BENCO Electric Cooperative
Blue Earth-Nicollet Cooperative Electric Association (BENCO) was founded on May 11, 1936. The first recorded meeting took place on June 12, 1937, at Mankato City Hall. The first pole on the BENCO system was set on June 27, 1938, in Traverse Township, Nicollet County. The line was energized on September 16, 1938. Faribault County Cooperative Electric Association was founded in 1936.
These two cooperatives consolidated into Blue Earth-Nicollet-Faribault Cooperative Electric Association (Frost-BENCO Electric) on January 1, 1980. Wells Electric Cooperative was founded in July 1935. Frost-BENCO and Wells Electric cooperative merged in January 1, 1988 and become Frost-BENCO-Wells Electric. In 1998, Frost-BENCO-Wells Electric became a Touchstone Energy® partner and began doing business as BENCO Electric.
Population
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Population
| Population | 2000 | 2010 | 2026 | 2031 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BENCO Electric Cooperative | 102,680 | 112,356 | 121,777 | 123,260 |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Population by Age
| Population | 2026 |
|---|---|
| 0-4 | 6,441 |
| 5-9 | 6,819 |
| 10-14 | 6,952 |
| 15-19 | 10,519 |
| 20-24 | 12,999 |
| 25-29 | 8,254 |
| 30-34 | 7,330 |
| 35-39 | 7,423 |
| 40-44 | 7,846 |
| 45-49 | 6,949 |
| 50-54 | 5,687 |
| 55-59 | 5,772 |
| 60-64 | 6,385 |
| 65-69 | 6,628 |
| 70-74 | 5,830 |
| 75-79 | 4,202 |
| 80-84 | 2,736 |
| 85+ | 3,006 |
| 18+ | 97,171 |
| Median Age | 36 |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Population by Race
| BENCO Electric Cooperative | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Total | 121,777.00 |
| White Alone | 84.08% |
| Black Alone | 5.75% |
| American Indian Alone | 0.54% |
| Asian Alone | 2.27% |
| Pacific Islander Alone | 0.07% |
| Some Other Race | 2.19% |
| Two or More Races | 5.11% |
| Hispanic Origin | 5.46% |
| Diversity Index | 36.00 |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Growth Rate
| BENCO Electric Cooperative | 2026 - 2031 |
|---|---|
| Population | 0.24% |
| Households | 0.44% |
| Families | 0.21% |
| Median Household Income | 2% |
| Per Capita Income | 2% |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Housing
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Households
| Population | 2000 | 2010 | 2026 | 2031 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 38,652 | 43,276 | 48,271 | 49,353 |
| Housing Units | 40,908 | 46,680 | 52,215 | 53,391 |
| Owner Occupied Units | 31,703 | 32,278 | ||
| Renter Occupied Units | 16,568 | 17,076 | ||
| Vacant Units | 3,944 | 4,038 |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Home Value
| BENCO Electric Cooperative | 2026 | 2031 |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $307,828 | $366,863 |
| Average Home Value | $348,970 | $416,523 |
| <$50,000 | 1,317 | 1,514 |
| $50,000 - $99,999 | 1,235 | 997 |
| $100,000 - $149,999 | 1,659 | 948 |
| $150,000 - $199,999 | 2,561 | 1,287 |
| $200,000 - $249,999 | 3,876 | 2,106 |
| $250,000 - $299,999 | 4,575 | 3,502 |
| $300,000 - $399,999 | 8,035 | 8,649 |
| $400,000 - $499,999 | 3,820 | 5,422 |
| $500,000 - $749,999 | 3,240 | 5,549 |
| $1,000,000 + | 485 | 803 |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Housing Year Built
| Year Range | Houses Built |
|---|---|
| 2010 or Later | 5,158 |
| 2000-2009 | 7,045 |
| 1990-1999 | 5,015 |
| 1980-1989 | 4,183 |
| 1970-1979 | 6,460 |
| 1960-1969 | 4,712 |
| 1950-1959 | 4,608 |
| 1940-1949 | 2,512 |
| 1939 or Before | 10,444 |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Back To TopIncome
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Income
| BENCO Electric Cooperative | 2026 | 2031 |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household | $75,506 | $82,390 |
| Average Household | $103,234 | $114,865 |
| Per Capita | $41,540 | $46,622 |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Household Income
| BENCO Electric Cooperative | 2026 |
|---|---|
| <$15,000 | 4,518 |
| $15,000 - $24,999 | 2,695 |
| $25,000 - $34,999 | 3,182 |
| $35,000 - $49,999 | 4,717 |
| $50,000 - $74,999 | 8,856 |
| $75,000 - $99,999 | 6,209 |
| $100,000 - $149,999 | 9,298 |
