Bedford receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ashland
Bedford
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs52 · Bottom 41%
Growth
7 · Bottom 1%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs69 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 11%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs90 · Top 31%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 22%
vs46 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Ashland | Bedford | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,911 | 12,931 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,029 | $57,308 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,314 | $33,940 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,656/sq mi | 2,421/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $157,900 | $135,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $893 | $1,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.0% | 59.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 20.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 13.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -87.5% | -50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.5" | 33.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.2 | 42.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Ashland
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Bedford
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Ashland, OH · Bedford, OH · How this is calculated: methodology