Bedford County, Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Bedford County, Virginia had an estimated 82,182 residents on July 1, 2024, up 3.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 79,483, across 753 square miles. County output reached $2.75 bn in 2024, 1,818 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 33 7(a) approvals worth $14.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Bedford County
How many people live in Bedford County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202480,894
- Households33,127
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$78,937
- Median age47.2
- Median gross rent$952 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$297,400
- Home value to household income3.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher33.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree13.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over59,416
- Population under 1815,743
- Share under 1819.5 percent
- Population 65 and over18,820
- Share 65 and over23.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6446,331
- Civilian labor force38,624
- Unemployment rate3.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.3 percent
- Rank by population among Virginia counties26th of 133
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included721st of 3,222
Bedford County is the 26th largest of 133 Virginia counties by population. A median home costs 3.8 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.3 percent against 19.5 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Bedford County
Is Bedford County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202482,182
- Census 2020 base population79,483
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.40 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024554
- Births, 2024660
- Deaths, 2024919
- Natural change, 2024-259
- Net domestic migration, 2024747
- Net international migration, 202476
- Total net migration, 2024823
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20243,775
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents795th of 3,144
The county has grown 3.40 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Bedford County
Where are people moving to Bedford County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,690
- People arriving, from those returns5,199
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,267
- Net household movement423
- Adjusted gross income arriving$205.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$47.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$76,332
- Average income of a leaving household$69,764
- Largest single originLynchburg city (496 households)
- Largest single destinationLynchburg city (401 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lynchburg city | 496 | 959 | $42.3 m |
| Campbell County | 231 | 457 | $14.8 m |
| Roanoke city | 212 | 386 | $9.3 m |
| Roanoke County | 204 | 365 | $11.5 m |
| Franklin County | 114 | 221 | $6.9 m |
| Botetourt County | 69 | 130 | $4.1 m |
| Amherst County | 64 | 135 | $3.8 m |
| Salem city | 31 | 52 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $6,568 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Lynchburg city, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Bedford County
What is the Bedford County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.75 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.63 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.5 percent
- GDP change over five years35.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Virginia areas BEA publishes38th of 105
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1044th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$33,945
Output grew 4.5 percent in the latest year and 35.1 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Bedford County
Employment by industry in Bedford County
- Covered employment, annual average18,602
- Establishments reporting2,307
- Average annual pay$48,340
- Average weekly wage$930
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,434
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$51,939
- Retail trade, employment2,374
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,117
- Manufacturing, employment1,892
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$62,444
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,606
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$22,707
- Construction, employment1,304
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment1,053
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 2,434 | 486 | $51,939 |
| Retail trade | 2,374 | 197 | $35,117 |
| Manufacturing | 1,892 | 108 | $62,444 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,606 | 113 | $22,707 |
| Construction | 1,304 | 292 | $58,454 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,053 | 232 | $59,762 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 943 | 118 | $35,065 |
| Other services, except public administration | 886 | 198 | $41,336 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 2,434 jobs, 13.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Bedford County
How many businesses are in Bedford County?
- Establishments, all industries1,818
- Employment at those establishments16,604
- Annual payroll$946.9 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.5
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Bedford County
Building permits in Bedford County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024294
- Declared construction value permitted$116.8 m
- Single family units authorized266
- Multifamily units authorized28
- Multifamily share of units9.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$397,353
- Units authorized per 1,000 households8.9
Single-family homes are 90.5 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Bedford County
SBA loans in Bedford County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded33
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$14.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$450,915
- Median 7(a) approval$300,000
- 10th percentile approval$52,000
- 90th percentile approval$906,220
- Largest single approval$2,575,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)381
- Jobs per approval11.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active21
- Distinct industries receiving approvals24
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer15.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter26
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals3.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (4)
- Most active lenderThe First Bank and Trust Company (5)
- 504 approvals recorded11
- 504 gross approval dollars$9.5 m
- Average 504 approval$864,636
- Median 504 approval$485,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval8.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.3
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$24.4 m
The average approval of $450,915 sits well above the median of $300,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 15.2 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Bedford County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Bedford County
Do SBA loans in Bedford County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Cancelled7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure23
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 2 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Bedford County
SBA lending by place in Bedford County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Forest, approvals16
- Moneta, approvals5
- Lynchburg, approvals5
- Bedford, approvals5
- Montvale, approvals1
- Huddleston, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 16 | $6,145,200 |
| Moneta | 5 | $3,387,600 |
| Lynchburg | 5 | $2,015,000 |
| Bedford | 5 | $1,152,400 |
| Montvale | 1 | $2,100,000 |
| Huddleston | 1 | $80,000 |
Forest accounts for 16 approvals against 5 in Moneta. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Bedford County
How large is Bedford County?
- Land area753 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Virginia counties5th of 133
- Width, east to west36.5 mi
- Height, north to south42.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land107
- Establishments per square mile2.41
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Bedford County
Flood risk in Bedford County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Bedford County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 510016
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book2
- Of those, participating in the NFIP2
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Bedford County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Bedford County (community 510016), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Bedford County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Bedford County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Bedford County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202480,894
- Households33,127
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$78,937
- Median age47.2
Common questions
Bedford County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Bedford County, Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 82,182 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 80,894, in 33,127 households, ranking 26th of 133 Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Bedford County's population growing?
The population has grown 3.40 percent since the 2020 census base of 79,483, to 82,182 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 660 births against 919 deaths, with net migration of 823. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Bedford County?
$78,937. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $297,400, which is 3.8 times income, and median gross rent is $952 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Bedford County?
1,818 establishments, employing 16,604 people with an annual payroll of $946.9 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Bedford County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 2,434 jobs, 13.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 18,602 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,340, or $930 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Bedford County?
33 7(a) approvals totaling $14.9 m since FY2020, across 21 lenders, with a median approval of $300,000, plus 11 504 approvals worth $9.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Bedford County?
294 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $116.8 m. Multifamily was 9.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Bedford County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Bedford County come from?
The largest single origin is Lynchburg city, with 496 households. Arriving households report an average income of $76,332 against $69,764 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Bedford County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Bedford County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Bedford County
Cities and places in Bedford.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Bedford County. All 6 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | CDP | 13,430 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Bedford | town | 7,724 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Stewartsville | CDP | 737 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Moneta | CDP | 395 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Montvale | CDP | 351 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Big Island | CDP | 91 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 6 of the county's 33 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Bedford County, the largest being Lynchburg (5), Huddleston (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.