Bedford County, Tennessee
Located in Tennessee, Bedford County has a population of 52,237 residents and a median age of 37.6 years, making it the #984 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.6%. The median home value is $281,200, and the median household income is $67,225, which is 11% below the national median.
Demographics
Bedford County has a population of 52,237, making it the #984 most populous county in the US. The median age is 37.6 years, which is 3.3% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Bedford County is $67,225, ranking #1,412 out of 3,222 counties — 10.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.6% and unemployment stands at 4.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Bedford County is $281,200 (-0.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,051/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Bedford County, 17.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 49.0% below the national average, ranking #2,466 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Bedford County is 72.8 years. 22.2% of adults report poor or fair health and 12.9% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
22.0% of adults in Bedford County smoke , 41.3% are obese , and 18.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 35.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Bedford County is 4.9 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 20.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 15.3 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
19.0% of children in Bedford County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 8.4 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 39.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Bedford County is 55.0%. The mean commute time is 31.6 min, which is 14.6% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Bedford County voted Republican with a margin of 58.0%. The vote was 20.5% Dem / 78.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 6.1 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Bedford County, Tennessee
Bedford County, Tennessee has a total population of 52,237, making it the 984th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Bedford County is 37.6 years, which is 3.3% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Bedford County is $67,225, which ranks #1,412 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 10.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.6%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.2%.
The median home value in Bedford County is $281,200, 0.2% below the national median. Renters in Bedford County pay a median gross rent of $1,051 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Bedford County, 17.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 49.0% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 85.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 31.6 min.
Bedford County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 72.8% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.0%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (6.3%).
All data for Bedford County, Tennessee comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.