City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Bedford, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Bedford - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,389
Residents
$57,031
Median income
$88,900
Median home
$919
Median rent (state)

Bedford - the verdict

Bedford ranks in the 31st percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

31st
percentile, household income
6th
percentile, home value
6th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Bedford, IA

Iowa's Bedford is a small town, with 1,389 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Bedford brings in $57,031 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.4%. Home values in Bedford run a median of $88,900, and the median resident age is 41.1 years. 12.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 1 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier. NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 50.3°F with 38.4 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: the state registers 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $919 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Iowa's average monthly utility costs around $212 (state average). The average commute for Bedford workers runs 21.1 minutes, with 70.2% driving alone and 1.7% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 38.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

1,389 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$57,031 /yr

Poverty 4.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Bedford compare to other US cities?

Bedford measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 31% higher than other cities
Home value 6% pricier than other cities
Median rent 6% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Bedford's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

31stIncome percentile

31st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Bedford's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$88,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 94% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Bedford $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Bedford, IA Bedford, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bedford, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Bedford, IA median $57,031/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Bedford, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Bedford, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,389
Median Income
$57,031
Median Home Value
$88,900
Median Age
41.1
Poverty Rate
4.4%
Labor force participation
61.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.4%

Climate

Avg Temperature
50.3°F
Annual Precipitation
38.4"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,470 residents1,480 residents1,490 residents1,500 residents1,510 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,490 residents 1,474 residents ▼ -1.1%
Bedford's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 2
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 1

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.1 minutes
Drive Alone
70.2%
Carpool
21.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
6.9%
Work from Home
1.7%

Based on 654 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Bedford sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$919/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
38.5 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Greene
1,390 people
Nora Springs
1,394 people
Coon Rapids
1,403 people
Earlham
1,406 people
Avoca
1,369 people
Malvern
1,415 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bedford's 1,389 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Kemp, TX
1,389 people
Fairview, UT
1,389 people
Niland, CA
1,388 people
Rehoboth Beach, DE
1,388 people
Toulon, IL
1,390 people
Atwood, KS
1,388 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bedford's $57,031 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

St. James, MN
$57,031 median income
Mount Orab, OH
$57,027 median income
New Britain, CT
$57,036 median income
Myrtle Creek, OR
$57,039 median income
Duncan, OK
$57,020 median income
San Jose CDP (Rio Arriba County), NM
$57,019 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bedford, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Bedford, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.9% White 95.5% Black or African American 0.5% Asian 0.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.4% Two or more races 3.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Bedford compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Bedford (this city) 1,389 $57,031
Greene 1,390 $54,298
Nora Springs 1,394 $72,083
Coon Rapids 1,403 $64,338
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bedford, IA?

What is the population of Bedford, IA? +

Bedford, IA has a population of 1,389 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bedford, IA? +

Median annual household income in Bedford runs $57,031, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bedford? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bedford; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Bedford, IA? +

Bedford's median home value sits at $88,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Bedford? +

Climate normals put Bedford's yearly average temperature at 50.3°F, 38.4 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.