About

Life in Bedford Heights

Bedford Heights is a community of 10,876 people in Ohio. The median household income is $50,269, median rent runs about $1,009 per month, and median home values are around $156,500. Unemployment is low at 3.9%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.

Bedford Heights at a Glance

Population, income, housing and more

Median Age

41.1 yrs

Poverty Rate

12.7%

Foreign-Born

2.6%

Broadband Internet

92.1%

of households

Population Growth

-3.0%

recent change · Census Bureau

Median household income

Bedford Heights$50,269
Ohio avg$71,389
US$80,734

Demographics2.6% foreign-born, most often from Africa, n.e.c.

Who lives in Bedford Heights: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin

In Bedford Heights, the largest foreign-born group is from Africa, n.e.c. (49.3%), and 3.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.

Under 18

20.0%

of residents

65 and Older

19.4%

of residents

Households with Kids

21.0%

anyone under 18

Living Alone

53.8%

of households

Married Couples

20.9%

of households

Avg Household Size

1.95

people

Race & Ethnicity

Black74.3%
White12.6%
Two or more races7.0%
Hispanic or Latino5.8%

Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic

Top countries of origin (foreign-born)

Africa, n.e.c.49.3%
Dominican Republic12.8%
Togo9.6%
Ghana8.2%
Ivory Coast7.8%
Brazil4.6%
Italy3.9%
Peru3.5%
Egypt0.4%

Languages Spoken at Home

English only94.5%
Spanish3.1%
French/Haitian1.8%
Other Indo-European0.2%
Other0.2%
Russian/Slavic0.2%
Arabic0.1%

Cost of Livingrent about average for OH

Rent, home values, and income in Bedford Heights

In Bedford Heights, home values are 27% below the OH average.

Median rent (per month)

Bedford Heights$1,009
Ohio avg$1,034
US$1,413

Median home value

Bedford Heights$156,500
Ohio avg$214,800
US$332,700

Rent Burdened

48.5%

spending 30%+ of income on rent

Severely Rent Burdened

22.5%

spending 50%+

Cost of Living Index

93.9

metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100

Median Property Tax

$2,681

per year, owner-occupied homes

Homeowners

44.4%

of occupied homes are owned

Typical Home Built

1968

median year built

Vacant Homes

4.2%

of housing units

Home Value Trend

$141,648
$192,823
202120222023202420252026

Latest: $192,823 (September 2026)

Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below OH average

Unemployment in Bedford Heights and typical pay across the metro area

Unemployment in Cuyahoga County, which includes Bedford Heights, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the OH average.

Unemployment rate

Bedford Heights4.1%
Ohio avg4.6%
US4.3%

Bedford Heights: Cuyahoga County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average

Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend

5.4%
5.6%
4.7%
4.1%
10.3%
6.2%
4.6%
3.8%
3.9%
4.1%
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Cuyahoga County (county-wide) · Annual averages

Bedford Heights is less than 1% of Cuyahoga County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

What Bedford Heights Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry

Education & health care29.1%
Retail14.4%
Manufacturing11.6%
Arts, hospitality & food service10.2%
Transportation & utilities9.4%
Professional & business services8.0%
Wholesale trade2.6%
Other services2.2%

City residents, wherever they work

Median Salary by Occupation · metro area

Management$104,090
Healthcare$78,700
Business & Finance$75,820
Education$62,810
Office & Admin$44,360
Production$44,100
Transportation$38,950
Healthcare Support$36,300

Cleveland-Elyria, OH metro area

Commute23.8 min avg

How Bedford Heights residents get to work, and the nearest airports

In Bedford Heights, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 68% get there in under 30 minutes.

How People Get to Work

Drive alone72.3%
Carpool8.8%
Public transit3.8%
Walk1.7%
Work from home11.2%
Other2.2%

Commute Time Distribution

Under 15 min25.8%
15–29 min42.4%
30–44 min25.0%
45–59 min2.1%
60+ min4.8%

Nearest airports · with airline service

  • Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)

    Medium hub4.9M passengers boarded in 2025

    18 mi
  • Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)

    Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025

    110 mi

Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.

Safetyviolent crime 52% below national average

Crime rates for 2025

Violent crime in Bedford Heights runs 52% below the national average.

Violent Crime Rate

158.4

per 100,000 residents

Below average (329 national, 2025)

Property Crime Rate

1,332.1

per 100,000 residents

Below average (1,552 national, 2025)

Bedford Heights Police Department

Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 10 events in 2025

Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes

FEMA National Risk Index

Relatively High

98.0 / 100

Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).

Cold wave · Very HighTornado · Very HighHeat wave · HighIce storm · HighLightning · High

Cuyahoga County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025

In Cuyahoga County, which includes Bedford Heights, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.

Most common events:

Thunderstorm WindWinter StormFlash FloodHailHigh Wind

Storm events by year

YearEventsTop TypeProperty Damage
202510Thunderstorm Wind$25,000
202415Thunderstorm Wind$2.5M
202317Thunderstorm Wind$6.1M
202213Thunderstorm Wind$10,000
202113Thunderstorm Wind$376,500
202022Thunderstorm Wind$878,000
201922Thunderstorm Wind$27.2M
201819Thunderstorm Wind$1.3M

Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.

3 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year

Cuyahoga County, county-wide

Bedford Heights is less than 1% of Cuyahoga County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Air Quality53 median AQI — Moderate

Days by air quality category (2025)

Air quality in Cuyahoga County, which includes Bedford Heights, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.

Median AQI

53

Good Days

158

per year

Moderate Days

203

per year

Unhealthy Days

0

per year

Cuyahoga County, county-wide

Bedford Heights is less than 1% of Cuyahoga County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Climate79°F summers, 26°F winters

30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation

Bedford Heights has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and cold winters (avg low 26°F).

Spring (Mar–May)

57°/42°F

avg high / low

Summer (Jun–Aug)

79°/66°F

avg high / low

Fall (Sep–Nov)

62°/49°F

avg high / low

Winter (Dec–Feb)

38°/26°F

avg high / low

Annual Precipitation

47.0"

Annual Snowfall

63.8"

Hot Days/Year

9

days above 90°F

Freeze Days/Year

91

days below 32°F

Rainy Days/Year

172

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)
10°30°50°70°90°4"Jan: 1.76" precipitationFeb: 1.53" precipitationMar: 2.35" precipitationApr: 3.10" precipitationMay: 3.51" precipitationJun: 2.84" precipitationJul: 3.66" precipitationAug: 3.45" precipitationSep: 2.94" precipitationOct: 3.24" precipitationNov: 2.92" precipitationDec: 2.04" precipitation24°JJan: high 35°F, low 24°FFFeb: high 37°F, low 25°FMMar: high 45°F, low 31°FAApr: high 57°F, low 41°FMMay: high 68°F, low 53°FJJun: high 77°F, low 63°F81°JJul: high 81°F, low 68°FAAug: high 80°F, low 67°FSSep: high 74°F, low 60°FOOct: high 63°F, low 49°FNNov: high 51°F, low 38°FDDec: high 40°F, low 30°F
Show month-by-month table ↓
MonthHighLowPrecip
Jan35°F24°F1.76"
Feb37°F25°F1.53"
Mar45°F31°F2.35"
Apr57°F41°F3.10"
May68°F53°F3.51"
Jun77°F63°F2.84"
Jul81°F68°F3.66"
Aug80°F67°F3.45"
Sep74°F60°F2.94"
Oct63°F49°F3.24"
Nov51°F38°F2.92"
Dec40°F30°F2.04"

Healthcare

Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bedford Heights

Uninsured

4.2%

of residents

No hospitals inside Bedford Heights's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles

Highland Springs

Psychiatric · 3.3 mi away · Beachwood

Not rated

University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.3 mi away · Beachwood

South Pointe Hospital

Acute Care Hospitals · 3.6 mi away · Warrensville Heights

Adult Health · vs. the typical US place

Obesity42.8%US 36.8%
Diabetes19.1%US 12.6%
High blood pressure47.8%US 37.1%
Current smoking17.2%US 15.0%
No leisure-time physical activity31.4%US 26.6%
Depression21.1%US 23.0%
Asthma13.4%US 10.7%
Routine checkup in past year83.6%US 78.2%

Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.

Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.

Education14.1:1 student/teacher ratio

Schools and degree attainment in Bedford Heights

Bedford Heights's student/teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 21.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Public Schools

2

within city limits

Private Schools

0

within city limits

College Degree Rate

21.7%

adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher

Student/Teacher Ratio

14.1:1

National avg 16:1

Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year

Colleges Near Bedford Heights (within 15 miles)

Cleveland State University

11.1 mi away

Public · 4-year · 8,969 students · in-state tuition $13,262 · 57% graduate · median earnings $56,979 (10 yrs after entry)

Case Western Reserve University

8.9 mi away

Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,437 students · in-state tuition $69,270 · 87% graduate · median earnings $89,865 (10 yrs after entry)

John Carroll University

6.1 mi away

Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,274 students · in-state tuition $51,960 · 77% graduate · median earnings $74,509 (10 yrs after entry)

Bryant & Stratton College-Parma

14.3 mi away

Private nonprofit · 2-year · 624 students · in-state tuition $20,109 · 30% graduate · median earnings $37,469 (10 yrs after entry)

Cleveland Institute of Art

8.9 mi away

Private nonprofit · 4-year · 539 students · in-state tuition $50,575 · 67% graduate · median earnings $42,757 (10 yrs after entry)

Arizona College of Nursing-Cleveland

4.3 mi away

Private for-profit · 4-year · 164 students · in-state tuition $23,880 · median earnings $41,223 (10 yrs after entry)

Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)

Parks & Recreationclosest: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, 10 mi

Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bedford Heights

Bedford Heights has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cuyahoga Valley National Park (10 mi away).

Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

National Park

10 mi away

James A Garfield National Historic Site

National Historic Site

20 mi away

First Ladies National Historic Site

National Historic Site

42 mi away

Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial

Memorial

70 mi away

Cities Near Bedford Heights

The closest cities within 60 miles

Planning a move to Bedford Heights?

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Bedford Heights FAQ

Is Bedford Heights, Ohio affordable?⌄

Bedford Heights's median rent is $1,009/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $50,269/year. Median home value is $156,500.

Is Bedford Heights, Ohio safe?⌄

Bedford Heights's violent crime rate was 158 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1332 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.

What is the job market like in Bedford Heights, Ohio?⌄

Cuyahoga County, which includes Bedford Heights, has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.

What is the cost of living in Bedford Heights, Ohio?⌄

The cost of living in Bedford Heights is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,009/month and median household income is $50,269/year. The median home value is $156,500. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

How is the commute in Bedford Heights, Ohio?⌄

The average commute in Bedford Heights is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.

Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from