Bells-City-Hall-tn, 2018
Bells’s story
171 years in pictures
Census counts: 540 in 1880, 2,463 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2018 and 3 maps from 1959 on.
- 1855Bells is settled
BellsTN
Public schools that outperform most of Tennessee.
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Population
2,473
2025 Census estimate · +0.3% since 2020
Typical home
$206K
+4.2% in a year
Household income
$56K
median
Median age
32.0
years
Jobs based here
1,321
Balanced
Is Bells a good place to live?
Bells’ best subject grade is an A− for schools; its weakest is a D for walkability. 26% of residents live below the poverty line in Bells, where Tennessee’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 91% of the country. Among 178 Tennessee towns, just 2 have a higher share of children under 18 than Bells. Bells has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Bells stand out
Where Bells beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
How Bells grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Bells is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.8 of 20; 11.2% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →HealthHaywood County Community Hospital 11.6 miles awayDOpen →SchoolsA−Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listC−Open →Jobs & income$56K median household incomeCOpen →Cost of livingBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 0% conserved landC−Open →History1 notable person born hereC−Open →Civic life2.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bells: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bells, and how to reach them.
PowerGibson Electric Members13.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBells Public Utility DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bells’ trash rules yet
SchoolsBells City School DistrictCrockett County School District in Bells2 districts serve Bells; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Tennessee you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCrockett County Election CommissionCrockett County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code3800638006 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bells.
HealthD
Bells earns a D for health
43% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Bells, above both the Tennessee town median (38%) and the median of U.S. towns (36%). 44% of adults have obesity in Bells. Bells beats the Tennessee average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 8.
9%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Bells | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 38% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 39% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 16% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 8.1% |
31 measures vs. Tennessee
1 better22 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Bells | TN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.6% | 8.2% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 23.2% | 16.2% |
Haywood County Community Hospital
11.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsA−
Public schools in Bells beat 82% of Tennessee districts
Its public schools are run by the Bells school district. Its one school is below.
82%of TN districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bells ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 407 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests
HousingCost of living grade B
The typical home in Bells is valued at about $206K
The typical Bells home is worth about $206,000, up 4.2% in a year, 38% below the Tennessee typical home. 50% of Bells households own their home.
$206KZillow home value
| Bells | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 50% | 66% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,001 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Bells$206K
Tennessee$331K
+4.2%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
High risk in Bells, with earthquakes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 75% of U.S. communities.
75risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingCold waves
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Bells
Bells has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Bells is 90°F.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter32–50°
Spring49–71°
Summer68–89°
Fall49–72°
Nov 4
typical first frost
Mar 28
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Bells has 1.3 jobs for every working resident, and 1,164 people commute in
Most working residents leave Bells for work: only 15% work in town. Jobs based in Bells grew to 1,321 in 2023, 954 more than in 2013. Bells’ average trip to work is 21 minutes.
15%work in town
| Bells | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 12% | 8% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Bells15%
Jackson27%
Alamo6%
Memphis4%
Union City4%
15 mi
median commute distance
1,321
jobs based in Bells
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 6% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Bells
Bells's reported crime rate is well below Tennessee's. Only 10 of the 135 Tennessee towns we compare have a lower property crime rate than Bells. 4 violent crimes were reported in 2024.
| Bells | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 3.6 per 1,000 residents | 13.2 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 1.6 per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 1.7 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Bells1.6
Tennessee6
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Bells3.6
Tennessee20.7
U.S.17.7
4
violent crimes reported in 2024
9
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
0.3%conserved
| Bells | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.3% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
0.3%
conserved · 5 of 1,513 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. City of Bells Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bells
19pages on Bells
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 82% of TN districts · 1 schoolSafety1.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthDBetter than TN on 1 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingB$206K typical home · up 4.2% in a yearWork & commuteC$56K median household income · 1,321 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 75% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Bells
About 6 of every 100 Bells residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Tennessee.
About Bells
City in Tennessee, United States
Bells is a city in Crockett County, Tennessee. The population was 2,463 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1855
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 325 ft
- ZIP code
- 38006
- Area code
- 731
Questions about Bells
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bells, TN a good place to live?
Public schools that outperform most of Tennessee.
Is Bells, TN expensive?
That is 3.4 years of the area's median household income ($61,177 across the Jackson, TN metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.