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
Lorain
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs40 · Bottom 32%
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs96 · Top 3%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 31%
vs91 · Top 29%
Access
95 · Top 35%
vs95 · Top 36%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 26%
vs33 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Bedford | Lorain | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,931 | 65,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,308 | $48,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,940 | $27,589 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,421/sq mi | 2,770/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $135,200 | $139,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,059 | $887 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.2% | 57.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 25.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 45 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | -6.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.3" | 36.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.2 | 39.8 | 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 · Lorain, OH · How this is calculated: methodology