What it's like to live in Bedford Heights
Bedford Heights 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 schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bedford Heights deals with household incomes below the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, college degree attainment below the national average, and cold winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 64" per year
How Bedford Heights compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bedford Heights
Based on Bedford Heights's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,018
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $40,360 a year
- 49% of Bedford Heights renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$31,300
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $15,650
- Homes cost 3.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 29% below US
$1,009/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,009 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 $156,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $156,500 · 49% 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▼ 52% below US
158 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1332/100k · Bedford Heights Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 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▼ 40% below US
22% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
2 public schools inside the boundary
There are 2 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, 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 (10 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bedford Heights'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 ($1,009/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Bedford Heights
All Ohio guides →Moving to Bedford →
2 mi away · pop. 12,931
Rent $1,059/mo · Income $57,308
Compare with Bedford Heights →Moving to Warrensville Heights →
2 mi away · pop. 13,545
Rent $1,044/mo · Income $49,669
Compare with Bedford Heights →Moving to Maple Heights →
3 mi away · pop. 23,258
Rent $1,338/mo · Income $53,414
Compare with Bedford Heights →Moving to Solon →
4 mi away · pop. 23,943
Rent $1,626/mo · Income $139,089
Compare with Bedford Heights →Not sure Bedford Heights is the one?
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