Map the Block › Places › Kentucky › Bell County
What are the crime rate and median income in Bell County, Kentucky?
Bell County averaged 1.5 reported violent crimes per 1,000 residents a year in 2021-2025, 36% lower than the Kentucky rate (2.3). Households here have a median income of $31,354 and the unemployment rate was 5.3% in August 2026. About 23,509 people live in the county.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Bell County?
From 2021 through 2025, Bell County averaged 35 reported violent crimes a year, along with 365 property crimes. Per 1,000 residents, the violent-crime rate works out to 1.5: 36% lower than the Kentucky rate (2.3), and 60% lower than the national rate (3.7). Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 15.3 per 1,000 residents, compared with 14.6 across Kentucky. Most violent crimes here are aggravated assaults (71%).
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Bell County | Per 1,000 | Kentucky per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 35 | 1.5 | 2.3 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.00 | 0.06 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 7 | 0.29 | 0.36 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.08 | 0.39 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 25 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 365 | 15.3 | 14.6 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 49 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 287 | 12.1 | 10.0 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 29 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (3 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Bell County?
Half of households in Bell County make more than $31,354 and half make less; across Kentucky the midpoint is $63,726. Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $89,000, and the median rent is $592 a month. 24.5% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 13.2%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 5.3% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 393 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Bell County | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,509 | 4,534,824 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $31,354 | $63,726 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $89,000 | $205,600 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $592 | $967 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 10.1% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 28.8% | 16.1% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 24.5% | 13.2% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 15.8% | 27.6% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 58.8% | 68.3% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 41.7 | 39.1 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 79.3% | 88.6% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 5.3% | 6.0% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Bell County?
Bell County carries a “Relatively Low” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists no Superfund site in Bell County, active or completed (October 2026).
High-hazard dams
Bell County has 7 dams classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. 1 is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition, 2 Satisfactory or Fair. The two tallest are Arjay Slurry Impoundment (355 ft) and Little Camp Slurry Impoundment (320 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Disasters, air and water
Bell County was covered by 7 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Severe Storm 3, Flood 3, Tropical Storm 1), not counting COVID-19. In 2024, 0 of 365 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 4 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 2 (moderate). NHTSA counted 3 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 1 pedestrian.
Is there road construction in Bell County?
No highway work zones were listed in Bell County in the October 11, 2026 state feed. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel. The map's layer refreshes every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Bell County?
Federal school lists show 18 public and 0 private schools in the county. 2 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 14 fire or EMS stations and 3 police or sheriff stations. National Park Service sites here: Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. 1 state park or recreation area: Pine Mountain State Resort Park.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Bell County
Gun shops
3 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Bell County, plus 4 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). One of them is a pawnshop licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Dominion Outdoors Kentucky LLC (Middlesboro), East End Pawn Shop INC (Middlesboro) and Walmart #739 (Middlesboro).
Liquor stores
3 liquor stores are on the map in Bell County: Chained Rock Liquor (Pineville), Liquor Mall (Middlesboro) and Ol' Bootleggers Spirit Shoppe (Pineville). Kentucky has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Bell County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Bell County?
Bell County averaged 35 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 1.5 per 1,000 residents, 36% lower than the Kentucky rate (2.3). The property-crime rate was 15.3 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Bell County?
$31,354 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $63,726 for Kentucky and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Bell County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 5.3% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 393 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Bell County?
Bell County carries a “Relatively Low” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here.
Is there road construction in Bell County right now?
No highway work zones were listed in Bell County in the October 11, 2026 state feed. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel.
How many nursing homes are in Bell County?
2 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Bell County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claiborne County, TN | 32,466 | 1.9 | $49,379 |
| Clay County | 19,921 | 0.39 | $40,900 |
| Harlan County | 25,772 | 0.36 | $41,693 |
| Knox County | 29,865 | 0.70 | $32,527 |
| Lee County, VA | 21,900 | 1.8 | $41,827 |
| Leslie County | 10,079 | 0.33 | $35,934 |
| Whitley County | 36,920 | 1.1 | $44,615 |
More: Kentucky statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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