Belle, West Virginia
| Belle, West Virginia | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
|
DuPont Belle Works on US Route 60 at Belle, June 1973 | |
 Location in Kanawha County and state of West Virginia. | |
| Coordinates: 38°14′2″N 81°32′30″W / 38.23389°N 81.54167°WCoordinates: 38°14′2″N 81°32′30″W / 38.23389°N 81.54167°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Kanawha |
| Area[1] | |
| • Total | 0.78 sq mi (2.02 km2) |
| • Land | 0.69 sq mi (1.79 km2) |
| • Water | 0.09 sq mi (0.23 km2) |
| Elevation | 600 ft (183 m) |
| Population (2010)[2] | |
| • Total | 1,260 |
| • Estimate (2012[3]) | 1,247 |
| • Density | 1,826.1/sq mi (705.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 25015 |
| Area code(s) | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-05836[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1553846[5] |
Belle is a town in Kanawha County, West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. The population was 1,260 at the 2010 census. Belle was incorporated on December 13, 1958 by the Kanawha County Circuit Court. It is the home of the Belle Bulldogs Elementary School.
Belle Reynolds, an early postmaster, gave the town her name.[6]
Geography
Belle is located at 38°14′2″N 81°32′30″W / 38.23389°N 81.54167°W (38.233853, -81.541606).[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.78 square miles (2.02 km2), of which, 0.69 square miles (1.79 km2) is land and 0.09 square miles (0.23 km2) is water.[1]
Pollution
Pollution had been noted in the air and water around Belle between 1988 and 2002, caused by the DuPont facility located there. Water releases of pollutants from the facility increased by 385%, and air releases decreased by 94.3%, during that time period.[8]
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 2,559 | — | |
| 1970 | 1,786 | −30.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,621 | −9.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,421 | −12.3% | |
| 2000 | 1,259 | −11.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,260 | 0.1% | |
| Est. 2014 | 1,228 | [9] | −2.5% |
2010 census
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,260 people, 571 households, and 365 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,826.1 inhabitants per square mile (705.1/km2). There were 639 housing units at an average density of 926.1 per square mile (357.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.7% White, 0.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.
There were 571 households of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.1% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.77.
The median age in the town was 43.1 years. 20.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.8% were from 25 to 44; 28.6% were from 45 to 64; and 18.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 45.4% male and 54.6% female.
2000 census
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 1,259 people, 569 households, and 364 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,766.2 inhabitants per square mile (684.7/km²). There were 647 housing units at an average density of 907.7 per square mile (351.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.31% White, 0.87% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.87% from other races, and 2.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.27% of the population.
There were 569 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $34,118, and the median income for a family was $43,203. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $22,969 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,636. About 8.6% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Sports
Belle is home to the women's tackle football team West Virginia Wildfire.
Famous people from Belle
- Jason Williams, NBA player
References
- 1 2 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
- 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
- ↑ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
- 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 103.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ Scorecard
- ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
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