Bedford receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bedford
Cleveland
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs53 · Top 45%
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs69 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 31%
vs78 · Bottom 45%
Access
95 · Top 35%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 26%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Bedford | Cleveland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,931 | 366,097 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,308 | $40,801 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,940 | $28,266 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,421/sq mi | 4,710/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $135,200 | $102,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,059 | $945 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.2% | 41.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 22.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 30.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 825 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | 42.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.3" | 33.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.2 | 36.3 | 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.
Full profiles: Bedford, OH · Cleveland, OH · How this is calculated: methodology