Bell County, Kentucky Population 2024

23,023
010K20K30K40K50K18801900192019401960198020002020YearPopulation

Bell County, Kentucky's estimated 2024 population is 23,023 with a growth rate of -1.26% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Bell County, Kentucky is the 51st largest county in Kentucky. The 2010 population was 28,704 and has seen a growth of -19.79% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
202921,553-294-1.35%
202821,847-294-1.33%
202722,141-294-1.31%
202622,435-294-1.29%
202522,729-294-1.28%
202423,023-294-1.26%
202323,317-294-1.25%
202223,611-223-0.94%
202123,834-150-0.63%
202023,984-2,042-7.85%
201926,026-508-1.91%
201826,534-331-1.23%
201726,865-357-1.31%
201627,222-154-0.56%
201527,376-454-1.63%
201427,830-204-0.73%
201328,034-254-0.9%
201228,288-368-1.28%
201128,656-48-0.17%
201028,70400%
199031,506-2,824-8.23%
198034,3303,24310.43%
197031,087-4,249-12.02%
196035,336-12,266-25.77%
195047,6023,7908.65%
194043,8125,06513.07%
193038,7474,75914%
192033,9885,54119.48%
191028,44712,74681.18%
190015,7015,38952.26%
189010,3124,25770.31%
18806,0552,32462.29%
18703,731-17,822-82.69%
2024 Growth Rate
-1.26% (-294)
County Website
Bell County
County Seat
Pineville
2020 Population
23,984
Area
359 mi²
Density
64 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
-4.01% (-961)
Founded
1867

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White22,30293.4%
Two or more races9113.82%
Black or African American5332.23%
Other race780.33%
Asian330.14%
Native American210.09%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander00%
93.4%Race

White

Two or more races

Black or African American

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Bell County, Kentucky Population by Race

Bell County, Kentucky Population Pyramid 2024

010203040506070801K900800700600500400300200100001002003004005006007008009001KMaleFemale

Bell County, Kentucky Median Age

41.2

Total

38.6

Male

43.8

Female

Bell County, Kentucky Adults

There are 18,671 adults, (4,494 of whom are seniors) in Bell County, Kentucky.

Bell County, Kentucky Age Dependency

68.4

Age Dependency Ratio

31.7

Old Age Dependency Ratio

36.7

Child Dependency Ratio

Bell County, Kentucky Sex Ratio

Female11,94650.03%
Male11,93249.97%

Bell County, Kentucky Population by Age

Bell County, Kentucky Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All9,5262.4461.138.9
Married3,6973.1273.526.5
Non Family3,5651.1953.546.5
Female1,5003.2550.949.1
Male7643.4256.243.8

3.12

Average Family Size

2.44

Average Household Size

61.1%

Rate of Home Ownership

38.81%8.02%15.75%37.42%Households by Type

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

MarriedAllMaleNon FamilyFemale00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.91

owner

renter

Bell County, Kentucky Households and Families

Less Than 9th Grade9th to 12th GradeHigh School GraduateSome CollegeAssociates DegreeBachelors DegreeGraduate Degree05001K1.5K2K2.5K3K3.5K

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade2,09712.48%
Associates Degree1,5219.05%
Bachelors Degree1,4898.86%
Graduate Degree8545.08%
High School Graduate6,42638.24%
Less Than 9th Grade1,3708.15%
Some College3,04718.13%
8.15%12.48%38.24%18.13%9.05%8.86%5.08%Over 25 Education

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Bell County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Bell County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Race

AsianNative AmericanHispanic2+ RacesOther RaceBlackWhite0%20%40%60%80%100%

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White15,86912,5112,215
Black49842269
2+ Races28326246
Hispanic979021
Other Race53480
Asian333313
Native American21210

The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 39.39%.

Bell County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Race

OverallLess Than 9th GradeHigh School GraduateSome CollegeBachelors DegreeGraduate Degree$0$10,000$20,000$30,000$40,000$50,000$60,000

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$39,784$51,607$38,284
Graduate Degree$53,614$55,833$53,505
High School Graduate$30,061$37,663$23,527
Less Than 9th Grade$33,491$41,173$15,714
Overall$32,023$38,253$26,395
Some College$28,510$33,554$26,921

$32,023

Average Earnings

$38,253

Average Male

$26,395

Average Female

Bell County, Kentucky Earnings by Educational Attainment

Bell County, Kentucky Language by Age

99.57%Languages

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Bell County, Kentucky Language

99.57% of Bell County, Kentucky residents speak only English, while 0.43% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 0.16% of the population.

