Benton, Kentucky

Benton is a home rule-class city in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. The current mayor of this city is Rita Dotson. The population was 4,349 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. Benton was named for Thomas Hart Benton, a senator from Missouri.Shape-note singers gather annually at Benton on the fourth Sunday in May to sing from a tunebook called The Southern Harmony. This event, organized in 1884 and called The Big Singing or Big Singing Day, is considered by many to be the oldest indigenous musical tradition in the United States. Benton is also known for an annual festival called "Tater Day", which attracts residents from all over the Jackson Purchase and involves games, deep fried food, and a parade.GeographyAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.9sqmi, all land.DemographicsAs of the 2010 Census, there were 4,349 people, 1,809 households, and 1,154 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,007.4 people per square mile (389.0/km²). There were 2,032 housing units at an average density of 470.7 per square mile (181.73/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.4% White (96.4% non-Hispanic), 0.4% African American, 0.1% Native American and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.8% of the population.