Bessemer, Pennsylvania Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 881, Bessemer's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Bessemer is a small community located in Pennsylvania, within Lawrence County. The total population is 881. It ranks as the 1052nd most populous out of 1,991 Census-designated places in Pennsylvania.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bessemer is 44.2 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 40.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bessemer is $65,893. This is 15% lower than the state median of $77,971. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.8%. This is 8% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.7%. The unemployment rate is 5.2%. The median home value is $122,700. Housing costs are 52% lower than the state median of $254,500. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Bessemer is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 80.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% higher than the state average of 69.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Bessemer has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.9%. The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 10.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 8.7%. The Asian population (1.8%) is well below the state average of 3.8%.

Education

11.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 67% 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 95.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Bessemer, Pennsylvania is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Pennsylvania state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,991 Census-designated places in Pennsylvania. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.