Population 17,528 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bellefontaine
Household size in Bellefontaine
| Period | Bellefontaine | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.47 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Bellefontaine is a place of small households, averaging 2.28 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.41, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
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 Bellefontaine
| Period | Bellefontaine | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.2 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.5 | 40.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.3 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Bellefontaine is 38.3 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 37.2 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the west and 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 Bellefontaine
| Period | Bellefontaine | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.6% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in Bellefontaine (16.4%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Of the 372 Ohio cities with 5,000+ people, only 28 have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Bellefontaine
Renters in Bellefontaine
| Period | Bellefontaine | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.5% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.8% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.9% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Bellefontaine rent their homes (35.9%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Ohio as a whole (32.8%). Among homeowners, 29.8% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.2 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Bellefontaine
| Period | Bellefontaine | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Bellefontaine as nationally: 9.9%, against 9.6%. Compared with other Ohio cities, Bellefontaine has a higher vacancy rate than most.
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 Bellefontaine
| Period | Bellefontaine | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1963 | 1968 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1969 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1970 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Bellefontaine is a place of older homes: half were built before 1966, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1963 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the north.
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 Bellefontaine
| Period | Bellefontaine | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $664 | $765 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $725 | $814 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $721 | $901 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $749 | $1,142 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$85 | +$377 | +$606 |
The median renter in Bellefontaine pays $749 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $85 a month since 2006–10, up 13%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 23.8% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the north and lowest in the east.
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 Bellefontaine
Bachelor's degrees in Bellefontaine
| Period | Bellefontaine | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 25.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.9% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.9% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.6% | 31.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Bellefontaine: 17.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 1.8 points, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the west.
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 Bellefontaine
| Period | Bellefontaine | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.8% | 87.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.8% | 88.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.2% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.8% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Bellefontaine have finished high school (91.8%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Ohio. The share with a diploma has risen 6.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Bellefontaine
| Period | Bellefontaine | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Bellefontaine is close to the national rate: 4.9% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Bellefontaine compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellefontaine | 2.28 | 38.3 | 16.4% | 35.9% | 9.9% | 1966 | $749 | 17.6% | 91.8% | 4.9% |
| Iron City | 2.61 | 40.4 | 6.7% | 12.4% | 8.7% | 1983 | $705 | 23.9% | 94.4% | 2.8% |
| Harper | 2.78 | 42.6 | 3.8% | 4.7% | 13.2% | 1988 | $961 | 28.3% | 92.4% | 3.9% |
| Valley-Hi | 2.55 | 34.7 | 10.2% | 16.9% | 18.9% | 1968 | $900 | 30.2% | 98.6% | 4.1% |
| McMorran | 2.62 | 48.1 | 8.3% | 4.6% | 10.3% | 1981 | $784 | 11.5% | 94.9% | 2.3% |
| Zanesfield | 2.56 | 38.3 | 7.1% | 12.6% | 14.6% | 1976 | $846 | 25.1% | 97.2% | 3.3% |
| West Liberty | 2.54 | 44.1 | 7.7% | 21.7% | 12.4% | 1973 | $715 | 25.5% | 93.0% | 2.8% |
| Walnut Grove | 2.59 | 45.0 | 2.8% | 10.2% | 6.8% | 1973 | $951 | 21.1% | 96.1% | 2.3% |
| Huntsville | 2.25 | 48.4 | 11.5% | 15.8% | 23.2% | 1980 | $979 | 22.8% | 95.1% | 0.7% |
| North Greenfield | 2.63 | 48.5 | 3.5% | 8.5% | 7.6% | 1982 | $839 | 9.7% | 96.4% | 0.2% |
| DeGraff | 2.53 | 42.2 | 9.4% | 10.8% | 4.9% | 1961 | $814 | 19.5% | 92.2% | 3.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Vinings, GA · Clayton, MO · Wakulla Springs, FL · Aldie, VA · Aldine, TX · Centerville, UT · Auburn, MA · Lehighton, PA · Madison, CT · Lowell, IN
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 Bellefontaine. 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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