City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Bedford, VA

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.

6,703
Residents
$47,697
Median income
$192,600
Median home
$1,187
Median rent (state)

Bedford - the verdict

Nationally, Bedford sits in the 16th percentile for household income and the 38th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

16th
percentile, household income
41st
percentile, home value
35th
percentile, median rent
38th
percentile, safety
📝 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, VA

Virginia's Bedford is a small town, with 6,703 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Bedford households earn a median of $47,697 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 16.1%. Bedford's housing stock carries a median value of $192,600, and the median resident age is 43.6 years. About 19.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 54.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Bedford reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1759.7 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 57.0°F with 46.3 inches of precipitation per year.

Virginia tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Virginia scores 101.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,187 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 51.2 out of 100 (Low).

Population

6,703 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$47,697 /yr

Poverty 16.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Bedford compare to other US cities?

Where Bedford sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 16% higher than other cities
Home value 41% pricier than other cities
Median rent 35% pricier than other cities
Safety 38% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Virginia, Bedford ranks #56 of 117 Virginia cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

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 Virginia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

16thIncome percentile
38thSafety percentile

16th percentile nationally for median household income · 38th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Bedford's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Bedford's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 39 Avg. percentile National median
Bedford's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Bedford's home value compares nationally

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

$192,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 59% 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%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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, VA Bedford, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bedford, VA-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, VA median $47,697/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, VA'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, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.2%

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

Population
6,703
Median Income
$47,697
Median Home Value
$192,600
Median Age
43.6
Poverty Rate
16.1%
Labor force participation
54.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1759.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
190.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1569.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
57.0°F
Annual Precipitation
46.3"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
7,600 residents7,700 residents7,800 residents7,900 residents8,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 7,629 residents 7,911 residents ▲ +3.7%
Bedford's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.8%
Carpool
11.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
5.7%
Other
2.0%

Based on 3,011 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Virginia 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 Virginia 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
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,187/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
51.2 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Galax
6,698 people
South Run
6,714 people
Bridgewater
6,650 people
Spotsylvania Courthouse
6,793 people
Buena Vista
6,612 people
Aquia Harbour
6,917 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bedford's 6,703 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Eastwood, MI
6,704 people
Jordan, MN
6,704 people
Tappan, NY
6,704 people
Air Force Academy, CO
6,701 people
Liberty Hill, TX
6,706 people
Nephi, UT
6,700 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bedford's $47,697 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Daingerfield, TX
$47,697 median income
Fredonia, NY
$47,694 median income
Kaibito, AZ
$47,692 median income
Wharton, TX
$47,692 median income
Sledge, MS
$47,688 median income
Dunsmuir, CA
$47,708 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bedford, VA 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, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 77.0% 15.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.7% White 77.0% Black or African American 15.6% Asian 1.2% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.9% Two or more races 4.1% 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 Virginia 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) 6,703 $47,697
Galax 6,698 $41,438
South Run 6,714 $250,001
Bridgewater 6,650 $81,012
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bedford, VA?

What is the population of Bedford, VA? +

The population of Bedford, VA stands at 6,703 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Bedford is $47,697 per year, 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 Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 101.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Virginia vary by metro area.

Is Bedford, VA safe? +

Bedford has a total crime rate of 1759.7 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

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

Bedford's median home value sits at $192,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Bedford? +

Bedford has an average annual temperature of 57.0°F, 46.3 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, 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.