United States › Kentucky › Bell County COUNTY · 2020 ACS
Bell County Kentucky · 24,097 residents · 359 sq mi
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The short version
Bell County is a county of 24,097 people in Kentucky. 9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. 31.3% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 46% less than in Kentucky as a whole. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $62,800. 0% of locals were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.4
US median: 38.8
Less educated
9% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 37.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
23K 25K 28K 30K 32K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Bell County Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $28,442
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $19,057 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $11,526 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 31.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 6.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.3%
Public administration 1.5%
Transportation & warehousing 1.4%
Education & health services 1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
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$62,800
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $41,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$559
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $309 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 67.6% in 2000
37.6% rent
from 2.48 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 95.6%(28,740)
Hispanic / Latino 0.6%(194)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 92.6%(22,311)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data from 9.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 56.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 4.4% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 83.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.8% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 44.0% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 29.7% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 20.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 32.8%(3,097)
Women 15+
Never married 25.5%(2,513)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 20.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 13.5%(129)
Gulf War (1990s) 12.9%(123)
Share of the 955 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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Drill deeper
Places similar to Bell County Head to head
Compare Bell County to nearby counties BELL COUNTY VS
Knox County
Income $32,527 +14%
Home value $118,700 +89%
Population 29,532 +29%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BELL COUNTY VS
Claiborne County
Income $49,379 +74%
Home value $159,900 +155%
Population 33,229 +46%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BELL COUNTY VS
Whitley County
Income $44,615 +57%
Home value $131,800 +110%
Population 37,297 +63%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BELL COUNTY VS
Harlan County
Income $41,693 +47%
Home value $73,700 +17%
Population 24,725 +8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Bell County, Kentucky? Bell County, Kentucky has about 24,097 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Bell County, Kentucky? The typical household in Bell County, Kentucky earns about $28,442 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 $62,800, and the typical rent is about $559 a month.
How educated are people in Bell County, Kentucky? About 9.5% 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 31.3% 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 7,409 residents, a change of about -24 percent over that period.
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