Parma Heights and Bedford receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Parma Heights
Bedford
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs52 · Bottom 41%
Growth
17 · Bottom 6%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
68 · Bottom 43%
vs69 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs90 · Top 31%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 48%
vs46 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Parma Heights | Bedford | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,581 | 12,931 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,009 | $57,308 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,555 | $33,940 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,904/sq mi | 2,421/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $175,100 | $135,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,111 | $1,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.8% | 59.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 20.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 13.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.0" | 33.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Parma Heights
70
Your Score
68
Area Score
Bedford
67
Your Score
67
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Parma Heights, OH · Bedford, OH · How this is calculated: methodology