Total enrollment
5,888
-628 (-10%) vs SY 2017-18
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.
7-year change in Bedford County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
17
+1 (+6%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
96%
was 96%
% Hispanic
2%
was 1%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
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 7-year window. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 10%: 6,516 students in SY 2017-18 versus 5,888 in SY 2024-25. Bedford County now counts 17 public schools, up from 16 in SY 2017-18.
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
Bedford County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data