Bedford County, Pennsylvania Demographics 2026

Name: Bedford County, Pennsylvania Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Bedford County, Pennsylvania has a population of 47,513, the 45th most populous county in Pennsylvania. The median household income is $59,992 and the median home value is $179,000. The poverty rate is 11.6%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Bedford County Quick Facts

Population 47,513

Median Household Income $59,992

Median Home Value $179,000

Poverty Rate 11.6%

Unemployment Rate 3.9%

Median Age 47.5 years

Homeownership Rate 77.5%

Affordability Ratio 3.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 16.1%

High School Graduation 90.5%

Cities/Places 16

Population 47,513 45th of 67

Median Income $59,992 23% lower than state

Poverty Rate 11.6%

Unemployment 3.9%

How Bedford County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	47,503	47,513	+0.0%
Median household income	$60,302	$59,992	-0.5%
Median home value	$172,900	$179,000	+3.5%

Median Household Income

Bedford

$59,992

$77,971

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Bedford

$179,000

$254,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.7%

$25K-$50K 22.4%

$50K-$100K 30.8%

$100K+ 27.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.2%

$10K-$15K

4.4%

$15K-$20K

5.1%

$20K-$25K

6.0%

$25K-$30K

4.8%

$30K-$35K

5.4%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

4.2%

$45K-$50K

3.7%

$50K-$60K

8.0%

$60K-$75K

9.1%

$75K-$100K

13.7%

$100K-$125K

10.0%

$125K-$150K

7.2%

$150K-$200K

5.5%

$200K+

4.5%

Employment

3.9% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

57.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 77.5%

Renter 22.5%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $784/mo 15.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.4%

18-34

17.6%

35-54

23.3%

55-74

29.3%

75+

10.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 45 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Bedford County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Bedford	2,851	$41,375	12.5%	$182,000
Everett	2,052	$38,565	24.5%	$120,000
Earlston	1,259	$78,490	3.6%	$167,200
Hyndman	850	$56,429	11.9%	$99,700
Saxton	791	$31,875	35.8%	$119,600
Stonerstown	430	$62,614	6.8%	$139,700
Woodbury	346	$47,708	33.7%	$159,900
Schellsburg	342	$81,250	15.5%	$136,900
Defiance	316	$90,694	3.6%	$87,400
Manns Choice	315	$65,179	15.6%	$91,000
New Paris	225	$62,813	28.4%	$106,800
Hopewell	162	$51,250	12.2%	$101,800
Rainsburg	138	$42,500	42.0%	$121,900
Pleasantville (Bedford County)	128	$47,500	24.2%	N/A
St. Clairsville	101	$48,594	12.9%	$118,800
Coaldale (Bedford County)	58	$44,375	8.6%	$51,700

Explore Pennsylvania Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Bedford County is located in Pennsylvania with a total population of 47,513. It is the 45th most populous county out of 67 in Pennsylvania. The county encompasses 16 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bedford County is 47.5 years. This is 16% higher than the state median of 40.9 years. 10.4% 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 Bedford County is $59,992. This is 23% lower than the state median of $77,971. It is also 26% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.6%. This is 1% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.7%. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 26% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $179,000. Housing costs are 30% lower than the state median of $254,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 77.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 69.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Bedford County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.4%. The Black or African American population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 10.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.4%) is well below the state average of 8.7%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 3.8%.

Education

16.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 54% 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 90.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Bedford County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Pennsylvania and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Bedford County, Pennsylvania?

Bedford County has a population of 47,513, making it the 45th most populous county in Pennsylvania.

What is the median income in Bedford County?

The median household income in Bedford County is $59,992 with a poverty rate of 11.6%.

How many cities are in Bedford County, Pennsylvania?

Bedford County contains 16 Census-designated places.