Is Bedford, NY a Good Place to Live?
Bedford is a small town of 2,052 in New York, with a median household income of $250,001 and a 3.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Bedford stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Bedford is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Bedford city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 112.5Bedford's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bedford costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Bedford, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,000,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | N/A | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 97.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $250,001 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeBedford's violent crime rate is 131.2 per 100,000 residents — 65% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Bedford is served primarily by BEDFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Bedford, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | BEDFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 5 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 81.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 99.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Bedford sees average highs of 38.0°F in January and 84.8°F in July, with 51.4 inches of annual precipitation and 34.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Bedford, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 38.0°F |
| Average High — July | 84.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Bedford, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,052 | — |
| Median Age | 43.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 40.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 90.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 19.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Bedford
Bedford, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: