Bedford, VA · standard
ZIP Code 24523
Bedford County, Virginia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 18,952
- 33/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $73,957
- Median income Near-median income area
- $239,800
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 25.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Bedford pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 47%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 45%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 33
- people per sq mi
- 80%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 24523 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 24523 (Bedford, VA) rose +9.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 230.8 in 2023 to 252.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 24523 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Bedford, Bedford County, Virginia, home to 18,952 residents across 583.1 square miles, a density of 33 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 24523 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $73,957 (14% below the average Virginia ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,838. The poverty rate is 9.1%, with unemployment at 3.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $239,800 (28% below the average Virginia ZIP), and median rent is $810; owner occupancy is 80.3%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 25.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.6, and the average commute is 25 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Bedford County, so 24523 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 24523
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Bedford, VA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 24523.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
72 establishments
- Construction
Construction
65 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
60 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
52 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
42 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 24523, Bedford, VA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
18,952
Population
583.1
Area (sq mi)
33
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 24523?
45.6
Median Age
50.2%
Male
49.8%
Female
1.9%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$73,957
Median Household Income
-14% vs state ZIP avg
$34,838
Per Capita Income
9.1%
Poverty Rate
3.6%
Unemployment Rate
24.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 24523 ranks among Virginia ZIPs
Bedford, VA household income vs. every Virginia ZIP code
Median household income among 804 reporting Virginia ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$73,957 Top 50% higher than 50% of 804 Virginia ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Virginia ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
9,151housing units
9,151
Total Housing Units
8,213
Occupied Units
938
Vacant Units
2.43
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$239,800
Median Home Value
-28% vs state ZIP avg
$810
Median Rent
1980
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+9.4%
YoY Change (2024)
252
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+152%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 24523 have increased 9.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +152% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.6% | 164 |
| 2021 | +12.1% | 183 |
| 2022 | +12.1% | 206 |
| 2023 | +12.2% | 231 |
| 2024 | +9.4% | 252 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 486 business establishments in ZIP 24523, employing approximately 4,929 people with a combined annual payroll of $203,154,000.
486
Businesses
4,929
Employees
$203.2M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 72 | 14.8% |
| Construction | 65 | 13.4% |
| Retail trade | 60 | 12.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 52 | 10.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 42 | 8.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 38 | 7.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 36 | 7.4% |
| Manufacturing | 32 | 6.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 26 | 5.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 18 | 3.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 17 | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 10 | 2.1% |
| Information | 7 | 1.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 7 | 1.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 0.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 24523 vs 24570 →
ZIP 24523 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 24523
Bedford (24523)
18,952 residents
- 24556 3,053
Goode (24556)
3,053 residents
- 24174 2,539
Thaxton (24174)
2,539 residents
- 24570 20
Lowry (24570)
20 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 24523 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 24523 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 24556
Goode (24556)
$87,250 median income
- 24523
Bedford (24523)
$73,957 median income
- 24174
Thaxton (24174)
$54,052 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 24523 ranks #2 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 24523, both outside VA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (18,952 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Bedford County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 24523 in?
ZIP code 24523 (Bedford) is located in Bedford County, Virginia. Bedford County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/bedford-va.
What is the population of ZIP code 24523?
ZIP code 24523 in Bedford, VA has a population of 18,952 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 24523?
The median household income in ZIP 24523 is $73,957, which is 3% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 24523?
The median home value in ZIP 24523 is $239,800, which is 14% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 24523?
The largest racial group in ZIP 24523 is White at 84.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 24523?
ZIP code 24523 has 486 business establishments employing approximately 4,929 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 24523?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 24523 are: Other services (except public administration) (72), Construction (65), Retail trade (60). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 24523?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 24523 increased by 9.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 152%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 24523?
In ZIP code 24523, 63.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 24523?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 24523 is 24.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 24523?
In ZIP code 24523, approximately 80.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 24523?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 24523 is 9.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 24523's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 24523 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Bedford, VA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.