Bell County, KY

County

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2024 Population

23,509

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

41.7

1.21% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

28.8%

6.34% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$31,354

3.24% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$89,000

7.23% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

7,262

1.78% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Bell County, KY reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.9% of the residents in Bell County, KY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Bell County, KY are Clear Creek Baptist Bible College (37 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Bell County, KY was $89,000, and the homeownership rate was 58.8%.

Most people in Bell County, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Bell County, KY was 2 cars per household.

Bell County, KY borders Clay County, KY, Harlan County, KY, Knox County, KY, Leslie County, KY, Whitley County, KY, Claiborne County, TN, and Lee County, VA.

United States Kentucky Middlesborough, KY

Population & Diversity

Bell County, KY is home to a population of 23.5k people, from which 99.9% are citizens. As of 2024, 0.417% of Bell County, KY residents were born outside of the country (98 people).

In 2024, there were 30.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (21.8k people) in Bell County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 705 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 662 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.9%

2024 Citizenship

99.9%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99.9% of Bell County, KY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Bell County, KY was 99.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Bell County, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bell County, KY

White (Non-Hispanic)
21.8k ± 76
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
705 ± 175
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
662 ± 152

0.485%

Hispanic Population

114 people

0.485% of the people in Bell County, KY are hispanic (114 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Bell County, KY as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Kentucky.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
34,091 ± 4,516 people
Cuba
20,475 ± 3,505 people
India
12,629 ± 2,755 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kentucky was Mexico, the natal country of 34,091 Kentucky residents, followed by Cuba with 20,475 and India with 12,629.

Foreign-Born Population

0.417%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

98 people

0.268%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

64 people

As of 2024, 0.417% of Bell County, KY residents (98 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Bell County, KY was 0.268%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Bell County, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
257 ± 121
Gulf War (2001-)
196 ± 103
Gulf War (1990s)
139 ± 119

Bell County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.31 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Bell County, KY.

Economy

The economy of Bell County, KY employs 7.26k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Bell County, KY were Health Care & Social Assistance (1,159 people), Manufacturing (957 people), and Retail Trade (860 people), and the highest paying industries were Finance & Insurance ($85,202), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($68,947), and Wholesale Trade ($64,112).

Employment

Occupations

7.26k

2024 Value

± 667

1.78%

1 Year growth

± 12.6%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Bell County, KY grew at a rate of 1.78%, from 7.14k employees to 7.26k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bell County, KY, are Production Occupations (686 people), Sales & Related Occupations (654 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (635 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bell County, KY.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Kentucky (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

7.26k

2024 Value

± 667

1.78%

1 Year growth

± 12.6%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Bell County, KY grew at a rate of 1.78%, from 7.14k employees to 7.26k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bell County, KY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,159 people), Manufacturing (957 people), and Retail Trade (860 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bell County, KY, though some of these residents may live in Bell County, KY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$41,620

Median earning men ± $2,358

$26,080

Median earning women ± $2,171

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($175,167), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($85,645), and Wholesale Trade ($64,605).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($36,328), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($35,511), and Public Administration ($33,889).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Y-Axis

2.51%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.98M people employed in Kentucky. This represents a 2.51% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Kentucky.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

42
Retail Trade
41
Retail Trade
31
Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$61.3k
Manufacturing
$54.5k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$44.8k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Kentucky went to Donald J. Trump with 64.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (33.9%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.808%).

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing the state of Kentucky. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Kentucky is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Bell County, KY. Showing the available data for Kentucky.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (64.5%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (33.9%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.808%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Kentucky went to Donald J. Trump with 64.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (33.9%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.808%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Kentucky for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Kentucky

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Mitch McConnell

Senator from Kentucky

Assumed office on January 3, 1985

Rand Paul

Senator from Kentucky

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing Kentucky.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Kentucky over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2023, universities in Bell County, KY awarded 37 degrees. The student population of Bell County, KY in 2023 is skewed towards men, with 138 male students and 21 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Bell County, KY are White (35 and 94.6%), Two or More Races (1 and 2.7%), and Black or African American (1 and 2.7%).

The largest universities in Bell County, KY by number of degrees awarded are Clear Creek Baptist Bible College (37 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Bell County, KY are Biblical Studies (37 and 100%).

The median tuition cost for private four year colleges is $9,150.

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 159 students enrolled in Bell County, KY, 86.8% men and 13.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 149 records, of which 12.1% were women and 87.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Biblical Studies

Most Common

18 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Bell County, KY was Biblical Studies with 18 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Bell County, KY according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Clear Creek Baptist Bible College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

37 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Clear Creek Baptist Bible College with 37 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 28 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Bell County, KY, which is 3.11 times more than the 9 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 35 degrees mean that there were 35 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Two or More Races, with 1 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($9,150) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($970) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,400) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Bell County, KY was $89,000 in 2024, which is 0.268 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $83,000 to $89,000, a 7.23% increase. The homeownership rate in Bell County, KY is 58.8%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Bell County, KY have an average commute time of 22.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Bell County, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 14.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Bell County, KY. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.914%.

Housing

Property

$89,000

Median Property Value 2024

±$6,214

$5,847

Median Property Taxes

±$579

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Bell County, KY the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Bell County, KY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

58.8%

Homeownership

2024

65.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 58.8% of the housing units in Bell County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 61.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Bell County, KY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$31,354

Median Household Income

± $3,340

9.94k

Number of Households

± 781

In 2024, the median household income of the 9.94k households in Bell County, KY declined from $31,354 from the previous year's value of $32,403.

The following chart displays the households in Bell County, KY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Bell County, KY is from Kentucky.

0.449

2023 Wage GINI in Kentucky

0.452

2022 Wage GINI in Kentucky

In 2023, the income inequality in Kentucky was 0.449 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.729% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Kentucky was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Kentucky in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Kentucky across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (72.3%)
Carpooled (16.7%)
Walked (5.64%)

In 2024, 72.3% of workers in Bell County, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (16.7%) and those who walked to work (5.64%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Bell County, KY have a shorter commute time (22.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.93% of the workforce in Bell County, KY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Bell County, KY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Bell County, KY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Bell County, KY have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 14.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Bell County, KY. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.914%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

28.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bell County, KY (6.55k out of 22.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bell County, KY is White, followed by Two Or More and Black.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 38.4% of the children was living in poverty in Bell County, KY. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 170 in Bell County, KY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 15 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

94.7% of the population of Bell County, KY has health coverage, with 28.1% on employee plans, 39.9% on Medicaid, 16.6% on Medicare, 8.38% on non-group plans, and 1.74% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Bell County, KY see 1,988 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,988 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1386 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1666 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,988 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Bell County, KY

Primary care physicians in Bell County, KY see an average of 1,988 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,988 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Bell County, KY in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.4% under 18 years, 19% between 18 and 34 years, 38.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.3%

Uninsured

28.1%

Employer Coverage

39.9%

Medicaid

16.6%

Medicare

8.38%

Non-Group

1.74%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bell County, KY declined by 21.2% from 6.73% to 5.3%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Bell County, KY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 91.1 in Bell County, KY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Bell County, KY.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 44.2% in Bell County, KY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Bell County, KY.