Bedford County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Bedford County, Tennessee has a population of 52,237, the 32nd most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $67,225 and the median home value is $281,200. The poverty rate is 12.6%.

Bedford County Quick Facts

Population 52,237

Median Household Income $67,22590% MOE ±$4,697

Median Home Value $281,20090% MOE ±$10,735

Poverty Rate 12.6%90% MOE ±2.3 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.2%90% MOE ±1.2 pts

Median Age 37.6 years90% MOE ±0.7 years

Homeownership Rate 71.9%90% MOE ±2.5 pts

Affordability Ratio 4.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 17.2%90% MOE ±2.1 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 85.3%

Cities/Places 5

Population 52,237 32nd of 95

Median Income $67,225 3% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.6%

Unemployment 4.2%

How Bedford County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	48,292	52,237	+8.2%
Median household income	$62,046	$67,225	No clear change (+8.3%)
Median home value¹	$185,960	$281,200	+51.2%
Median gross rent	$944	$1,051	+11.3%

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Bedford

$67,225

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Bedford

$281,200

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.7%

$25K-$50K 21.6%

$50K-$100K 36.1%

$100K+ 28.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.8%

$10K-$15K

3.7%

$15K-$20K

2.5%

$20K-$25K

3.7%

$25K-$30K

4.7%

$30K-$35K

4.6%

$35K-$40K

3.1%

$40K-$45K

4.7%

$45K-$50K

4.5%

$50K-$60K

7.0%

$60K-$75K

12.6%

$75K-$100K

16.4%

$100K-$125K

10.6%

$125K-$150K

6.5%

$150K-$200K

5.0%

$200K+

6.6%

Employment

4.2% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

63.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 71.9%

Renter 28.1%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,051/mo 18.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

25.3%

18-34

22.0%

35-54

25.5%

55-74

20.9%

75+

6.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 46 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Bedford County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Shelbyville	24,661	$55,073	20.7%	$244,000
Unionville	1,275	$70,541	1.4%	$280,500
Wartrace	630	$50,417	23.2%	$206,800
Bell Buckle	529	$86,250	11.8%	$306,600
Normandy	106	$59,792	19.8%	$202,800

Explore Tennessee 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 Tennessee with a total population of 52,237. It is the 32nd most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bedford County is 37.6 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bedford County is $67,225. This is 3% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 17% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.6%. This is 8% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 4.2%. This is 10% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $281,200. Housing costs are 2% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.2x. 71.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Bedford County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 72.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 16.0%. The Black or African American population (6.3%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (16.0% vs 7.4%). The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

17.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 45% lower than the state rate of 31.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 85.3%.

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 Tennessee 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, Tennessee?

Bedford County has a population of 52,237, making it the 32nd most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Bedford County?

The median household income in Bedford County is $67,225 with a poverty rate of 12.6%.

How many cities are in Bedford County, Tennessee?

Bedford County contains 5 Census-designated places.