The Town Files

Bedford, Michigan

Township in Monroe County · population 31,813 (2020 Census)

Map: where Bedford is in MichiganBedford
Median home
$253,100
Household income
$90,092
Jan low / Jul high
17° / 84°
Snow a year
37 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
12
Median age
45.6

Bedford is a township of 31,813 people in Monroe County, Michigan. The median home is worth $253,100, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more walkable than 85% of Michigan towns, more vibrant than 81% of Michigan towns, more upscale than 81% of Michigan towns.

How Bedford ranks

Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.

Bedford lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement56th pctFamilies64th pctQuiet23rd pctWalkability85th pctFirst-time buyers50th pctYoung professionals55th pctVibrancy81st pctHip & trendy53rd pctCollege town75th pctUpscale81st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling67th pctTransitbottomDriving63rd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Bedford is worth $253,100, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $90,092, which is more affordable than 55% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,317 a month. 87.3% of households own their home.

Bedford vs Monroe County vs typical Michigan townBedfordMonroe CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$253,100$228,900$193,900Household income$90,092$77,335$69,792Monthly rent$1,317$1,059$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingBedfordTypical Michigan town
Median home value$253,100$193,900
Median rent$1,317$955
Median household income$90,092$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.8×2.8×
Homeownership87.3%86.8%
Median year built19811975
Seasonal / vacation homes0.5%—

Who lives in Bedford

PeopleBedfordTypical Michigan town
Median age45.643.7
Age 65 and over23.7%20.7%
Under 1820.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher28.7%21.5%
Below the poverty line7.1%10.4%
Veterans7.1%—
Born outside the U.S.2.7%—
Work from home9.7%9.1%
Average commute25.1 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband89.6%88.8%

Weather in Bedford

July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 17.3°F. About 34.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.

Bedford monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing32°17°Jan35°18°Feb45°26°Mar58°36°Apr70°48°May80°58°Jun84°62°Jul82°60°Aug75°53°Sep63°41°Oct49°32°Nov37°24°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.511.92.09.82.55.83.31.13.83.43.03.72.92.62.91.12.47.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Dundee station (12.9 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bedford since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 6.2 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 22 deaths and 258 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 15, 2023.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Bedford by decade11950s31960s11970s01980s21990s12000s32010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 60 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 15, 2023.

Severe weather in Monroe County since 1996

Storm events in Monroe County since 1996 by typeHail95Heat15Flood15Tornado15High Wind33Ice Storm6Lightning11Heavy Snow29
NOAA Storm Events Database, Monroe County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

Monroe County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
February 8, 2024FloodDR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
September 23, 2003OtherEM-3189: Power Outage

Jobs and pay in Monroe County

Monroe County had 41,159 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,516 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Bedford itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.

Largest industries in Monroe CountyManufacturing5,814 jobs · $80,172Retail5,380 jobs · $38,752Health care & social assistan…4,683 jobs · $52,879Hotels & restaurants4,278 jobs · $19,908Administrative & support2,310 jobs · $48,949Transportation & warehousing2,107 jobs · $57,891
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Monroe County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Monroe 4.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Bedford

Bedford questions

Is Bedford, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bedford scores better for retirees than 56% of Michigan towns and quieter than 23%. 23.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.6).

How much does a house cost in Bedford?

The median owner-occupied home in Bedford is valued at $253,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $90,092, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,317 a month.

What is the weather like in Bedford?

July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 17.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.8 inches of precipitation a year and 37.3 inches of snow.

Does Bedford get tornadoes?

12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bedford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Bedford's Census boundary (GEOID 2611506740). Comparisons use the median of Michigan towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.