City profile · Ohio · Census ACS 2023

Bellefontaine, OH

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

14,051
Residents
$60,296
Median income
$163,500
Median home
$1,027
Median rent (state)

Bellefontaine - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Bellefontaine places in the 36th percentile for household income and the 68th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

36th
percentile, household income
31st
percentile, home value
22nd
percentile, median rent
68th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Bellefontaine, OH

Bellefontaine is a small town in Ohio, home to 14,051 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $60,296 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 13.9%. Typical homes in Bellefontaine are valued around $163,500, and the median resident age is 36.1 years. 14.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Bellefontaine reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 896.1 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Bellefontaine's yearly average temperature at 50.6°F with 42.6 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Ohio run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Ohio scores 92.8 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,027 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Ohio run around $228, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 53.2 out of 100 (Low).

Population

14,051 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Ohio

Median Household Income

$60,296 /yr

Poverty 13.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.8 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Ohio average

How does Bellefontaine compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 36% higher than other cities
Home value 31% pricier than other cities
Median rent 22% pricier than other cities
Safety 68% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Ohio alone, Bellefontaine ranks #106 of 281 Ohio cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 Bellefontaine'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 Ohio, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

36thIncome percentile
68thSafety percentile

36th percentile nationally for median household income · 68th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Bellefontaine's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Bellefontaine's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 59 Avg. percentile National median
Bellefontaine's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Bellefontaine's home value compares nationally

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

$163,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 69% 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%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Bellefontaine $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 - Bellefontaine, OH Bellefontaine, OH's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bellefontaine, OH-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 Bellefontaine, OH median $60,296/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%
Bellefontaine, OH'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 Bellefontaine, OH. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.0%

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

Population
14,051
Median Income
$60,296
Median Home Value
$163,500
Median Age
36.1
Poverty Rate
13.9%
Labor force participation
61.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
896.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
106.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
789.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
50.6°F
Annual Precipitation
42.6"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
14,050 residents14,100 residents14,150 residents14,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 14,109 residents 14,151 residents ▲ +0.3%
Bellefontaine's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.1%
Carpool
16.2%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
3.3%
Work from Home
3.1%
Other
2.0%

Based on 6,515 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$78
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$228
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Ohio 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 Ohio state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Bellefontaine sits in

Cost of Living Index
92.8
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,027/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
53.2 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Ohio

Sharonville
13,989 people
Circleville
14,144 people
Willowick
14,182 people
Powell
14,229 people
Lyndhurst
13,854 people
Beachwood
13,850 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bellefontaine's 14,051 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Artondale, WA
14,051 people
Greece, NY
14,053 people
Newport, KY
14,039 people
Mill Valley, CA
14,064 people
New Ulm, MN
14,066 people
Lakeland, TN
14,068 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bellefontaine's $60,296 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Knob Noster, MO
$60,294 median income
Fort Wayne, IN
$60,293 median income
Kendall, WA
$60,291 median income
Rochester, IN
$60,304 median income
Kersey, PA
$60,288 median income
Washburn, WI
$60,288 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bellefontaine, OH 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 Bellefontaine, OH - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.3% 6.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.2% White 87.3% Black or African American 4.3% Asian 0.4% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 6.9% 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 Bellefontaine compares to nearby Ohio cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Bellefontaine (this city) 14,051 $60,296
Sharonville 13,989 $70,781
Circleville 14,144 $56,225
Willowick 14,182 $74,138
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OH FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bellefontaine, OH?

What is the population of Bellefontaine, OH? +

The population of Bellefontaine, OH stands at 14,051 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bellefontaine, OH? +

In Bellefontaine, the typical household earns $60,296 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bellefontaine? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bellefontaine; the closest available measure is the Ohio state average, a cost of living index of 92.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Ohio vary by metro area.

Is Bellefontaine, OH safe? +

Bellefontaine has a total crime rate of 896.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Bellefontaine, OH? +

Bellefontaine's median home value sits at $163,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Bellefontaine? +

The average annual temperature in Bellefontaine runs 50.6°F, 42.6 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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.

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 Editorial

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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.