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Bedford County Facts

County Founded March 9, 1771  
County Name Named for Fort Bedford, which had been named in 1759 for the Duke of Bedford
Population, 2001 Estimate 49,899  
Land Area, 2000 1,015 Square Miles  
Persons Per Square Mile 49.3  
Median Household Income $32,731  
Labor Force 25,000  
Housing Units 23,529  
Number of Farms 1,225  
Summer Temperatures (Averages) Daytime Highs - lower 80s
Nighttime Highs - upper 50s
Winter Temperatures (Averages) Daytime Highs - Upper 30s
Nighttime Highs - Upper 20s
Average Growing Season 154 Days  
Education Attainment  
Population 25 Years & Older 34,482 100%  
Less Than 9th Grade 2,504 7.2%  
9-th-12th Grade, No Diploma 5,014 14.5%  
High School Graduate (Includes Equivalency) 17,530 50.7%  
Some College, No Degree 4,329 12.5%  
Associate Degree 1,663 4.8%  
Bachelor's Degree 2,305 6.7%  
Graduate or Professional Degree 1,237 3.6%  
Percent High School Graduate of Higher   78.3%  
Percent Bachelor's Degree or Higher   10.2%  
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Establishments By Business Sector
Total Number of Establishments 1,089
Agriculture 24    
Manufacturing 67    
Retail Trade 287    
Transportation 105    
Wholesale Trade 53    
Construction 130    
Services 313    
Finance 61    
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Labor, Unemployment Compensation Covered Employment and Wages, 1999
Household Income
Median Household Income
$32,731    
  Less than $10,000 10.2%  
  $10,000 - $14,999 8.1%  
  $15,000 - $24,999 17.1%  
  $25,000 - $34,999 18.4%  
  $35,000 - $49,999 19.6%  
  $50,000 - $74,999 17.2%  
  $75,000 - $99,999 5.5%  
  $100,000 - $149,999 2.4%  
  $150,000 - $199,999 .6%  
  $200,000 or more .9%  
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census 2000
Households By Type
Total Households 19,768 100%  
Family Households 14,493 73.3%  
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 2.5    
Average Family Size 2.95    
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 - 1997
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 39.5    
Total Population 49,984 100%  
Under 5 Years 3,004 6.0%  
5 to 9 Years 3,221 6.4%  
10 to 14 Years 3,514 7.0%  
15 to 19 Years 3,154 6.3%  
20 to 24 Years 2,498 5.0%  
25 to 34 Years 6,281 12.6%  
35 to 44 Years 7,754 15.5%  
45 to 54 Years 6,794 13.6%  
55 to 59 Years 2,945 5.9%  
60 to 64 Years 2,576 5.2%  
65 to 74 Years 4,529 9.1%  
75 to 84 Years 2,874 5.7%  
85 Years and Over 840 1.7%  
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