Bell County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Bell County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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F
Bell County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Bell County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $31,831 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $37,640 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.3% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.4% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.0% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Bell County is about 51% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing slower in Bell County (4.3%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Bell County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Kentucky average of 9%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Bell County, Kentucky grew by 39.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $31,831 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Bell County
| Metric | Bell County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.578 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $50,317 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $34,884 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 30.7% | 19.4% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Bell County, it is 0.578, higher than Kentucky's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 44% more than women's income in Bell County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 44% wage gap accumulates to roughly $540,155 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bell County, Kentucky has widened from about 9% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 9% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $12,496 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Bell County widened by 21.5 points while Kentucky's narrowed by 5.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Bell County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 10.1% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.4% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 817 people are unemployed in Bell County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Bell County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Bell County, Kentucky has fallen from 11.8% to 10.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.5% in 2012 and fell as low as 9.0% in 2018.
Bell County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Bell County, KY is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 23,509 residents against a local median of 29,865. The measure that sets Bell County, KY apart most is unemployment: 10.1%, 89% above the local median of 5.3%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $31,831 against a local median of $40,558, 22% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Bell County, KY reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 5.5% on unemployment, so Bell County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Bell County, KY has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell County, KY | 23,509 | $31,831 #6/6 | 4.3%/yr #4/6 | 10.1% #6/6 | 0.578 #4/6 |
| Knox County, KY | 29,865 | $32,074 | 2.5%/yr | 8.1% | 0.597 |
| Claiborne County, TN | 32,466 | $49,273 | 5.0%/yr | 4.5% | 0.537 |
| Clay County, KY | 19,921 | $40,558 | 7.8%/yr | 9.3% | 0.561 |
| Leslie County, KY | 10,079 | $36,418 | 5.1%/yr | 3.8% | 0.596 |
| Whitley County, KY | 36,920 | $44,696 | 4.2%/yr | 5.3% | 0.574 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Bell County, Kentucky has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it worse than Kentucky, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Bell County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Bell County, Kentucky?
Bell County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $31,831, about 51% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
Are incomes growing in Bell County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Bell County, Kentucky rose 40%, from $22,750 to $31,831. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +40% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Bell County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Bell County, Kentucky was $33,052, down 2% from $33,672 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Bell County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Bell County, Kentucky was $28,824. By 2024 it had risen 10% to $31,831.
Is it hard to find a job in Bell County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Bell County, Kentucky is 10.1%, well above the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Bell County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Bell County is 0.578. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Bell County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bell County, Kentucky has widened from about 9% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 9% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $12,496 since 2009.
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