Population 386,897 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bell County
Household size in Bell County
| Period | Bell County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.86 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.99 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.82 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.79 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Bell County holds 2.79 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.86, in line with the national trend. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bell County
| Period | Bell County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.7 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.0 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.2 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.7 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 33.7, Bell County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young families with children. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 32.7, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bell County
| Period | Bell County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.6% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.6% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in seven households in Bell County (14.5%), above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.1 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bell County
Renters in Bell County
| Period | Bell County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.8% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 44.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.7% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 43.5% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Bell County than nationally: 43.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among owners, 41.8% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.7 points, as it has nationally. Of Texas' 254 counties, only 11 have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bell County
| Period | Bell County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.7% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.7% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Bell County as nationally: 8.7%, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 6.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Bell County has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Texas counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bell County
| Period | Bell County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1987 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1989 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1992 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1995 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +8 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Bell County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1995, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1987 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bell County
| Period | Bell County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $870 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $939 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,036 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,422 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$553 | +$639 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Bell County costs $1,422 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $553 a month since 2006–10, up 64%, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 31.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bell County
Bachelor's degrees in Bell County
| Period | Bell County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.7% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.1% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.2% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Bell County than nationally: 27.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 5.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Compared with other Texas counties, though, Bell County has a higher share of college graduates than most.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bell County
| Period | Bell County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.4% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.8% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.1% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.0% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Bell County is a bit above the national rate: 91.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.6 points, as it has nationally. Bell County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Texas counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bell County
| Period | Bell County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Bell County: 6.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has edged down 1.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bell County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell County | 2.79 | 33.7 | 14.5% | 43.5% | 8.7% | 1995 | $1,422 | 27.2% | 91.0% | 6.9% |
| Coryell County | 2.68 | 34.4 | 11.6% | 41.4% | 14.3% | 1984 | $1,186 | 20.5% | 92.4% | 14.6% |
| Lampasas County | 2.72 | 44.0 | 10.4% | 19.9% | 13.9% | 1987 | $1,214 | 24.1% | 91.5% | 4.7% |
| Williamson County | 2.74 | 37.9 | 9.4% | 33.6% | 4.9% | 2005 | $2,004 | 49.1% | 94.3% | 3.8% |
| Falls County | 2.45 | 41.2 | 10.2% | 23.5% | 21.2% | 1979 | $872 | 20.7% | 88.0% | 5.8% |
| McLennan County | 2.70 | 36.3 | 12.5% | 38.2% | 10.4% | 1984 | $1,301 | 30.0% | 88.2% | 4.3% |
| Milam County | 2.49 | 42.7 | 8.5% | 23.1% | 13.1% | 1984 | $1,106 | 20.4% | 88.9% | 5.2% |
| Burnet County | 2.49 | 45.5 | 8.3% | 23.7% | 15.2% | 1995 | $1,242 | 27.9% | 88.6% | 2.7% |
| Llano County | 2.14 | 54.7 | 9.7% | 23.5% | 27.8% | 1990 | $1,091 | 31.8% | 90.0% | 3.8% |
| Robertson County | 2.58 | 40.7 | 14.2% | 27.6% | 18.9% | 1984 | $789 | 22.3% | 87.0% | 8.5% |
| Mills County | 2.43 | 47.1 | 10.8% | 19.7% | 29.8% | 1980 | $686 | 27.7% | 88.3% | 2.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Santa Barbara County, CA · Monterey County, CA · Pinal County, AZ · Marion County, OR · Charleston County, SC · Cameron County, TX · Hillsborough County, NH · Horry County, SC · Anoka County, MN · Placer County, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bell County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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