Demographics
AGE DISTRIBUTION IN BEDFORD COUNTY
| Bedford County | Virginia | United States | |
| Under 18 years | 15,735 | 1,893,985 | 73,645,238 |
| 18 – 24 years | 5,892 | 804,599 | 30,307,641 |
| 25 – 34 years | 8,243 | 1,172,799 | 45,497,632 |
| 35 – 44 years | 8,500 | 1,164,053 | 43,492,887 |
| 45 – 54 years | 10,573 | 1,091,469 | 40,847,713 |
| 55 – 64 years | 13,087 | 1,120,434 | 42,626,382 |
| 65 – 74 years | 10,961 | 842,592 | 33,293,127 |
| 75 years and over | 7,263 | 567,568 | 22,676,920 |
| Source: JobEQ 2026 | |||
POPULATION BY GENDER AND RACE
| Bedford County | Virginia | United States | |
| Total | |||
| Total Population | 80,254 | 8,657,499 | 332,387,540 |
| Race | |||
| White | 69,464 | 5,344,175 | 210,875,446 |
| Black or African American | 4,809 | 1,623,031 | 41,070,890 |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 101 | 27,216 | 2,924,996 |
| Asian | 908 | 593,606 | 19,352,659 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0 | 5,679 | 629,292 |
| Other | 941 | 351,544 | 21,940,536 |
| Multiple Races | 4,031 | 712,248 | 35,593,721 |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 2,174 | 929,140 | 63,131,589 |
| Source: JobsEQ 2026 | |||
Male versus female makeup in Bedford County is nearly 50/50.
Labor Force participation
| Civilian Labor Force (civilian population 16 years and over) | 38,396 |
| Prime-Age Labor Force (civilian population 25 – 54) | 22,377 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% |
| Source: JobsEQ, Q1 2026 | |
Educational Attainment
Bedford County Schools prides itself on preparing students for employment after graduation. High School students are offered an internship course in which they can work several hours per week at a local industry and hundreds of students tour local industries annually to learn about careers. Plus, the dual enrollment opportunities as well as the CTE and STEM Academy at Central Virginia Community College provide options for students to earn college credit or a certificate of completion for a trade while still in high school.
- Bedford County’s on-time high school graduation rate for the Class of 2020 was 92%, which is nearly equal to the state rate of 92.3%. *Source: Virginia Department of Education
- Over 44% percent of Bedford County residents have a post secondary degree, with more than 35% of them having a bachelor’s degree or higher.
| Age 25-64 | Bedford County | Virginia | United States |
| No High School Diploma | 2,735 6.8% | 349,733 | 17,176,172 |
| High School Graduate | 10,986 27.2% | 1,033,997 | 43,057,491 |
| Some College, No Degree | 8,698 21.5% | 818,338 | 33,315,654 |
| Associate’s Degree | 3,596 8.9% | 370,415 | 15,894,085 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 9,243 22.9% | 1,133,488 | 39,256,774 |
| Post Graduate Degree | 5,154 12.8% | 842,784 | 23,764,438 |
| Source: JobsEQ 2026 | |||
