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Bedford County Facts

~The ones in bold are up to date~

 

County Founded

 

 

March 9, 1771

 
County Name Named for Fort Bedford, which had been named in 1759 for the Duke of Bedford
Population, 2009 Estimate 49,650  
Land Area, 2000 1,015 Square Miles  
Persons Per Square Mile 49  
Median Household Income $38,187  
Labor Force, 2004 24,245  
Housing Units 24,306  
Number of Farms, 2007 1,173  
Summer Temperatures (Averages) Daytime Highs - lower 80s
Nighttime Lows - upper 50s
Winter Temperatures (Averages) Daytime Highs - Upper 30s
Nighttime Lows - Upper 20s
Average Growing Season 154 Days  
Education Attainment  
Population 25 Years & Older 35,297    
Less Than 9th Grade 1,871 5.3%  
9-th-12th Grade, No Diploma 4,200 11.9%  
High School Graduate (Includes Equivalency) 17,966 50.9%  
Some College, No Degree 4,483 12.7%  
Associate Degree 2,294 6.5%  
Bachelor's Degree 3,000 8.5%  
Graduate or Professional Degree 1,518 4.3%  
Percent High School Graduate of Higher   82.7%  
Percent Bachelor's Degree or Higher   12.7%  
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Establishments By Business Sector
Total Number of Establishments 1,089
Agriculture 24    
Manufacturing 72    
Retail Trade 232    
Transportation 105    
Wholesale Trade 36    
Construction 130    
Services 313    
Finance 61    
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Labor, Unemployment Compensation Covered Employment and Wages, 1999
Household Income
Median Household Income
$38,187    
  Less than $10,000 8.1%  
  $10,000 - $14,999 8.5%  
  $15,000 - $24,999 14.6%  
  $25,000 - $34,999 14.9%  
  $35,000 - $49,999 18.8%  
  $50,000 - $74,999 19.6%  
  $75,000 - $99,999 8.3%  
  $100,000 - $149,999 5.2%  
  $150,000 - $199,999 0.9%  
  $200,000 or more 1.1%  
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census 2000
Households By Type
Total Households 19,956 100%  
Family Households 13,990 70.1%  
Families With Own Children Under 18 6,060 30.7%  
Female Householder With Children Under 18 779 3.9%  
Householder Living Alone 4,649 23.5%  
Householder Over 65 5,768 29.3%  
Average Household Size 2.46    
Average Family Size 2.96    
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Housing Occupancy Profile
Homeownership Rate, 2000   80.1%  
Housing Units in Multi-Unit Structures, 2000   8.4%  
Median Value of Owner-Occupied Housing Units, 2000 $80,200    
Total Housing Units 23,529 100%  
Occupied Housing Units 19,768 84%  
Vacant Housing Units 3,761 16%  
For Seasonal, Recreational or Occasional Use 2,387 10.1%  
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Median Household Income By County - 1999
Bedford County $32,731    
Blair County $32,861    
Cambria County $32,731    
Fulton County $34,882    
Huntingdon County $31,313    
Somerset County $30,911    

Population By Age

Median Age 41.3    
Total Population 49,650 100%  
Under 5 Years 2,713 5.5%  
5 to 9 Years 3,165 6.4%  
10 to 14 Years 2,851 5.7%  
15 to 19 Years 3,055 6.2%  
20 to 24 Years 2,569 5.2%  
25 to 34 Years 6,067 12.2%  
35 to 44 Years 6,943 14%  
45 to 54 Years 7,652 15.4%  
55 to 59 Years 3,333 6.7%  
60 to 64 Years 2,737 5.5%  
65 to 74 Years 4,429 8.9%  
75 to 84 Years 3,102 6.2%  
85 Years and Over 1,034 2.1%  
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Retail Trade By Industry
Establishments Sales $1000    
Retail Trade 216 438,921  
Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers 36 142,077  
Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores 11 7,714  
Electronics & Appliance Stores 8 3,976  
Building Material & Garden Equipment & Supplies Dealers 20 24,837  
Food & Beverage Stores 31 51,155  
Health & Personal Care Stores 15 17,062  
Gasoline Stations 38 117,704  
Clothing & Clothing Accessories Stores 11 3,508  
Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book & Music Stores 7 3,807  
General Merchandise Stores 4 D*  
Miscellaneous Store Retailers 25 D*  
Nonstore Retailers 10 17,874  
*D = Withheld to avoid disclosure
               Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1997 Economic Census, last modified 2/7/01
Small Businesses
Total # of Establishments, 1999 1,114    
Micro-Businesses (1-4 employees)   57%  
Small Businesses (5-9 employees)   21%  
Mid-Size Businesses (10-19 employees)   12%  
Large Businesses (20 or more employees)   10%  
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau
Surrounding Cities
Major Cities Surrounding Bedford County Miles from Bedford County    
Baltimore 139 Miles    
Buffalo 256 Miles    
Chicago 556 Miles    
Cincinnati 376 Miles    
Cleveland 239 Miles    
Columbus 268 Miles    
Detroit 395 Miles    
Harrisburg 96 Miles    
Montreal 583 Miles    
Philadelphia 197 Miles    
Pittsburgh 97 Miles    
State College 75 Miles    
Toronto 396 Miles    
Washington, D.C. 138 Miles    
Total Employment With Percentage of Unemployment
County Total Employment % Unemployment Rate
Bedford 24,600 6.1%  
Blair 60,000 4.8%  
Cambria 61,100 6.9%  
Fulton 6,300 4.0%  
Huntingdon 17,200 7.3%  
Somerset 34,700 6.0%  
Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2000