Bell County, Kentucky
Among the top 6% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 94% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 23% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 19% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 24% of US counties
- top 3% for cost of living
- top 7% for monthly owner costs
- bottom 5% for unemployment
Bell County is a county in Kentucky with about 24,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and D for weather. Standout strengths include cost of living, monthly owner costs, and monthly rent. It rates lower on broadband access and unemployment.
Official websitebellcountychamber.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
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69%48%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.2 in3.4 in
muggy 87%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$34k3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$41kbetter than 97% of US counties
Home Value$77k2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$608better than 93% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 93% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.77%better than 56% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.24%better than 75% of US counties
Unemployment10.0%better than 5% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)37°F59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation52.4 in80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall9.3 inbetter than 55% of US counties
Sunny Days211 daysbetter than 23% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 34% of US counties
Comfortable Days78 daysbetter than 46% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk68.0better than 31% of US counties
Air Quality49 AQIbetter than 19% of US counties
School Quality54.8better than 51% of US counties
Violent Crime817/100kbetter than 48% of US counties
Property Crime1873/100kbetter than 17% of US counties
Community
Population24,24848th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.551st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1114th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0156th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6485th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)93.3%87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.9%50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.4%7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.1%17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.2%46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 49% of US counties
Walkability5.2/20better than 25% of US counties
Airport Distance148 mibetter than 26% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access73.9%better than 12% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.06better than 47% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 49% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bell County an affordable place to live?
- Bell County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $41k, better than 97% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Bell County?
- The median home value in Bell County is $77k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Bell County?
- Median household income in Bell County is $34k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Bell County?
- Median gross rent in Bell County is $608 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Bell County safe?
- Bell County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 817/100k (better than 48%). Property crime is 1873/100k.
- What is the weather like in Bell County?
- Bell County averages 77°F in July and 37°F in January, with 52.4 in of annual precipitation and about 211 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Bell County?
- Public-school quality in Bell County is about average, scoring better than 51% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Bell County?
- The average one-way commute in Bell County is 24 min.
Other counties in Kentucky
Explore Kentucky
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)