Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Among the top 7% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 93% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 88% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 52% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 33% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 77% of US counties
- top 6% for cost of living
- top 15% for park & nature access
Bedford County is a county in Pennsylvania with about 48,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and C for getting around. Standout strengths include cost of living, park & nature access, and estimated total tax burden. It rates lower on natural disaster risk and annual snowfall.
Official websitebedfordcountypa.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
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cool
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v.cold
74%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.8 in2.8 in
humid 49%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$58k43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$41kbetter than 94% of US counties
Home Value$165k54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$727better than 73% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 52% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.83%better than 51% of US counties
Income Tax3.10%better than 78% of US counties
Sales Tax6.34%better than 76% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden7.55%better than 80% of US counties
Unemployment4.3%better than 60% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)29°F33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation41.3 in46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall37.6 inbetter than 22% of US counties
Sunny Days254 daysbetter than 69% of US counties
Summer Humidity60°Fbetter than 76% of US counties
Comfortable Days90 daysbetter than 78% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk68.2better than 31% of US counties
School Quality71.6better than 76% of US counties
Violent Crime877/100kbetter than 44% of US counties
Property Crime825/100kbetter than 54% of US counties
Community
Population47,61368th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age47.387th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.072nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0051st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6890th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)96.1%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.7%29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.3%6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.4%39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)1.5%9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 34% of US counties
Walkability5.7/20better than 38% of US counties
Airport Distance92 mibetter than 54% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access81.0%better than 36% of US counties
Amenities Nearby7.14better than 77% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 85% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bedford County an affordable place to live?
- Bedford County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $41k, better than 94% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Bedford County?
- The median home value in Bedford County is $165k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Bedford County?
- Median household income in Bedford County is $58k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Bedford County?
- Median gross rent in Bedford County is $727 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Bedford County safe?
- Bedford County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 877/100k (better than 44%). Property crime is 825/100k.
- What is the weather like in Bedford County?
- Bedford County averages 73°F in July and 29°F in January, with 41.3 in of annual precipitation and about 254 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Bedford County?
- Public-school quality in Bedford County is above average, scoring better than 76% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Bedford County?
- The average one-way commute in Bedford County is 27 min.
Other counties in Pennsylvania
Explore Pennsylvania
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)