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Bedford County

Tennessee · Public K-12

Bedford County serves about 9,042 K-12 students across 16 public schools, an average of roughly 565 students per campus. The level mix is 9 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools.

7-year change in Bedford County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
9,042
+288 (+3%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
15
+1 (+7%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
53%
was 63%
% Hispanic
33%
was 24%
% Black
7%
was 8%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
16
1 districts
Enrollment
9,042
NCES CCD
Median income
$67,225
Above Tennessee avg
Free/reduced lunch
·
Enrollment-weighted
Elementary
9
4,652 students
Middle
3
1,702 students
High
3
2,688 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Bedford County Public Schools
9,042 students · 1 district 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
White
75%
Hispanic
16%
Black
6%
Asian
1%
Two or more
12%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
53%
Hispanic
33%
Black
7%
Asian
1%
Two or more
6%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
17.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.7%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.2%
civilian labor
Median age
38
25.3% under 18

Test scores in Bedford County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 14 schools ranked. Tennessee state average: 40.9%.

See all 14 schools in Bedford County ranked by score →

All schools (16)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Shelbyville Central High SchoolShelbyvilleHigh09-121,604·
Harris Middle SchoolShelbyvilleMiddle06-08977·
Community Elementary SchoolUnionvilleElementaryPK-05650·
Learning Way ElementaryShelbyvilleElementaryPK-05638·
Liberty ElementaryShelbyvilleElementaryPK-08631·
Cascade ElementaryWartraceElementaryPK-05621·
Cartwright Elementary SchoolShelbyvilleElementaryPK-05602·
Community High SchoolUnionvilleHigh09-12545·
Cascade High SchoolWartraceHigh09-12539·
Thomas Magnet SchoolShelbyvilleElementaryKG-08436·
Eakin ElementaryShelbyvilleElementaryPK-05399·
Community Middle SchoolUnionvilleMiddle06-08365·
Cascade Middle SchoolWartraceMiddle06-08360·
South Side ElementaryShelbyvilleElementaryPK-05352·
East Side ElementaryShelbyvilleElementaryPK-05323·
Bedford County Virtual SchoolWartraceCombinedM-M··

Cities in Bedford County

Shelbyville9 schoolsWartrace4 schoolsUnionville3 schools

About Bedford County

Across the small Tennessee county of Bedford County of about 52,237 residents, the public-school footprint covers 16 schools and about 9,042 students.

In context, census numbers show the median household earns about $67,225 a year, about 17% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 10% noticeably above the Tennessee median.

For a sense of the school types, Bedford County consists of 9 elementary schools (4,652 students), 3 middle schools (1,702), 3 high schools (2,688), and 1 combined or other schools.

The largest single district in Bedford County is Bedford County Public Schools, which alone enrolls about 9,042 students.

Looking at the last 7 years. Total public-school enrollment in Bedford County has increased 3% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 8,754 students to 9,042. Over that span, Bedford County gained 1 school, going from 14 to 15. The White share of public-school enrollment decreased from 63% to 53%.

Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Bedford County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Bedford County?
Bedford County, Tennessee has 16 public K-12 schools serving approximately 9,042 students.
How many high schools are in Bedford County?
Bedford County, Tennessee has 3 public high schools, serving approximately 2,688 students.
How many middle schools are in Bedford County?
Bedford County, Tennessee has 3 public middle schools, serving approximately 1,702 students.
How many elementary schools are in Bedford County?
Bedford County, Tennessee has 9 public elementary schools, serving approximately 4,652 students.
What is the largest school district in Bedford County?
Bedford County Public Schools is the largest school district in Bedford County, serving approximately 9,042 students. The county contains 1 school district overall.
What is the population of Bedford County?
Bedford County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 52,237, with a median age of 38. About 25.3% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Bedford County?
Median household income in Bedford County is $67,225, above the Tennessee average of $61,364. About 10.7% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Bedford County?
Approximately 17.2% of adults 25 and older in Bedford County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the racial makeup of Bedford County?
Bedford County residents are approximately 75% White, 16% Hispanic, 6% Black, 1% Asian, 12% two or more races according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of housing in Bedford County is owner-occupied?
Bedford County has about 20,488 housing units, of which roughly 71.9% are owner-occupied.

Bedford County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data