Population 47,513 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bedford County
Household size in Bedford County
| Period | Bedford County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.51 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.43 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.42 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.44 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The average household in Bedford County has 2.44 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has edged down from 2.51 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bedford County
| Period | Bedford County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.2 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.8 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.0 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.4 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Bedford County skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 43.2 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bedford County
| Period | Bedford County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Bedford County: 6.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.0 points, as it has nationally. Of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, only four have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bedford County
Renters in Bedford County
| Period | Bedford County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.3% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.2% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.9% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.5% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Bedford County is largely a place of homeowners: only 22.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than half of owners (54.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bedford County
| Period | Bedford County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.5% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.0% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.6% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Bedford County: 16.6% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bedford County
| Period | Bedford County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Bedford County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1971, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Even so, homes here are newer than in Pennsylvania as a whole, where the median home dates to 1967. The median year built has moved up from 1967 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bedford County
| Period | Bedford County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $557 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $634 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $710 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $861 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$304 | +$494 | +$606 |
The median renter in Bedford County pays $861 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $304 a month since 2006–10, up 55%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.2% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bedford County
Bachelor's degrees in Bedford County
| Period | Bedford County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.8% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Bedford County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 15.8%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 3.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few Pennsylvania counties have a lower share of college graduates: only four of 67.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bedford County
| Period | Bedford County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.9% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.8% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.1% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.2% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Bedford County have finished high school as nationally: 90.2%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Pennsylvania as a whole (91.8%). The share with a diploma has risen 6.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bedford County
| Period | Bedford County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Bedford County than nationally: unemployment was 3.9%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bedford County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford County | 2.44 | 46.4 | 6.6% | 22.5% | 16.6% | 1971 | $861 | 15.8% | 90.2% | 3.9% |
| Fulton County | 2.29 | 47.0 | 8.5% | 22.4% | 11.4% | 1976 | $821 | 17.7% | 89.3% | 2.9% |
| Somerset County | 2.36 | 47.1 | 7.4% | 19.6% | 18.1% | 1962 | $812 | 18.5% | 90.8% | 4.9% |
| Fayette County | 2.23 | 45.6 | 10.2% | 27.6% | 11.6% | 1960 | $847 | 19.1% | 89.9% | 6.3% |
| York County | 2.56 | 42.2 | 11.4% | 23.7% | 5.9% | 1976 | $1,277 | 27.8% | 92.0% | 4.6% |
| Lancaster County | 2.63 | 40.6 | 8.8% | 30.2% | 4.4% | 1975 | $1,407 | 32.3% | 87.2% | 3.4% |
| Ohio County | 2.19 | 43.5 | 10.6% | 33.6% | 14.3% | 1957 | $869 | 35.1% | 92.8% | 6.1% |
| Marshall County | 2.36 | 46.3 | 12.5% | 21.6% | 15.8% | 1961 | $831 | 19.2% | 91.4% | 5.1% |
| Belmont County | 2.35 | 45.0 | 11.7% | 26.4% | 13.7% | 1968 | $839 | 19.2% | 92.3% | 5.0% |
| Chester County | 2.68 | 42.0 | 7.4% | 24.9% | 4.8% | 1983 | $1,842 | 57.9% | 94.2% | 3.7% |
| Guernsey County | 2.38 | 42.1 | 11.6% | 27.9% | 13.5% | 1971 | $942 | 15.1% | 86.9% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Cherokee County, SC · Tuolumne County, CA · Queen Anne's County, MD · Gila County, AZ · Union County, AR · Fremont County, WY · Washington Parish, LA · Elko County, NV · Duplin County, NC · Douglas County, WI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bedford County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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