The Town Files

Bell, Florida

Town in Gilchrist County · population 518 (2020 Census)

Map: where Bell is in FloridaBell
Median home
$171,800
Household income
$65,938
Jan low / Jul high
40° / 90°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
4
Median age
39.5

Bell is a town of 518 people in Gilchrist County, Florida. The median home is worth $171,800, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks quieter than 98% of Florida towns, easier by car than 98% of Florida towns, better for families than 84% of Florida towns.

Bell in our rankings:

How Bell ranks

Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.

Bell lifestyle rankings vs other Florida townsRetirement67th pctFamilies84th pctQuiet98th pctWalkability7th pctFirst-time buyers50th pctYoung professionals5th pctVibrancy8th pctHip & trendy4th pctCollege town9th pctUpscale6th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving98th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Bell is worth $171,800, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $65,938, which is more affordable than 95% of Florida towns. Median rent is $963 a month. 73.4% of households own their home.

Bell vs Gilchrist County vs typical Florida townBellGilchrist CountyTypical Florida townHome value$171,800$199,900$331,600Household income$65,938$63,523$71,140Monthly rent$963$926$1,569
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Florida towns with 500+ people.
HousingBellTypical Florida town
Median home value$171,800$331,600
Median rent$963$1,569
Median household income$65,938$71,140
Home value ÷ income2.6×4.5×
Homeownership73.4%73.5%
Median year built19901985
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Bell

PeopleBellTypical Florida town
Median age39.542.8
Age 65 and over12.4%20.2%
Under 1828.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher11.0%28.8%
Below the poverty line13.1%11.3%
Veterans8.9%—
Born outside the U.S.18.3%—
Work from home2.3%13.5%
Average commute26.1 min27.5 min
Homes with broadband71.0%92.4%

Weather in Bell

July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 40.0°F. About 54.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 72 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 28 nights at or below freezing.

Bell monthly temperatures and precipitation40°50°60°70°80°90°65°40°Jan68°43°Feb75°47°Mar80°53°Apr86°61°May90°69°Jun90°71°Jul90°71°Aug87°68°Sep80°58°Oct73°48°Nov67°43°DecPrecipitation (in)4.03.93.72.43.46.67.89.24.93.52.42.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Bell 4Nw station (4.3 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 3 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bell since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 23, 1983 about 0.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 23, 2020.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Bell by decade01950s01960s11970s11980s11990s02000s02010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 13, 1980.

Severe weather in Gilchrist County since 1996

Storm events in Gilchrist County since 1996 by typeHail27Flood3Drought7Tornado2Wildfire3Lightning2Heavy Rain24Flash Flood2
NOAA Storm Events Database, Gilchrist County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Gilchrist County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
October 9, 2026Tropical StormEM-3655: Hurricane Isaias
October 11, 2024HurricaneDR-4834: Hurricane Milton
October 7, 2024HurricaneEM-3622: Hurricane Milton
September 28, 2024HurricaneDR-4828: Hurricane Helene
September 24, 2024Tropical StormEM-3615: Tropical Storm Helene

Jobs and pay in Gilchrist County

Gilchrist County had 3,814 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,829 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Bell itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.

Largest industries in Gilchrist CountyAgriculture, forestry & fishi…409 jobs · $48,641Construction390 jobs · $54,300Manufacturing314 jobs · $61,470Retail215 jobs · $30,261Administrative & support129 jobs · $41,333Other services106 jobs · $46,530
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Gilchrist County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Gilchrist 3.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Bell

2 public schools with 1,318 students, about 19.4 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
BELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPK-567020.3
BELL HIGH SCHOOL6-1264818.5

Towns near Bell

Bell questions

Is Bell, Florida a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bell scores better for retirees than 67% of Florida towns and quieter than 98%. 12.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).

How much does a house cost in Bell?

The median owner-occupied home in Bell is valued at $171,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,938, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $963 a month.

What is the weather like in Bell?

July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 40.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.

Does Bell get tornadoes?

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 23, 1983. The typical Florida town has had 35.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Bell's Census boundary (GEOID 1204975). Comparisons use the median of Florida towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.