Population 20,612 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Blue Bell
Household size in Blue Bell
| Period | Blue Bell | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.53 | 2.64 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.66 | 2.68 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.60 | 2.65 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.57 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
At 2.58 people per household, Blue Bell sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.53, even as the national average fell.
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 Blue Bell
| Period | Blue Bell | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.4 | 38.5 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.6 | 39.3 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.4 | 40.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.1 | 40.4 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.3 | +1.9 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Blue Bell skews older than the country: its median age is 44.1, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 45.4, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the north.
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 Blue Bell
| Period | Blue Bell | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 12.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 11.8% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 11.7% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 12.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | −0.1 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.8% of households in Blue Bell, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 2.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Blue Bell
Renters in Blue Bell
| Period | Blue Bell | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.2% | 30.2% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.2% | 32.1% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.9% | 32.7% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.6% | 33.2% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +3.0 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Blue Bell is largely a place of homeowners: only 22.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About a third of owners (34.3%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.4 points, as it has nationally.
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 Blue Bell
| Period | Blue Bell | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.2% | 9.2% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 9.0% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 6.9% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.2% of homes in Blue Bell are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Blue Bell has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Pennsylvania cities.
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 Blue Bell
| Period | Blue Bell | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1964 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1965 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1965 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1968 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Blue Bell are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1982, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the wider Philadelphia area, where the median home dates to 1968.
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 Blue Bell
| Period | Blue Bell | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,625 | $1,049 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,582 | $1,147 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,631 | $1,281 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,352 | $1,631 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$727 | +$582 | +$494 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Blue Bell costs $2,352 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $727 a month from 2006–10, a 45% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.3% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the south.
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 Blue Bell
Bachelor's degrees in Blue Bell
| Period | Blue Bell | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 60.0% | 32.7% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 59.5% | 34.4% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 64.8% | 37.9% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 73.1% | 42.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.1 pts | +9.6 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Blue Bell is highly educated: about three-quarters of adults 25 and older (73.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 13.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 19 of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Blue Bell
| Period | Blue Bell | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.7% | 87.5% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.3% | 88.9% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.1% | 90.5% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.2% | 91.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Blue Bell: 98.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 24 of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Blue Bell
| Period | Blue Bell | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 8.4% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 10.2% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 6.3% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Blue Bell runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% 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).
Blue Bell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Bell | 2.58 | 44.1 | 6.8% | 22.6% | 4.2% | 1982 | $2,352 | 73.1% | 98.2% | 4.6% |
| Gwynedd Valley | 2.83 | 46.4 | 0.7% | 3.6% | 12.7% | 1982 | $2,230 | 84.3% | 99.9% | 5.2% |
| Plymouth Meeting | 2.49 | 42.4 | 8.7% | 28.9% | 2.3% | 1968 | $1,731 | 54.2% | 94.7% | 3.4% |
| Ambler | 2.61 | 43.9 | 6.5% | 26.5% | 6.6% | 1973 | $2,207 | 69.2% | 97.8% | 2.7% |
| Fort Washington | 2.69 | 45.9 | 9.5% | 15.5% | 2.9% | 1966 | $1,844 | 62.0% | 95.2% | 2.9% |
| Norristown | 2.65 | 41.7 | 12.3% | 38.3% | 7.8% | 1968 | $1,675 | 38.3% | 90.3% | 6.0% |
| North Wales | 2.55 | 47.2 | 6.3% | 19.0% | 4.1% | 1982 | $1,978 | 56.6% | 96.3% | 4.2% |
| Worcester | 2.68 | 48.3 | 4.1% | 0.7% | 3.1% | 1980 | $3,328 | 72.6% | 99.5% | 1.2% |
| Bridgeport | 2.38 | 33.0 | 9.7% | 53.5% | 10.5% | 1964 | $1,391 | 44.8% | 96.2% | 3.4% |
| Lafayette Hill | 2.52 | 46.4 | 5.0% | 18.5% | 5.8% | 1974 | $2,561 | 65.4% | 97.8% | 6.1% |
| Flourtown | 2.43 | 48.3 | 6.3% | 25.6% | 3.6% | 1967 | $1,562 | 61.6% | 96.1% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: East Hemet, CA · Palmer, AK · Seabrook, MD · Temple, GA · Orocovis, PR · Twinsburg, OH · Florida City, FL · Rosamond, CA · Upper St. Clair, PA · Utuado, PR
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 Blue Bell. 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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