RANK #389 / 1001 NAT · #10 / 33 TN · POP 52,237
1YR FORECAST: -0.1%
5YR OUTLOOK: +19%
Bell Buckle, a small town within Bedford County, is known for its annual RC-MoonPie Festival and as the home of The Webb School, a historic preparatory institution. Located in south-central Tennessee, Bedford County is approximately 50 miles southeast of Nashville, making commutes to the larger city feasible for some residents. The community offers a blend of pastoral countryside with rolling hills and river bottoms, with the scenic Duck River, one of Tennessee's most biologically diverse rivers, winding through the county. Outdoor recreation opportunities include fishing and boating on the Duck River and at Coy Gaithers/Bedford Lake, along with hiking trails in state parks like Henry Horton. Life in Bedford County often appeals to families and those seeking a quieter, more rural setting. The public school system, Bedford County Schools, serves over 8,800 students across 17 schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools. The local economy is seeing new investments, particularly in manufacturing and infrastructure. Recent projects include a new TCAT campus and an MTSU Aerospace facility, alongside ongoing revitalization efforts in downtown Shelbyville, including a Riverview District project along the Duck River.
Bedford County is one of 35 U.S. counties in this market profile — stronger than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of +1.3% matches the profile's typical +1.4%.
See all 35 Secondary Market Surge counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Below national median
Below-average climate & terrain
Prices detached from rents
Housing looks overvalued at 15.5x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Bedford County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties.
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Nearest Green Distillery Expansion (Project Parcel 26)
Nearest Green Distillery
|
$100M | Under Construction |
|
Duksan Electera America, Inc. Manufacturing Facility
Duksan Electera America, Inc.
|
$95M | Planned |
|
Vanderbilt I Solar Farm
Silicon Ranch Corporation
|
$50M | Operating |
|
Bedford County Higher Education Center (TCAT Shelbyville)
Tennessee Board of Regents (TCAT Shelbyville)
|
$45M | Under Construction |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 61/100, Bedford County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. and median household income stands at $67,225 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in TN.
Bedford County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $281,200 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.24 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,051/month on average.
Bedford County is attracting residents (population +1.8% YoY) even as the job market softens with employment at -6.8%. Housing values changed +1.3% over the past 12 months. People may be moving here for affordability or lifestyle reasons rather than job opportunities.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.99% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Bedford County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.