Bell County, Kentucky Language

Bell County, Kentucky Poverty by Race

NativeBlackMultipleWhiteHispanicAsian0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White21,5765,56125.77%
Multiple90241546.01%
Black47326656.24%
Hispanic1772916.38%
Native2121100%
Asian33515.15%

27.1%

Overall Poverty Rate

27.05%

Male Poverty Rate

27.16%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Bell County, Kentucky

The race most likely to be in poverty in Bell County, Kentucky is Native, with 100% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Bell County, Kentucky is Asian, with 15.15% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 6.79%. Among those working part-time, it was 29.09%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 35.69%.

Bell County, Kentucky Poverty

Less Than 9th GradeHigh SchoolSome CollegeBachelors or Greater0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade39.65%
Some College25.12%
High School24.19%
Bachelors or Greater11.58%

Bell County, Kentucky Poverty Rate by Education

Male EmployedMale UnemployedFemale EmployedFemale Unemployed0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%55%

rate

Rate
Poverty
Male Unemployed52.23%
Female Unemployed35.98%
Female Employed11.21%
Male Employed10.61%

Bell County, Kentucky Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Bell County, Kentucky Income by Household Type

Under10k10kTo15k15kTo25k25kTo35k35kTo50k50kTo75k75kTo100k100kTo150k150kTo200kOver200k0510152025

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$46,263$61,218
Households$32,403$48,307
Married Families$59,228$-999,999,999
Non Families$17,822$25,310
HouseholdsFamiliesMarried FamiliesNon Families010,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,000

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Bell County, Kentucky Marital Status

OverallMalesFemales0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

43.3%

Overall Marriage Rate

43.3%

Male Marriage Rate

43.4%

Female Marriage Rate

Bell County, Kentucky Married by Age and Sex

45-5435-4455-6420-34Over 6515-190102030405060

male

female

Bell County, Kentucky Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Bell County, Kentucky Marital Status by Race

IndianWhiteNonHispanicWhiteBlackHispanicAsianTwoOrMoreRacesOtherRace0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Bell County, Kentucky Marital Status

21.6%23.82%47.93%5.03%Veterans by War

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

714

Number of Veterans

664

Male Veterans

50

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam324
First Gulf War161
Second Gulf War146
Korea34
World War II11

Bell County, Kentucky Veterans by War

18 to 3435 to 5455 to 6465 to 7475+020406080100120140160180200220

count

Age Group
Veterans
65 to 74208
75+199
35 to 54144
18 to 3484
55 to 6479

Bell County, Kentucky Veterans by Age

WhiteBlack2+ Races050100150200250300350400450500550600650700

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White6893.91%
Black152.82%
2+ Races102.4%

Bell County, Kentucky Veterans by Race

Bell County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

21.29%28.57%29.97%20.17%Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

19.63%

Veteran Poverty Rate

33.38%

Veteran Disability Rate

Bell County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

16 - 1920 - 2425 - 2930 - 3435 - 4445 - 5455 - 5960 - 6465 - 7475+01020304050607080

LaborForceParticipation

41.1%

Labor Force Participation

36.8%

Employment Rate

10.5%

Unemployment Rate

Bell County, Kentucky Employment by Age

HispanicWhiteWhite Non-HispanicBlackAsian2+ RacesOther Race0102030405060708090100

LaborForceParticipation

Bell County, Kentucky Employment by Race

Less Than High SchoolHigh School GraduateSome CollegeBachelors or Greater01020304050607080

LaborForceParticipation

Bell County, Kentucky Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

16%84%Origin

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

38.46%61.54%Origin

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

76.48%

Born in Bell County, Kentucky

99.73%

Native Born

0.27%

Foreign Born

0.1%

Non Citizen

0.16%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

99.73% of Bell County, Kentucky residents were born in the United States, with 76.48% having been born in Kentucky. 0.1% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.

Bell County, Kentucky Place of Birth

Sources