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Arlington vs Bedford

Arlington, Texas versus Bedford, Texas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Arlington

Mixed · objective livability45/100

Bedford

Mixed · objective livability47/100

Arlington and Bedford score about the same overall (45 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorArlingtonBedford
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k$81k
Cost of Living$53k$53k
Home Value$251k$292k
Monthly Rent$1k$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$2k
Property Tax Rate1.76%1.72%
Income Tax0.00%0.00%
Sales Tax8.20%8.20%
Estimated total tax burden8.89%8.92%
Unemployment5.6%4.4%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)47°F47°F
Summer Temp (Jul)86°F86°F
Annual Precipitation36.2 in39.7 in
Annual Snowfall0.8 in0.8 in
Sunny Days214 days214 days
Summer Humidity68°F68°F
Comfortable Days94 days95 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk24.133.0
Air Quality50 AQI49 AQI
School Quality46.531.0
Violent Crime2287/100k992/100k
Property Crime2533/100k2219/100k
Community
Population393,46949,455
Median Age33.138.3
Racial Diversity0.700.52
Male/Female Ratio0.960.96
Political LeaningEvenEven
White (%)36.7%59.6%
Black (%)22.3%11.7%
Hispanic (%)30.0%17.8%
Asian (%)7.1%6.3%
Other / Multiracial (%)3.8%4.6%
Getting Around
Commute Time27 min25 min
Walkability8.3/208.8/20
Airport Distance15 mi7 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.6%94.5%
Amenities Nearby8.7262.28
Park & Nature AccessGoodModerate

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Arlington or Bedford more affordable?
Bedford has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Arlington's $53k and Bedford's $53k. Median rent is $1k in Arlington versus $1k in Bedford.
Is Arlington or Bedford safer?
Bedford has the lower violent crime rate. Arlington reports 2287/100k and Bedford reports 992/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Arlington or Bedford?
The median home value is $251k in Arlington and $292k in Bedford, so homes are more affordable in Arlington.
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