C. S. Norton Mansion · National Register of Historic Places
Bedford’s story
162 years in pictures
10 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1864Bedford is settled
BedfordIN
A town of 13,837, settled in 1864. Nearly 0.8% of it is conserved land.
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
13,837
+2.8% since 2010
Typical home
$209K
+2% in a year
Household income
$50K
median
Median age
41.8
years
Jobs based here
7,630
Balanced
What makes Bedford stand out
The 3 things Bedford does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#83 most trails in IN
7.3 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
0.8% of the town is conserved land.
$209Ktypical home
Housing
$209K typical home
20% below the IN typical home
Up 2% in a year.
100 U.S. towns● Bedford
Health
87% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than IN on 1 measures, worse on 11.
Bedford’s report card
Now in Bedford
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Bedford is #560 of 602 in IN for “Highest income”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Bedford’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →81°
Clear
H 86° · L 66°
Local news
All →- Berlin gets past Northern Bedford in OTBedford Gazette · Sep 29
- Monroe County Region high school sports schedule for Sept. 28-Oct. 4Monroe Evening News · Sep 27
- Berlin Brothersvalley Walks Off Northern Bedford In Overtime ThrillerPA Football News · Sep 26
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bedford. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
0.8% of Bedford is conserved land
7.3 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves.
#83for trails in IN
0.8%
conserved · 60 of 7,779 acres
7.3 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
#140
most walkable in IN
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Otis Park | 4.5 mi | 159 |
| 2. Murray Forest Park | — | 29 |
| 3. Wilson Park | 0.1 mi | 25 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Housing
A typical Bedford home is worth about $209K
The typical Bedford home is worth about $209,000, up 2% in a year, 20% below the Indiana typical home.
$209KZillow home value
Typical home value
Bedford$209K
Indiana$260K
Market temperature
49
days on market
95.6%
sale-to-list price
+2%
value change, 1 year
18
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 13% of U.S. towns
Bedford beats the Indiana average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11.
DHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Indiana
1 better20 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Bedford | IN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.3% | 77.4% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.2% | 8.1% |
Indiana University Health Bedford Hospital
1.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
13th
percentile among IN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Bedford
About one in 4 of Bedford’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Bloomington (15%), Mitchell (3%) and Richland (3%). Half commute less than 21 miles.
27%work in town
Where working residents work
In Bedford27%
Bloomington15%
Mitchell3%
Richland3%
Shawswick3%
21 mi
median commute distance
7,630
jobs based in Bedford
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 28% of U.S. communities.
28risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesEarthquakes
13
paid flood claims since 1979
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Bedford has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–42°
Spring42–65°
Summer62–85°
Fall44–67°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 20
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Crime reported in Bedford
Bedford's reported crime rate is well below Indiana's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2025.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Bedford0.1
Indiana3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Bedford2
Indiana12.5
U.S.15.5
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
28
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Landmarks
10 places in Bedford on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Bedford
City in Indiana, United States
Bedford is a city in Shawswick Township and the county seat of Lawrence County, Indiana, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 13,792. That is up from 13,413 in 2010. Bedford is the principal city of the Bedford, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which comprises all of Lawrence County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1864
- Population
- 13,792
- Area
- 12 sq mi
- Elevation
- 686 ft
- ZIP code
- 47421
- Area code
- 812
More about Bedford
Still missing for Bedford:archive photosupcoming events