Benton County is a county in Mississippi, United States, on the Tennessee state line at the head of the Hatchie River watershed. It had a population of 7,646 at the 2020 census and covers 409 square miles (1,060 km2), of which 407 square miles are land and 2.0 square miles are water, centred near 34°49′N 89°11′W.
Ashland is the county seat, and its postal code is 38603. The county has three incorporated municipalities, one census-designated place, and several unincorporated communities. It sits in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 28009. Benton is the only county in Mississippi with a total ban on alcohol sales, with no local exceptions.
Towns & Villages in Benton County
Benton County has three incorporated towns and cities, one census-designated place (Lamar), and a handful of unincorporated crossroads communities. Mississippi has no civil-township layer, so places are listed without a township column. “Unincorp.” marks a settlement with no municipal government of its own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland | City · seat | — | 38603 |
| Hickory Flat | City | — | 38633 |
| Snow Lake Shores | Town | — | 38603 |
| Lamar | CDP | — | 38633 |
| Michigan City | Unincorp. | — | 38647 |
| Canaan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hopewell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Winborn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bethel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Black Jack | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brody | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hamilton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Canaan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pine Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spring Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
Snow Lake Shores, a small lake-resort town on the county’s eastern edge, is one of the smallest incorporated municipalities in Mississippi by population. Michigan City straddles the Tippah County line, and its ZIP code also reaches into neighboring Tippah addresses.
ZIP Codes
- 38603 — Ashland (also serves Snow Lake Shores and nearby rural addresses)
- 38633 — Hickory Flat (also serves Lamar)
- 38647 — Michigan City
Smaller communities such as Canaan, Hopewell, Winborn, Bethel, Black Jack, Brody, Hamilton, New Canaan, Pine Grove, and Spring Hill do not have their own post offices and use the ZIP code of the nearest of the three towns above.
Geography
Benton County lies in the hill country of north-central Mississippi, on the edge of the Tennessee River Hills, with rolling terrain drained toward the Hatchie and Tallahatchie river systems. Of its 409 square miles, 407 are land and 2.0 are water, making it the fifth-smallest county in Mississippi by land area. The county borders Marshall County to the west, Union County to the south, Tippah County to the east, and Hardeman County and Fayette County, Tennessee, to the north.
Demographics
Benton County had 7,646 residents at the 2020 census. Ashland and Hickory Flat are the county’s two largest communities. Median household income countywide runs well below the Mississippi median of $54,203, reflecting the county’s small, rural tax base. Population density is roughly 19 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture and forestry anchor the local economy, with timber, cattle, and row crops the main land uses across the county’s hill farms and bottomland. Ashland, the county seat, hosts the courthouse and county government offices, the largest concentration of local employment. Hickory Flat is home to a public school serving much of the county. The county’s total ban on alcohol sales, unique among Mississippi’s 82 counties, shapes local commerce and is frequently cited in state coverage of Mississippi’s patchwork of wet and dry counties.
History
Benton County was organized in 1870, carved from parts of Marshall, Tippah, and Tishomingo counties during Mississippi’s Reconstruction era. Local tradition long held that the county was named for U.S. Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri, but the name actually honors the senator’s nephew, Confederate Brigadier General Samuel Benton of nearby Holly Springs in Marshall County, who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Atlanta in 1864. Ashland was established as the county seat at the county’s founding.
Getting There
Interstate 22 and U.S. Routes 72 and 78 cross the county, along with Mississippi Highways 2, 4, 5, 7, 178, and 370.
- Holly Springs, Mississippi — about 15 miles west
- New Albany, Mississippi — about 15 miles southeast
- Memphis, Tennessee — about 55 miles northwest
- Corinth, Mississippi — about 55 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Memphis International Airport (MEM), roughly an hour’s drive northwest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Benton County, Mississippi?
It is in the hill country of north-central Mississippi, on the Tennessee state line northeast of Holly Springs.
What is the population of Benton County?
Benton County had a population of 7,646 at the 2020 census.
How big is Benton County?
The county covers 409 square miles (1,060 km2), of which 407 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Benton County?
Ashland is the county seat.
How many towns are in Benton County?
The county has three incorporated municipalities — Ashland, Hickory Flat, and Snow Lake Shores — plus the census-designated place of Lamar and several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Benton County?
Ashland uses 38603, Hickory Flat uses 38633, and Michigan City uses 38647.
Why is Benton County dry?
Benton is the only county in Mississippi with a complete ban on alcohol sales and carries no local exceptions, unlike most of the state’s other dry counties.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Mississippi.