The Town FilesBell, Pennsylvania
Township in Westmoreland County · population 2,080 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $139,200
- Household income
- $63,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 52.4
Bell is a township of 2,080 people in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $139,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more of a college town than 93% of Pennsylvania towns, better for retirees than 87% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 71% 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 $139,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $63,750, which is more affordable than 82% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $663 a month. 91.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bell | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $139,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $663 | $996 |
| Median household income | $63,750 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 91.3% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bell
| People | Bell | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.4 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.9% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 13.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 11.0% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.4% | 89.0% |
Weather in Bell
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 19.8°F. About 45.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 140 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bell since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 3, 1980 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 23, 2011.
Severe weather in Westmoreland County since 1996
Westmoreland County has been included in 20 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 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| April 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County had 129,350 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,519 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Bell itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.
Towns near Bell
- Avonmore, PA2.2 mi · 900 people · home $86,200
- Saltsburg, PA3.6 mi · 780 people · home $174,000
- Kiskiminetas, PA4.9 mi · 4,605 people · home $178,900
- Washington, PA4.9 mi · 6,883 people · home $236,200
- Orchard Hills, PA5.2 mi · 1,949 people · home $125,800
- Apollo, PA5.9 mi · 1,615 people · home $91,100
- Oklahoma, PA6.1 mi · 788 people · home $145,200
- North Apollo, PA6.2 mi · 1,252 people · home $140,600
Bell questions
Is Bell, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bell scores better for retirees than 87% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 58%. 33.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.4).
How much does a house cost in Bell?
The median owner-occupied home in Bell is valued at $139,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,750, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $663 a month.
What is the weather like in Bell?
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 19.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.6 inches of precipitation a year and 28.6 inches of snow.
Does Bell get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 3, 1980. 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)