Bell County, Kentucky

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Bell County, Kentucky
Map
Map of Kentucky highlighting Bell County
Location in the state of Kentucky
Map of the U.S. highlighting Kentucky
Kentucky's location in the U.S.
Statistics
Founded 1867
Seat Pineville
Largest city Middlesborough
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

361 sq mi (936 km²)
361 sq mi (934 km²)
1 sq mi (2 km²), 0.16%
Population
 - (2000)
 - Density

30,060
83/sq mi (32/km²)
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website: www.bellcountychamber.com
Named for: Joshua Fry Bell, Kentucky legislator (1862–1867).

Bell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1867. As of 2000, the population was 30,060. Its county seat is Pineville[1]. The county is named for Joshua Fry Bell.

Bell County is a limited dry county, meaning that sale of alcohol in the county is prohibited except by the drink in restaurants seating at least 100 diners in Pineville.

Contents

[edit] Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 361 square miles (936 km²), of which, 361 square miles (934 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2 km²) of it (0.16%) is water.

[edit] Adjacent counties

[edit] National protected area

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1870 3,731
1880 6,055 62.3%
1890 10,312 70.3%
1900 15,701 52.3%
1910 28,447 81.2%
1920 33,988 19.5%
1930 38,747 14.0%
1940 43,812 13.1%
1950 47,602 8.7%
1960 35,336 -25.8%
1970 31,121 -11.9%
1980 34,330 10.3%
1990 31,506 -8.2%
2000 30,060 -4.6%
Est. 2006 29,544 -1.7%
http://ukcc.uky.edu/~census/21013.txt

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 30,060 people, 12,004 households, and 8,522 families residing in the county. The population density was 83 people per square mile (32/km²). There were 13,341 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile (14/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.02% White, 2.40% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 0.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 12,004 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.00% were married couples living together, 15.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.00% were non-families. 26.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.95.

The age distribution was 24.40% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $19,057, and the median income for a family was $23,818. Males had a median income of $24,521 versus $19,975 for females. The per capita income for the county was $11,526. About 26.70% of families and 31.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.00% of those under age 18 and 21.80% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Cities and towns

[edit] School Districts

Three public school districts operate in the county:

[edit] Bell County Schools

The largest of the three in enrollment and by far the largest in geographic scope. The district operates six mainstream K-8 "school centers", one alternative school, one vocational school, and one high school.

[edit] Middlesboro Independent Schools

The second-largest of the three, with boundaries coinciding exactly with the corporate limits of Middlesboro.[3] The district operates two elementary schools, one designated as "primary" and the other as "intermediate"; one middle school; and one high school. The two elementary schools are separate facilities that share the same campus, and the middle and high schools are separate facilities on a second campus.

[edit] Pineville Independent Schools

The county's smallest district; its boundaries generally, but do not exactly, follow the corporate limits of Pineville.[4] The district operates elementary, middle, and high schools on the same campus.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (1990). Map of Middlesboro. Kentucky Department of Revenue. Retrieved on 2007-10-06. The map also bears a handwritten 1996 label, as the district boundary was signed off by the superintendents of the Bell County and Middlesboro districts. The Middlesboro district boundary is marked in black.
  4. ^ Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (1989). Map of Pineville. Kentucky Department of Revenue. Retrieved on 2007-10-06. The map also bears a handwritten 1996 label, as the district boundary was signed off by the superintendents of the Bell County and Pineville districts. The Pineville district boundary is marked in black.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 36°44′N 83°40′W / 36.74, -83.67