What it's like to live in Bedford
Bedford is a small city in Ohio with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bedford deals with household incomes below the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, college degree attainment below the national average, and a population that has been shrinking.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- Shrinking population
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 64" per year
How Bedford compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bedford
Based on Bedford's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,118
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,360 a year
- 46% of Bedford renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$27,040
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $13,520
- Homes cost 2.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 25% below US
$1,059/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,059 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $135,200. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $135,200 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.1% county unemployment
Unemployment in Cuyahoga County is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Cuyahoga County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 64% below US
118 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 635/100k · Bedford Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 23% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.1 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 79°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 44% below US
20% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 20%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Cuyahoga Valley National Park (9 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bedford's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,059/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Bedford
All Ohio guides →Moving to Bedford Heights →
2 mi away · pop. 10,847
Rent $1,009/mo · Income $50,269
Compare with Bedford →Moving to Maple Heights →
2 mi away · pop. 23,258
Rent $1,338/mo · Income $53,414
Compare with Bedford →Moving to Warrensville Heights →
3 mi away · pop. 13,545
Rent $1,044/mo · Income $49,669
Compare with Bedford →Not sure Bedford is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.