Total enrollment
5,888
-294 (-5%) vs SY 2020-21
Bedford County
Pennsylvania · Public K-12
Bedford County in Pennsylvania is home to 18 public K-12 schools, serving roughly 5,951 students between them, broken out as 6 elementary, 5 middle, and 6 high. Bedford Area SD is the largest district by enrollment.
4-year change in Bedford County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
17
-1 (-6%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Bedford County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Pennsylvania | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 51.3% | #29 of 62 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 5,951 | #43 of 64 | #1,172 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 18 | #40 of 64 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.3:1 | #21 of 64 | #615 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 65.0% | #37 of 63 | #900 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 8.8% | #61 of 64 | #2,553 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Bedford County school rankings
Residents
47,513
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
18
7 districts
Enrollment
5,951
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$59,992
Below Pennsylvania avg
Free/reduced lunch
65.0%
Below Pennsylvania avg
Elementary
6
2,269 students
Middle
5
1,673 students
High
6
1,888 students
Combined / other
1
121 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Bedford Area SD
1,673 students · 7 districts in Bedford County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Bedford County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
16.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.9%
civilian labor
Median age
48
19.4% under 18
Test scores in Bedford County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 15 schools ranked. Pennsylvania state average: 51.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Bedford SHS· 74.3%
- Chestnut Ridge SHS· 72.5%
- Northern Bedford County HS· 69.6%
- Tussey Mountain HS· 66.7%
- Everett Area HS· 61.7%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- HOPE for Hyndman Charter School· 8.5%
- Tussey Mountain EL· 31.1%
- Everett Area MS· 33.8%
- Tussey Mountain MS· 35.8%
- Bedford El Sch· 36.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford El Sch | Bedford | Elementary | KG-05 | 764 | · |
| Bedford SHS | Bedford | High | 09-12 | 495 | · |
| Chestnut Ridge SHS | New Paris | High | 08-12 | 470 | · |
| Chestnut Ridge MS | Fishertown | Middle | 03-07 | 424 | · |
| Bedford MS | Bedford | Middle | 06-08 | 414 | · |
| Northern Bedford Co El Sch | Loysburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 414 | · |
| Everett Area HS | Everett | High | 09-12 | 393 | · |
| Everett Area El Sch | Everett | Elementary | PK-04 | 375 | · |
| Everett Area MS | Everett | Middle | 05-08 | 358 | · |
| Tussey Mountain EL | Saxton | Elementary | PK-04 | 350 | · |
| Chestnut Ridge Central El Sch | New Paris | Elementary | PK-02 | 303 | · |
| Tussey Mountain HS | Saxton | High | 09-12 | 293 | · |
| Tussey Mountain MS | Saxton | Middle | 05-08 | 272 | · |
| Northern Bedford County HS | Loysburg | High | 09-12 | 235 | · |
| Northern Bedford County MS | Loysburg | Middle | 06-08 | 205 | · |
| HOPE for Hyndman Charter School | Hyndman | Combined | KG-12 | 121 | · |
| Breezewood El Sch | Breezewood | Elementary | KG-05 | 63 | · |
| Bedford County Technical Center | Everett | High | 09-12 | 2 | · |
Cities in Bedford County
About Bedford County
Bedford County is a thinly populated county of about 47,513 residents in Pennsylvania. Its public-school system teaches approximately 5,951 students across 18 schools.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $59,992, roughly 16% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate is around 8%. That income level is 16% noticeably below the Pennsylvania median.
For a sense of the school types, Bedford County comprises 6 elementary schools (2,269 students), 5 middle schools (1,673), 6 high schools (1,888), and 1 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Bedford County is Bedford Area SD, which alone enrolls about 1,673 students.
Over the past 4-year window. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 5%: 6,182 students in SY 2020-21 versus 5,888 in SY 2024-25. Bedford County now counts 17 public schools, down from 18 in SY 2020-21.
On this page, the community for Bedford County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data