Lakewood receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bedford
Lakewood
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs68 · Bottom 43%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 31%
vs90 · Top 33%
Access
95 · Top 35%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 26%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Bedford | Lakewood | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,931 | 50,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,308 | $68,954 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,940 | $52,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,421/sq mi | 9,022/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $135,200 | $262,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,059 | $1,070 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.2% | 44.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 55.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 130 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | 6400.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.3" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.2 | 35.5 | 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 · Lakewood, OH · How this is calculated: methodology