The Town FilesBedford, Massachusetts
Town in Middlesex County · population 14,383 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $898,500
- Household income
- $172,400
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 59 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 44.3
Bedford is a town of 14,383 people in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $898,500, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for young professionals than 94% of Massachusetts towns, more upscale than 90% of Massachusetts towns, better transit than 86% of Massachusetts towns.
How Bedford ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bedford is worth $898,500, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $172,400, which is more affordable than 33% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $2,622 a month. 68.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bedford | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $898,500 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $2,622 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $172,400 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 68.8% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Bedford
| People | Bedford | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.6% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.7% | — |
| Work from home | 32.4% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Bedford
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 17.7°F. About 48.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 59.0 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 140 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bedford since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 29, 1974 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 22, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on June 22, 1988.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 926,104 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $113,704 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Bedford itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in Bedford
4 public schools with 2,559 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford High | 9-12 | 866 | 11.0 |
| John Glenn Middle | 6-8 | 612 | 11.1 |
| Lt Job Lane School | 3-5 | 571 | 13.0 |
| Lt Eleazer Davis | PK-2 | 510 | 10.6 |
Towns near Bedford
- Pinehurst, MA3.4 mi · 7,368 people · home $623,800
- Burlington, MA4.1 mi · 26,377 people · home $740,600
- Billerica, MA4.3 mi · 42,119 people · home $612,000
- Lexington, MA4.6 mi · 34,454 people · home $1,203,100
- Carlisle, MA4.8 mi · 5,237 people · home $1,103,900
- Concord, MA4.9 mi · 18,491 people · home $1,210,000
- Lincoln, MA5.3 mi · 7,014 people · home $1,208,200
- Woburn, MA6.5 mi · 40,876 people · home $673,500
Bedford questions
Is Bedford, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bedford scores better for retirees than 71% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 19%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.3).
How much does a house cost in Bedford?
The median owner-occupied home in Bedford is valued at $898,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $172,400, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $2,622 a month.
What is the weather like in Bedford?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 17.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.9 inches of precipitation a year and 59.0 inches of snow.
Does Bedford get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bedford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 29, 1974. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)