Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 923, Belle Vernon's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Belle Vernon is a small community located in Pennsylvania, within Fayette County. The total population is 923. It ranks as the 1030th most populous out of 1,991 Census-designated places in Pennsylvania.

Age Demographics

The median age in Belle Vernon is 44.9 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 40.9 years. 11.1% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Belle Vernon is $41,154. This is 47% lower than the state median of $77,971. It is also 49% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 25.1%. This is 114% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.7%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 10.4%. This is 99% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $138,400. Housing costs are 46% lower than the state median of $254,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 35.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 48% lower than the state average of 69.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Belle Vernon is White (non-Hispanic), making up 82.2% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 5.0%. The Black or African American population (5.0%) is well below the state average of 10.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 8.7%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 3.8%.

Education

16.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 52% lower than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Pennsylvania state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,991 Census-designated places in Pennsylvania. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.