Photo: Photo by User:AudeVivere. · CC BY-SA 2.5Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Bedford is healthier than 94%
Bedford differs from Pennsylvania on 7 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bedford. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bedford
Bedford is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Bedford is healthier than 51%. Against the 2,800 towns with similar household incomes ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 94%. Health Grade ↓
Heart disease, arthritis and COPD run high in Bedford
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.2%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. 37.2% of adults have arthritis, vs 30.4% across Pennsylvania. COPD is also above the state: 9.4%, vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. In all, Bedford runs above Pennsylvania on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Pennsylvania 20%), and heart disease, arthritis and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Bedford has a community health center but no hospital
Hyndman Area Health Center is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is UPMC Bedford Memorial in Everett, 7.3 miles away. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Pennsylvania figure falls outside Bedford’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Bedford’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bedford is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns, #611 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 66% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 35%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Bedford’s median household income is $41,375; among the 2,800 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 94%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Bedford adults…
Bedford runs below PA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Bedford is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Pennsylvania. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Bedford as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Bedford
1 community health center in Bedford, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Bedford; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
1.1 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Bedford adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
How Bedford adults are doing
About the same as Pennsylvania on each measure.
A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Bedford and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford | B− | 34.5% | 12.5% | 16.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bedford adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bedford
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bedford is better than Pennsylvania on 2 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Bedford’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bedford | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.7%17.5–22.2 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.7–16.2 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.4–18 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.5%26.7–43 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.8–14.5 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.8%32.7–42.8 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%31.7–41.7 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 37.2%32.9–41.4 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.3–12.1 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.2%8.2–10.2 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.4%8.4–10.5 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.9–4.8 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.7%9.3–14.3 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.3%14.2–18.7 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.1%21.7–30.7 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%13.3–20.2 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.3%30.1–45 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.6%4.9–8.4 | 5.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.4%76.5–83.8 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.5%60.5–68.3 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.1%84.7–89.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.5%79.3–85.3 | 79.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.8%63.5–73.5 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75%66.4–82.2 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.1%20.2–28.1 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.3%29.8–38.9 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.7%14.8–18.9 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14%12.4–15.8 | 14.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.7%8.6–10.8 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.8–5.8 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.9–9.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.6–4.3 | 3.7% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Pennsylvania figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bedford
Is Bedford a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bedford is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #611 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bedford?
CDC estimates 34.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.7% and 43%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bedford?
UPMC Bedford Memorial in Everett, 7.3 miles in a straight line from Bedford’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bedford have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–8.4%), against 5.8% across Pennsylvania.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Bedford more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bedford.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Pennsylvania figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.