| $150,000 - $199,999 | 4,472 |
| $200,000+ | 4,324 |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Back To TopEmployees
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Commute
| Category | Commuters |
|---|---|
| Workers 16+ | 62,487 |
| In-County Residents | 43,247 |
| Out-of-County Residents | 18,915 |
| Drive Alone | 46,210 |
| Carpooled | 5,903 |
| Public Transport | 579 |
| Work at Home | 6,213 |
| Motorcycle | 66 |
| Bicycle | 208 |
| Walked | 2,631 |
| Other | 580 |
| Less than 5 minutes | 3,869 |
| 5-9 minutes | 11,642 |
| 10-14 minutes | 13,794 |
| 15-19 minutes | 10,597 |
| 20-24 minutes | 5,634 |
| 25-29 minutes | 2,116 |
| 30-34 minutes | 3,225 |
| 35-39 minutes | 944 |
| 40-44 minutes | 638 |
| 45-59 minutes | 1,707 |
| 60-89 minutes | 1,357 |
| 90+ minutes | 750 |
| Average Travel Time | 0 |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Employees by NAICS
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Total Employees | 68,646 |
| Agr/Forestry/Fish/Hunt | 329 |
| Mining | 148 |
| Utilities | 94 |
| Construction | 3,693 |
| Manufacturing | 9,239 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2,374 |
| Retail Trade | 8,430 |
| Motor Veh/Parts Dealers | 1,355 |
| Furn & Home Furnish Str | 189 |
| Electronics & Appl Store | 275 |
| Bldg Matl/Garden Equip | 841 |
| Food & Beverage Stores | 2,402 |
| Health/Pers Care Stores | 522 |
| Gasoline Stations | 117 |
| Clothing/Accessory Store | 552 |
| Sports/Hobby/Book/Music | 1,060 |
| General Merchandise Str | 1,118 |
| Transportation/Warehouse | 1,082 |
| Information | 2,739 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1,914 |
| Cntrl Bank/Crdt Intrmdtn | 783 |
| Sec/Cmdty Cntrct/Oth Inv | 574 |
| Insur/Funds/Trusts/Other | 556 |
| Real Estate/Rent/Leasing | 1,115 |
| Prof/Scientific/Tech Srv | 2,280 |
| Legal Services | 344 |
| Mgmt of Comp/Enterprises | 130 |
| Admin/Support/Waste Mgmt | 961 |
| Educational Services | 8,680 |
| HealthCare/Social Assist | 11,454 |
| Arts/Entertainment/Rec | 1,203 |
| Accommodation/Food Srvcs | 5,450 |
| Accommodation | 831 |
| Food Srv/Drinking Places | 4,619 |
| Other Srv excl Pub Admin | 4,078 |
| Auto Repair/Maintenance | 640 |
| Public Administration Emp | 3,176 |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Educational Attainment (25+)
| BENCO Electric Cooperative | 2026 |
|---|---|
| <9th Grade | 1,394 |
| Some High School | 2,438 |
| GED | 2,414 |
| Graduated High School | 17,959 |
| Some College/No Degree | 14,802 |
| Associates Degree | 12,734 |
| Bachelor's Degree | 17,910 |
| Graduate Degree | 8,397 |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
Back To TopBusinesses
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Businesses by NAICS
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Total Businesses | 5,094 |
| Agr/Forestry/Fish/Hunt Bus | 94 |
| Mining Bus | 3 |
| Utilities Bus | 13 |
| Construction Bus | 442 |
| Manufacturing Bus | 209 |
| Wholesale Trade Bus | 172 |
| Retail Trade Bus | 613 |
| Motor Veh/Parts Dealers Bus | 86 |
| Furn & Home Furnish Str Bus | 24 |
| Electronics & Appl Store Bus | 22 |
| Bldg Matl/Garden Equip Bus | 68 |
| Food & Beverage Stores Bus | 108 |
| Health/Pers Care Stores Bus | 53 |
| Gasoline Stations Bus | 17 |
| Clothing/Accessory Store Bus | 70 |
| Sports/Hobby/Book/Music Bus | 113 |
| General Merchandise Str Bus | 51 |
| Transportation/Warehouse Bus | 141 |
| Information Bus | 134 |
| Finance & Insurance Bus | 284 |
| Cntrl Bank/Crdt Intrmdtn Bus | 67 |
| Sec/Cmdty Cntrct/Oth Inv Bus | 79 |
| Insur/Funds/Trusts/Other Bus | 138 |
| Real Estate/Rent/Leasing Bus | 233 |
| Prof/Scientific/Tech Srv Bus | 321 |
| Legal Services Bus | 58 |
| Mgmt of Comp/Enterprises Bus | 11 |
| Admin/Support/Waste Mgmt Bus | 149 |
| Educational Services Bus | 158 |
| HealthCare/Social Assist Bus | 553 |
| Arts/Entertainment/Rec Bus | 120 |
| Accommodation/Food Srvcs Bus | 304 |
| Accommodation Bus | 44 |
| Food Srv/Drinking Places Bus | 259 |
| Other Srv excl Pub Admin Bus | 746 |
| Auto Repair/Maintenance Bus | 125 |
| Public Administration Bus | 267 |
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
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