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
Garfield Heights
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs17 · Bottom 6%
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs69 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 31%
vs84 · Top 44%
Access
95 · Top 35%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 26%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Bedford | Garfield Heights | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,931 | 29,269 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,308 | $54,593 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,940 | $27,666 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,421/sq mi | 4,048/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $135,200 | $109,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,059 | $1,129 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.2% | 58.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 14.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 22.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.0 | 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 | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.2 | 38.1 | 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Bedford
67
Your Score
67
Area Score
Garfield Heights
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
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Full profiles: Bedford, OH · Garfield Heights, OH · How this is calculated: methodology