The Town FilesBell Acres, Pennsylvania
Borough in Allegheny County · population 1,505 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $437,500
- Household income
- $165,987
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 48.9
Bell Acres is a borough of 1,505 people in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $437,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for families than 100% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 97% of Pennsylvania towns, better for retirees than 86% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Bell Acres ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bell Acres is worth $437,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $165,987, which is more affordable than 64% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,098 a month. 94.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bell Acres | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $437,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,098 | $996 |
| Median household income | $165,987 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.5% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bell Acres
| People | Bell Acres | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.9 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.8% | — |
| Work from home | 31.2% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.4% | 89.0% |
Weather in Bell Acres
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 20.8°F. About 38.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 19.8 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 93 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bell Acres since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 4, 1975 about 2.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 8, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 100 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 2, 2025.
Severe weather in Allegheny County since 1996
Allegheny County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| October 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| April 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Allegheny County
Allegheny County had 670,637 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $78,297 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Bell Acres itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Towns near Bell Acres
- Leet, PA1.9 mi · 1,624 people · home $254,700
- Sewickley Heights, PA2.4 mi · 857 people · home $1,062,500
- Harmony, PA2.5 mi · 3,187 people · home $153,400
- Edgeworth, PA2.6 mi · 1,669 people · home $820,100
- Ambridge, PA2.8 mi · 6,972 people · home $98,200
- Leetsdale, PA2.8 mi · 1,162 people · home $156,000
- Sewickley Hills, PA2.9 mi · 689 people · home $486,400
- Sewickley, PA3.5 mi · 3,907 people · home $464,300
Bell Acres questions
Is Bell Acres, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bell Acres scores better for retirees than 86% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 73%. 24.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.9).
How much does a house cost in Bell Acres?
The median owner-occupied home in Bell Acres is valued at $437,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $165,987, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,098 a month.
What is the weather like in Bell Acres?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 20.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.5 inches of precipitation a year and 19.8 inches of snow.
Does Bell Acres get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bell Acres since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 4, 1975. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)