Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.
Place dossier plate
SheetFL-BELL-FL · Bell, FL 507 pop · income 48th pct
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Bell
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Bell on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Phillipsburg · lowest
23,438
Phillipsburg · lowest
23,438 median HH income
11.1% of the leader · rank #1
Mount Blancha… · near
68,920
Mount Blancha… · near
68,920 median HH income
32.7% of the leader · rank #2
Bell · this city
68,929
Bell · this city
68,929 median HH income
32.7% of the leader · rank #3
Auburn · near
68,935
Auburn · near
68,935 median HH income
32.7% of the leader · rank #4
Mineralwells · near
68,940
Mineralwells · near
68,940 median HH income
32.7% of the leader · rank #5
Lanare · near
68,952
Lanare · near
68,952 median HH income
32.7% of the leader · rank #6
Pleasant Vall… · highest
211,071
Pleasant Vall… · highest
211,071 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Bell on ACS population and median household income
. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 507.
Nationally, Bell sits in the 48th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.
48th
percentile, household income
31st
percentile, home value
73rd
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this
Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.
Data Snapshot: Bell, FL
507 people live in Bell, Florida - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Households in Bell report a median income of $68,929 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.5%. Home values in Bell run a median of $163,300, and the median resident age is 37.7 years. Educational attainment runs 13.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 67.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 67.7°F with 54.4 inches of precipitation per year.
Florida carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 103.4 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,526 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Florida run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 75.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Bell's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from comparison shortlist to housing and income to schools and households to climate and hazard context to population change to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Bell, city-specific coverage includes annual population history, matched public-school count, commute-mode shares.
No matched row is reported here for within-city Census tract profiles, local building permits, FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.
Question 1
Which cities make useful reference points for Bell?
Within Florida, the closest population matches are Gardner (502 residents, $40,739 income); Schall Circle (501 residents, $45,489 income); Key Colony Beach (525 residents, $94,531 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Pleasant Valley, AK (507 residents); Grannis, AR (507 residents); Phillipsburg, GA (507 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.
How far does income reach against housing in Bell?
The home-value-to-income reference is relatively compact: the ACS median home value is 2.4 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 11.5%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. The ratio makes housing the clearest place to start this profile, but a low multiple can coexist with slow demand, older stock, or household-level hardship. Compare the home-value distribution and same-state peer table before treating it as an advantage.
The NCES join finds 2 public schools within the city match. 13.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
The matched institution count is small, so district boundaries and schools outside the city line may matter more than the municipal count suggests. Use the number as a coverage cue, then verify attendance zones with the district before making a household decision.
NOAA normals put the annual mean temperature at 67.7°F, with 54.4 inches of precipitation. FEMA's state-averaged National Risk Index score for Florida is 75.7 out of 100. Climate normals describe long-run weather; the FEMA score on PlainCities is a state average of county NRI inputs and combines hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and resilience.
The two sources should not be blended into one comfort or safety score. Use the climate values for baseline conditions and the risk index as a prompt to inspect specific hazards, insurance, and local emergency guidance for a particular address.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Population change
Is Bell growing, shrinking, or holding steady?
Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +76 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +15.1% change. No comparable local building-permit series is available here, so population change should not be read as a housing-supply measure. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Period change
+15.1%
2025 estimate
579
2020 estimate
503
Census Population Estimates Program, 2020–2025; permit context uses Census BPS.
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 68.7%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.
Public transit
0.0%
Work from home
2.0%
Drive alone
68.7%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 249 workers age 16+.
Below median income · poverty 11.5% (Above-median poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
103.4 (US=100)
Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Florida average
F
City profile score · Bell, FL
33/100
4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Household income D
$68,929
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Poverty rate F
11.5%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Cost of living F
103.4 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Bachelor's+ share F
13.9%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Violent crime N/A
N/A
No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).
Bell profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Household income: 48/100 (D) · $68,929
Poverty rate: 34/100 (F) · 11.5%
Cost of living: 25/100 (F) · 103.4 index
Bachelor's+ share: 17/100 (F) · 13.9%
How does Bell compare to other US cities?
Bell measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.
Household income48% higher than other cities
Home value31% pricier than other cities
Median rent73% pricier than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Bell against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Florida only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.
Florida-relative analysis
Median Gross Rent places Bell near the bottom of Florida's cities
Among the 930 Florida cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Bell ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Bell only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#442 of 903
51st percentile in Florida
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 930
0th percentile in Florida
Median Home Value
#754 of 894
16th percentile in Florida
Poverty Rate
#298 of 930
68th percentile in Florida
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#751 of 930
19th percentile in Florida
How in-state ranks are ordered
Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Florida only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.
Gauge source note
48th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
How Bell's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$163,300Among the most affordablemore affordable than 69% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023
Bell's home-value-to-income ratio: 2.4×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#3,327 of 15,516
More affordable than 79% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#3,043 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)
At 2.4×, Bell sits in the affordable band:
national rank #3,327 of 15,516 and #3,043 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000).
The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$68,929Bell, FL median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Bell, FL median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Bell, FL.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)13.9%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)11.5%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)67.9%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
507
Median Income
$68,929
Median Home Value
$163,300
Median Age
37.7
Poverty Rate
11.5%
Labor force participation
67.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
13.9%
Climate
Avg Temperature
67.7°F
Annual Precipitation
54.4"
Annual Snowfall
N/A
Schools
Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Bell's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
503 residents
2021
515 residents
2022
535 residents
2023
554 residents
2024
568 residents
2025
579 residents
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Drive Alone
68.7%
Carpool
28.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
2.0%
Other
1.2%
Based on 249 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
Florida statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $225
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Florida at $225 (electricity about $145 , water and sewer about $55 ).
These are Florida statewide averages, not a meter reading for Bell. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
Florida's BEA cost-of-living index is 103.4 (Above Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Bell is $1,526/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Florida statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 75.7 / 100 (High).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a Florida statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Bell sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Bell compares to similar-size Florida cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.