.jpg){kind=link}
Why visit Benson
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 2 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include DeMarce Theatre, Swift County Courthouse and Swift County Historical Museum.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 1°F, and about 43 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Benson
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Benson
Benson is a city in Swift County, Minnesota, United States, along the Chippewa River. The population was 3,480 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat.
From the Wikipedia article Benson, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks2
Swift County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes2
History
Benson was platted in 1870 when the railroad was extended to that point. As the end of the tracks, Benson became a lively trading center. Benson was the market for a 100-mile area in almost all directions.
The city was named for Ben H. Benson, a Norwegian settler. Benson was incorporated as a city in 1908.
The town's early history included many tragedies, such as an 1872 smallpox epidemic, an 1876 grasshopper plague, and a fire in 1880 that wiped out a whole city block.
In 1869, the first general store in Benson was established. A post office has been in operation at Benson since 1870. The Benson Public Library was established in 1911 after a generous donation. In 1912, the Swift County Hospital was built, originally housing 19 patients. Benson's first one-room schoolhouse still stands as a historic site in Ambush Park and is open to the public. The current schools were established in 1890 (Benson High School]) and 1958 (Northside Elementary School).
From the History section of Benson, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship2
Christ Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places
Church of St. Francis Xavier
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Healthcare1
Map of Benson
17 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°F | 1°F | 0.7 in | 8.3 in |
| Feb | 26°F | 5°F | 0.8 in | 8.5 in |
| Mar | 39°F | 18°F | 1.5 in | 7.1 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 32°F | 2.6 in | 4.2 in |
| May | 69°F | 46°F | 3.3 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 57°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 61°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 58°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 49°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 35°F | 2.5 in | 0.3 in |
| Nov | 41°F | 22°F | 1.2 in | 5.7 in |
| Dec | 26°F | 8°F | 0.8 in | 8.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Benson (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Swift County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2023-07-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2022-08-09: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2022-07-08: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-12: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Benson Municipal Airport (BBB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Murdock 12 mi southeast, about 19 min by car
- Hancock 16 mi northwest, about 25 min by car
- Kerkhoven 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- Starbuck 21 mi north, about 33 min by car
- Appleton 22 mi west, about 35 min by car
- Morris 24 mi northwest, about 38 min by car
- Willmar 30 mi southeast, about 48 min by car
- Alexandria 40 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Atwater 42 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Albany 55 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- 2012-0828-Swift-CountyCourthouse, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY-SA 3.0
- City of Benson, Minnesota - Water Tower (29332442752), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Post Office, Benson, MN, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Swift County Courthouse, Benson, MN-05, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Swift County Courthouse, Benson, MN-08, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Swift County Courthouse, Benson, MN-07, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Swift County Courthouse, Benson, MN-06, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Benson Public Library, Benson, MN, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Old Christ Episcopal Church, Benson, Minnesota-01, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Old Christ Episcopal Church, Benson, Minnesota-02, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Pilgrim Congregational UCC, Benson, Minnesota, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Church of St. Francis Xavier (Benson, Minnesota) 04, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- 1992 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency Elite - 51820396377, Greg Gjerdingen, CC BY 2.0
- 1992 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency Elite, Greg Gjerdingen, CC BY 2.0
- 2012-0828-Swift-ChristEpiscChurch, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 1993 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue (5950472578), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 93 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue (5950469052), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 93 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue (5950471358), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 93 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue (5949912053), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 93 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue (5949915689), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 2012-0828-Swift-StFrancisXavier, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Swift County History Museum-street side, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Swift County History Museum-entrance, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1966 GMC Pick-Up (28116249230), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1968 Pontiac Catalina (28294625582), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1954 Chevrolet 3600 Pick-Up (28320180891), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1968 Pontiac Catalina Hardtop & Convertible (27783224783), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible (27782113244), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1968 Plymouth Barracuda (28294731702), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit Pick-Up (30556723382), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit Pick-Up (30042137294), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit Pick-Up (30373809360), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- ISS031-E-46636 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS021-E-28882 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS031-E-46635 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS026-E-20178 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- 1974 Volkswagen 412 - Flickr - Crown Star Images, Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
_04.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.