City profile · Missouri · Census ACS 2023

Bell City, MO

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Bell City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

554
Residents
$31,058
Median income
$50,000
Median home
$888
Median rent (state)

Bell City - the verdict

Nationally, Bell City sits in the 3rd percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

3rd
percentile, household income
0th
percentile, home value
4th
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 City, MO

Missouri's Bell City is a small town, with 554 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Bell City brings in $31,058 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 40.8%. Typical homes in Bell City are valued around $50,000, and the median resident age is 37.2 years. About 12.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 45.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 0 residential building permits were authorized in Bell City (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Living costs in Missouri run below the national norm: the state registers 90.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $888 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Missouri's average monthly utility costs around $219 (state average). Commute times here average 23.4 minutes, with 73.3% driving alone and 2.8% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 74.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

554 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Missouri

Median Household Income

$31,058 /yr

Poverty 40.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Missouri average

How does Bell City compare to other US cities?

Here's how Bell City stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 3% higher than other cities
Home value 0% pricier than other cities
Median rent 4% 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Bell City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Missouri, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

3rdIncome percentile

3rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Bell City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$50,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 100% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Bell City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Bell City, MO Bell City, MO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bell City, MO-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Bell City, MO median $31,058/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Bell City, MO's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Bell City, MO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 40.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 45.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
554
Median Income
$31,058
Median Home Value
$50,000
Median Age
37.2
Poverty Rate
40.8%
Labor force participation
45.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.1%

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
450 residents452 residents454 residents456 residents458 residents 202020212022202320242025 456 residents 453 residents ▼ -0.7%
Bell City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 1
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.4 minutes
Drive Alone
73.3%
Carpool
18.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
6.0%
Work from Home
2.8%

Based on 217 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Missouri - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$72
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$219
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Missouri state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Missouri state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Bell City sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$888/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
74.3 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Missouri

Grayhawk
554 people
Wellington
553 people
Parma
552 people
Green City
560 people
Corder
561 people
Washburn
561 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bell City's 554 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Jacksons' Gap, AL
554 people
Saguache, CO
554 people
Franklin, IL
554 people
Garwin, IA
554 people
Grand Mound, IA
554 people
Claremont, MN
554 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bell City's $31,058 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Bayamón zona urbana, PR
$31,058 median income
Somerville, TN
$31,063 median income
Uniontown, AL
$31,071 median income
Wayland, KY
$31,042 median income
Lake View, SC
$31,033 median income
Mathis, TX
$31,090 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bell City, MO Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Bell City, MO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.6% 13.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.5% White 86.6% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.2% Two or more races 13.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Bell City compares to nearby Missouri cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Bell City (this city) 554 $31,058
Grayhawk 554 $49,808
Wellington 553 $67,404
Parma 552 $63,500
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MO NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bell City, MO?

What is the population of Bell City, MO? +

The population of Bell City, MO stands at 554 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bell City, MO? +

The median household income in Bell City is $31,058 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bell City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bell City; the closest available measure is the Missouri state average, a cost of living index of 90.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Missouri vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Bell City, MO? +

A typical home in Bell City is worth $50,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.