Bedford is a town in Bedford County, Virginia, home to about 7,724 people across 8.7 square miles. Its ZIP code is 24523.
Homes sold for a median of $188 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Bedford. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Bedford’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO)87 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Lynchburg Regional Airport - Preston Glenn Field (LYH)18 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Greensboro, NC86 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA301 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Bedford; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Bedford had 6,657 residents in the 2020 census, up 6% since 2000.
It’s the 162nd largest of 669 towns in Virginia by population.
Bedford County grew from 30,356 residents in 1900 to 79,462 in 2020.
Bedford County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 86°F in summer, and winter lows average 28°F. About 46.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Bedford, VA weather station (2 miles away).
16,604 jobs at 1,818 businesses in Bedford County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
152 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Bedford.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 15 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 13 |
| Dentists | 11 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 25 |
| Mental health providers | 43 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 32 |
| Optometrists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 9 |
| Pharmacies | 8 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (7 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Bedford County Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford PrimaryBedford | Pre-K–1 | 266 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Bedford ElementaryBedford | 2–5 | 448 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Liberty MiddleBedford | 6–8 | 518 | Public | 4.4 mi |
| Liberty HighBedford | 9–12 | 708 | Public | 4.3 mi |
| Bedford County Alternative Education CenterBedford | — | — | Alternative Education | 0.9 mi |
| Governor's Health Sciences AcademyBedford | — | — | Career and Technical | 0.9 mi |
| Susie G. Gibson Science and Technology CenterBedford | — | — | Career and Technical | 0.9 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.