 67°F, 5 in; Jul: high 92°F, low 71°F, 5.9 in; Aug: high 90°F, low 69°F, 5.5 in; Sep: high 85°F, low 63°F, 5.5 in; Oct: high 75°F, low 51°F, 3.2 in; Nov: high 66°F, low 40°F, 3.6 in; Dec: high 58°F, low 35°F, 3.6 in55°32°Jan3.658°34°Feb3.266°40°Mar3.775°49°Apr3.682°58°May3.889°67°Jun5.092°71°Jul5.990°69°Aug5.585°63°Sep5.575°51°Oct3.266°40°Nov3.658°35°Dec3.6Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Dunn 4 Nw, NC weather station (10 miles away).

Jobs in Johnston County

49,067 jobs at 4,151 businesses in Johnston County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Johnston CountyRetail trade: 9,012 jobs; Manufacturing: 7,853 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 7,371 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 5,547 jobs; Construction: 5,390 jobs; Administrative and support: 3,170 jobs; Wholesale trade: 2,111 jobs; Other services: 2,003 jobsRetail trade 18% Manufacturing 16% Hotels and restaurants 15% Health care and social assistance 11% Construction 11% Administrative and support 7% Wholesale trade 4% Other services 4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

70 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Benson.

Nearest hospitals

  • Betsy Johnson Regional HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Dunn7.3 miles
  • Johnston HealthGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Smithfield13.0 miles
  • Wakemed, Raleigh CampusGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Raleigh26.5 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors8
Specialist doctors1
Dentists10
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants30
Mental health providers9
Physical and occupational therapists2
Optometrists6
Chiropractors4
Pharmacies11

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Benson

Grocery stores

  • Food Lion1.9 mi
  • IGA1.9 mi
  • Byrd's Gas & Grocery2.8 mi

Pharmacies

  • Warren Drug Co Inc1.6 mi
  • Walgreens1.7 mi

Libraries

  • Mary Duncan Public Library1.6 mi

Museums

  • Benson Museum of Local History1.6 mi

Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Schools in Benson

Public schools here are run by Johnston County Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (5)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Benson ElementaryBensonPre-K–5719Public0.8 mi
Meadow SchoolBensonPre-K–8646Public7.6 mi
Benson MiddleBenson6–8377Public1.1 mi
McGee's Crossroads MiddleBenson6–8757Public7.8 mi
West Johnston HighBenson9–121,563Public8.2 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where Benson is

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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.