County profile · Kentucky
Bell County, KY market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Bell County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 22,829
- −4.8% since 2020
- Households
- 9,939
- Median household income
- $31,354
- +19.3% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $89,000
- Jobs located here
- 7,622
- Highest market score
- 64
- Insurance agencies, #639 of 2,272 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Bell County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Bell County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 22,829 people live in Bell County, in 9,939 households. Population estimates show Bell County declined 4.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in Bell County is $31,354 a year, 61% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 19.3% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Bell County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 105, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (38).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Bell County are for insurance agencies (64), home repair companies (58) and real estate businesses (53). Bell County ranks #639 of 2,272 scored counties for insurance agencies.
Bell County is part of the Middlesborough area. For its number of households, Bell County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for grocery stores (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate businesses (71% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Bell County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Bell County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance agencies | 64 | #639 of 2,272 | 7 | 7.0 | $2.9M | 233 | 6 |
| Home repair trades | 58 | #643 of 2,057 | 5 | 5.0 | $4M | 164 | 3 |
| Real estate | 53 | #899 of 2,229 | 11 | 11.1 | Index only | 241 | 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 43 | #1,397 of 2,176 | 7 | 7.0 | Index only | 301 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 40 | #1,285 of 1,889 | 6 | 6.0 | $4.3M | 103 | 3 |
| Gas stations | 30 | #1,958 of 2,358 | 18 | 18.1 | $1.4M | 57 | 9 |
| Auto repair shops | 30 | #2,021 of 2,378 | 20 | 20.1 | $355K | 80 | 7 |
| Pet businesses | 29 | #1,886 of 2,200 | 8 | 8.0 | $740K | 84 | Under 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 25 | #1,849 of 2,087 | 18 | 18.1 | $764K | 60 | 3 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 25 | #1,886 of 2,063 | 12 | 12.1 | $2.1M | 57 | 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 25 | #1,982 of 2,210 | 24 | 24.1 | $573K | 65 | 3 |
| Auto repair and car care | 21 | #2,263 of 2,401 | 41 | 41.3 | $173K | 64 | 12 |
| Convenience stores | 20 | #2,031 of 2,261 | 13 | 13.1 | $3.7M | 46 | 3 |
| Physical therapy | 17 | #1,375 of 1,422 | 9 | 9.1 | $886K | 37 | 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 17 | #2,354 of 2,405 | 55 | 55.3 | $464K | 70 | 16 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 15 | #2,023 of 2,088 | 13 | 13.1 | $289K | 44 | 4 |
| Tire shops | 12 | #1,478 of 1,530 | 5 | 5.0 | $1.4M | 57 | 3 |
| Funeral homes | 11 | #1,460 of 1,472 | 7 | 7.0 | $200K | 29 | 5 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 9 | #1,878 of 1,886 | 13 | 13.1 | $614K | 62 | 9 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 8 | #2,373 of 2,402 | 30 | 30.2 | $1.6M | 47 | 10 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 8 | #2,402 of 2,405 | 100 | 100.6 | $255K | 69 | 49 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 7 | #2,391 of 2,394 | 90 | 90.6 | $89K | 58 | 34 |
| Gyms | 6 | #1,780 of 1,792 | 10 | 10.1 | $376K | 29 | 4 |
| Grocery stores | 5 | #2,053 of 2,070 | 15 | 15.1 | $3.2M | 34 | 7 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 4 | #1,654 of 1,656 | 13 | 13.1 | $614K | 34 | 22 |
| Car washes and detailing | 3 | #1,447 of 1,451 | 6 | 6.0 | $1.2M | 47 | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 2 | #1,769 of 1,769 | 12 | 12.1 | $515K | 59 | Under 3 |
| Pizza | 2 | #2,090 of 2,090 | 14 | 14.1 | $1.8M | 36 | 29 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 2 | #2,222 of 2,222 | 22 | 22.1 | $1.2M | 38 | 29 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 2 | #2,385 of 2,385 | 47 | 47.3 | $132K | 62 | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 1 | #1,302 of 1,302 | 7 | 7.0 | $1.1M | 36 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 1 | #2,338 of 2,339 | 28 | 28.2 | $221K | 51 | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 4.0 | $1.5M | 82 | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 4.0 | $2M | 83 | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 4.0 | $5M | 104 | 3 |
| Child care and preschools | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.0 | $890K | 89 | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.0 | $1.3M | 62 | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.0 | $2.1M | 123 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.0 | $3.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.0 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.0 | $3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | $13.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | $13.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | $10.6M | Too few | 4 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | $7.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | $10.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | $5.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | $5.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | $19.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 4 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 4 |
Household spending in Bell County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $7.1M | $714 | 75 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $24.3M | $2,447 | 94 |
| Food away from home | $25.5M | $2,566 | 63 |
| Groceries | $47.6M | $4,792 | 76 |
| Personal care products and services | $6.2M | $622 | 62 |
| Child care and other personal services | $2.7M | $269 | 46 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $3.8M | $378 | 38 |
| Medical and dental services | $8M | $803 | 62 |
| Pets | $5.9M | $595 | 65 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $13.8M | $1,384 | 67 |
| Vehicle insurance | $20.5M | $2,064 | 105 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $19.9M | $1,999 | 66 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $10.6M | $1,067 | 76 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $114.8M | $11,552 | 69 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Bell County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 22,829−4.8% since 2020
- Households
- 9,939
- Median age
- 40.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 59%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.6
- Land area
- 359 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 65
- Median household income
- $31,354+19.3% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $49,259
- Median home value
- $89,000
- Jobs located here
- 7,622
- Daytime population
- 23,467Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Bell County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Bell County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Kentucky 8
- Knox County, KY29,865 people
- Whitley County, KY36,920 people
- Harlan County, KY25,772 people
- Clay County, KY19,921 people
- Leslie County, KY10,079 people
- Laurel County, KY62,983 people
- McCreary County, KY16,867 people
- Perry County, KY27,499 people
Questions
How fast is Bell County, KY growing?
Population estimates put Bell County at 22,829 people in 2025, down 4.8% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 9,939 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 19.3%, before inflation.
How much do households in Bell County, KY spend?
Households in Bell County spend about $114.8M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $47.6M on groceries and $25.5M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Bell County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 105, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (38).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Bell County, KY?
Of the business types scored in Bell County, insurance agencies (64), home repair companies (58) and real estate businesses (53) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For insurance agencies, that ranks #639 of 2,272 scored counties.
How does Bell County, KY compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Bell County is $31,354, 61% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 4.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $89,000, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for grocery stores (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate businesses (71% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 32 of the 56 business types have a score in Bell County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Bell County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Kentucky · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Bell County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Bell County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.