Benton County (Washington)

Benton County is a county located in the state of Washington of the United States. The administrative headquarters ( County Seat) is Prosser. Largest city is Kennewick.

Geography

Benton County is located in the south of the state. The northern, southern and eastern border is formed by the Columbia River. The county has an area of ​​4599 square kilometers; of which 148 square miles ( 3.24 percent) of water.

History

The county was on March 8. Founded in 1905 and according to Thomas Hart Benton, the senator from Missouri, named.

1943, the Hanford nuclear plant was built site in the flow loop Hanford Reach of the Columbia as part of the Manhattan Project. Here the plutonium was produced for nuclear bombs of the Trinity test and the attack on Nagasaki. After the plant was shut down, Bill Clinton was dedicated in 2000, large parts of the area as a nature reserve Hanford Reach National Monument.

Demographic data

2000

According to the census of 2000, there were 142 475 people in the county. There were 52 866 households, and 38,063 families. The population density was 32 ​​people per square kilometer. The racial the population was composed of 86.25 % White, 0.93 % African American, 0.82 % Native American, 2.20 % Asian, 0.11 % Pacific Islander residents from the and 7.01% from other races groups; 2.69% were descended from two or more races. 12.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 52 866 households out of which 38.20 % have children under the age of 18 living with them. 57.60 % were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband. 28.00 % were non-families. 23.20 % of all households and 7.70 % had someone living alone at the age of 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.17.

Based on the county the population was spread out with 29.70 % under the age of 18, 8.60 % from 18 to 24, 28.50 % from 25 to 44 years, 22.90 % between 45 and 64 years and 10.30% were 65 years old or older. The average age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.70 males, 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.30 males.

The median income for a household was $ 47,044, and the median income for a family was $ 54,146. Males have a median income of $ 45,556, women $ 27,232. The per capita income was $ 21,301. 10.30% of the population and 7.80% of families are below the poverty line. 14.30 % of those under age 18 and 6.90% were 65 years or older.