COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Bell County

Kentucky · 31,506 residents · 359 sq mi

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Part of the Middlesborough micropolitan area

The short version

Bell County is a county of 31,506 people in Kentucky. The poverty rate is 36.2%, above the 13.2% national rate. Households here earn about 42% less than in Kentucky as a whole. Median home value sits at $35,200. Median household income is $13,078, under the $30,130 national median. 9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Mid-age

median age 33.0

US median: 33.0

Less educated

9% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

Stable housing

home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

31,506

+5%vs 2000

vs 30,060 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

33.0

−11%vs 2000

vs 37.0 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

359 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202424K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.7%(2,099)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.2%(2,275)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 148.1%(2,543)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 198.5%(2,677)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 247.2%(2,268)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3415.5%(4,887)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414.5%(4,555)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410.5%(3,316)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 648.6%(2,721)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 747.9%(2,482)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 844.1%(1,289)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.3%(394)

US avg: 1.2%

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Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$13,078

−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $19,057 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$7,037

−39%vs 2000

vs $11,526 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

36.2%

+5.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 31.1% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$35,200

+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $41,700 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$227

−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $309 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

65.8%

−1.8 ptsvs 2000

vs 67.6% in 2000

34.2% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic95.6%(28,740)

Black2.4%(720)

Hispanic / Latino0.6%(194)

Asian0.3%(101)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic97.3%(30,656)

Black2.4%(761)

Hispanic / Latino0.3%(90)

Asian0.2%(52)

Other0.1%(37)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Central American0.3%(72)

Salvadoran0.3%(72)

South American0.1%(19)

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)

Subsaharan African0.3%(74)

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)

French Canadian0.1%(19)

Ukrainian0.1%(19)

Swiss0.1%(18)

British0.1%(14)

Portuguese0%(2)

Canadian0%(1)

RANKED:Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest German population · Largest Italian population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

9.3%

+0.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 9.0% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

46.7%

−9.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 56.6% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.3%

−0.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.4% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

20.3 min

+11%vs 2000

vs 18.3 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

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

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

5.3%

−15.3 ptssince 2013

from 20.6% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

35.4%

+4.7 ptssince 2020

from 30.7% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

9.2%

−0.8 ptssince 2020

from 10.0% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

25.0%

−0.3 ptssince 2020

from 25.3% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

43.6%

−5.2 ptssince 2020

from 48.8% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

1.7%

Unchangedsince 2020

from 1.7% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

44.5%

+5.1 ptssince 2020

from 39.4% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

62.7%

−5.3 ptssince 2020

from 68.0% in 2020

US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024

Gulf War (2001 or later)27.5%(196)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)30.3%(216)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era36.7%(262)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War4.5%(32)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II1.5%(11)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 714 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

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