The Town FilesBell, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 33,559 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $591,600
- Household income
- $61,020
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 34.3
Bell is a city of 33,559 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $591,600, close to the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more walkable than 99% of California towns, more vibrant than 99% of California towns, more of a college town than 99% of California towns.
How Bell ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bell is worth $591,600, close to the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 9.7 times the median household income of $61,020, which is more affordable than 11% of California towns. Median rent is $1,575 a month. 26.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bell | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $591,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,575 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $61,020 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 26.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Bell
| People | Bell | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 42.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in Bell
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 48.9°F. About 14.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bell since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 7, 1966 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 13, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on March 15, 2024.
Severe weather in Los Angeles County since 1996
Los Angeles County has been included in 88 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5605: Canyon Fire |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | DR-4856: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5550: Eaton Fire |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5551: Hurst Fire |
| January 7, 2025 | Fire | FM-5549: Palisades Fire |
Jobs and pay in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County had 4,525,711 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $83,554 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Bell itself the ACS puts it at 6.9%.
Public schools in Bell
9 public schools with 5,581 students, about 20.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell Senior High | 9-12 | 2,259 | 21.3 |
| Nueva Vista Elementary | K-6 | 641 | 22.1 |
| Woodlawn Avenue Elementary | K-5 | 568 | 19.6 |
| Corona Avenue Elementary | 1-5 | 554 | 21.3 |
| Magnolia Science Academy Bell (charter) | 6-8 | 404 | 21.3 |
| Orchard Academies 2B | 6-8 | 399 | 19.0 |
| Orchard Academies 2C | 6-8 | 398 | 19.9 |
| Martha Escutia Primary Center | K-K | 187 | 18.7 |
| Russell Westbrook Why Not? High (charter) | 9-12 | 171 | 11.4 |
Towns near Bell
- Maywood, CA0.8 mi · 25,138 people · home $634,400
- Cudahy, CA1.1 mi · 22,811 people · home $494,100
- Bell Gardens, CA1.8 mi · 39,501 people · home $563,900
- Commerce, CA2.0 mi · 12,378 people · home $598,700
- Huntington Park, CA2.2 mi · 54,883 people · home $572,700
- Walnut Park, CA2.6 mi · 15,214 people · home $589,000
- South Gate, CA2.6 mi · 92,726 people · home $636,300
- East Los Angeles, CA3.6 mi · 118,786 people · home $643,100
Bell questions
Is Bell, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bell scores better for retirees than 1% of California towns and quieter than 0%. 11.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.3).
How much does a house cost in Bell?
The median owner-occupied home in Bell is valued at $591,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,020, so homes cost about 9.7 times income. Median rent is $1,575 a month.
What is the weather like in Bell?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 48.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Bell get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 7, 1966. The typical California town has had 2.
- 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)