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COUNTY

Bell County

Kentucky · 22,829 residents (2025 est.) · 358.999 sq mi
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The short version

Bell County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $31,354. Population has fallen 22% since 2000, a loss of 6,551 residents. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $89,000. The poverty rate of 28.8% is well above the national figure. Households here earn about 51% less than the Kentucky median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
23,509
−22%since 2000
from 30,060 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
65 / sq mi
−19%since 2009
from 81 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
41.7
+13%since 2000
from 37.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:22,829 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
23K25K28K30K32K1990201020202024Bell County
202424K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56%(1,419)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.7%(1,336)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.3%(1,476)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.7%(1,330)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.6%(1,321)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.8%(3,000)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.9%(2,796)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.9%(3,034)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.2%(3,344)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.4%(2,673)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.5%(1,293)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.1%(487)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$31,354
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $19,057 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$21,704
+88%since 2000
from $11,526 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
20.2%
+10.7 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
28.8%
−2.2 ptssince 2000
from 31.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.510
+4%since 2010
from 0.490 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade13.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance7%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Wholesale trade3.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services3.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Construction2.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration1.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing1.5%
US avg: 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.2%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$89,000
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $41,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$592
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $309 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
58.8%
−8.7 ptssince 2000
from 67.6% in 2000
41.2% rent
Vacancy rate
14.5%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 19.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
18.6%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
42.5%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 44.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.8
+13%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
16
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Bell County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic95.6%(28,740)
Black2.4%(720)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(194)
Asian0.3%(101)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic92.6%(21,769)
Black3%(705)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(114)
Asian0.3%(61)
Other3.7%(860)
Diversity Score
18
+42%since 2009
from 12 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
26
−30%since 2020
from 37 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Salvadoran0.3%(72)
Colombian0.1%(19)
Asian origin
Filipino0.1%(25)
Korean0.1%(13)
Thai0.1%(13)
Japanese0%(10)
Ancestry
English10.5%(2,468)
Irish9.9%(2,336)
American8.3%(1,955)
German7.6%(1,782)
Italian1.6%(374)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(325)
Scottish1%(238)
French0.7%(171)
Polish0.7%(170)
Dutch0.4%(105)
Nigerian0.2%(51)
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.2%(50)
Swedish0.2%(43)
Greek0.1%(33)
Hungarian0.1%(22)
Slovak0.1%(22)
Welsh0.1%(20)
Ukrainian0.1%(19)
Swiss0.1%(18)
British0.1%(14)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest German population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.8%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 9.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
79.9%
+23.2 ptssince 2000
from 56.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.2%
+1.8 ptssince 2000
from 4.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.7 min
+24%since 2000
from 18.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
72.3%
−10.8 ptssince 2009
from 83.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
16.7%
+6.7 ptssince 2009
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
4.4%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
5.6%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
10.6%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
10.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2011
from 11.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
42.4%
−1.7 ptssince 2011
from 44.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
14.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
30.7%
−27.7 ptssince 2009
from 58.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.8%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 48.2% in 2009
Female
50.2%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 51.8% in 2009
Foreign born
0.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.9%
−43.1 ptssince 2009
from 47.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
25.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2012
from 25.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.3%
−74.1 ptssince 2013
from 79.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
79.3%
+22.2 ptssince 2017
from 57.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
99.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2016
from 98.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2016
from 0.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.8%(3,097)
Married45.3%(4,272)
Widowed6.1%(574)
Divorced15.8%(1,487)
Women 15+
Never married25.5%(2,513)
Married43.7%(4,302)
Widowed15.3%(1,511)
Divorced15.5%(1,522)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Bell County

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Pop 35,140
St. Francis County
Pop 21,800
Sumter County
Pop 11,588
Bullock County
Pop 9,780
Places similar to Bell County
Head to head

Compare Bell County to nearby counties

BELL COUNTY VS
Knox County
Income$32,527+4%
Home value$118,700+33%
Population29,532+29%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BELL COUNTY VS
Claiborne County
Income$49,379+57%
Home value$159,900+80%
Population33,229+46%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BELL COUNTY VS
Whitley County
Income$44,615+42%
Home value$131,800+48%
Population37,297+63%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BELL COUNTY VS
Harlan County
Income$41,693+33%
Home value$73,700−17%
Population24,725+8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Bell County, Kentucky?

Bell County, Kentucky has about 23,509 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Bell County, Kentucky?

The typical household in Bell County, Kentucky earns about $31,354 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Bell County, Kentucky expensive?

In Bell County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $89,000, and the typical rent is about $592 a month.

How educated are people in Bell County, Kentucky?

About 15.8% of adults age 25 and over in Bell County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Bell County, Kentucky?

About 28.8% of people in Bell County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.

Has Bell County, Kentucky grown since 1990?

Yes, Bell County, Kentucky has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 7,997 residents, a change of about -25 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

9 census tracts
Census Tract 9606Census Tract 9602Census Tract 9608Census Tract 9607Census Tract 9611Census Tract 9603Census Tract 9601Census Tract 9605Census Tract 9604
11 ZIP codes
ZIP 40965ZIP 40977ZIP 40856ZIP 40845ZIP 40902ZIP 40958ZIP 40988ZIP 40940ZIP 40813ZIP 40913ZIP 40939
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →