The Town FilesBell, Pennsylvania
Township in Clearfield County · population 687 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $125,800
- Household income
- $61,406
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 63 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 53.4
Bell is a township of 687 people in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $125,800, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks quieter than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 77% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Bell 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 is worth $125,800, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $61,406, which is more affordable than 89% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $685 a month. 84.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bell | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $125,800 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $685 | $996 |
| Median household income | $61,406 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.7% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 24.5% | — |
Who lives in Bell
| People | Bell | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.4 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 4.2% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 35.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.2% | 89.0% |
Weather in Bell
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 14.4°F. About 48.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 63.0 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bell since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 19, 1996 about 4.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 10 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 16, 2001.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 17, 1980.
Severe weather in Clearfield County since 1996
Clearfield County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4815: Tropical Storm Debby |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Clearfield County
Clearfield County had 29,228 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,575 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Bell itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Towns near Bell
- Gaskill, PA5.8 mi · 673 people · home $172,200
- Penn, PA6.4 mi · 1,200 people · home $135,000
- Banks, PA7.0 mi · 899 people · home $144,400
- Big Run, PA7.6 mi · 647 people · home $107,700
- Ferguson, PA7.8 mi · 544 people · home $167,800
- Henderson, PA7.9 mi · 1,940 people · home $138,200
- Brady, PA8.4 mi · 1,936 people · home $154,100
- Sykesville, PA9.3 mi · 1,115 people · home $91,200
Bell questions
Is Bell, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bell scores better for retirees than 49% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 95%. 29.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.4).
How much does a house cost in Bell?
The median owner-occupied home in Bell is valued at $125,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,406, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $685 a month.
What is the weather like in Bell?
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 14.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.3 inches of precipitation a year and 63.0 inches of snow.
Does Bell get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 19, 1996. 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)