Bedford County's labor force is nearly 25,000 strong. Manufacturing is the largest sector of the local economy, employing over 2,400 people in 2008, followed by Retail Trade at 2,265 and Accommodation & Food Service at 1,973 jobs. Per capita income in Bedford County was $26,707 in 2007, compared with $38,793 for Pennsylvania. Wages in the county vary dramatically by industry. The industry with the highest average wage in the country is Utilities, at $54,460 for 2008, followed by the State Government, coming in at $47,574. The Construction Industry rounds out the top three with an average wage in Bedford County of $43,594.
The average wage in Bedford County is $31,740, coming in over $7,200 less than the same metric for the state of Pennsylvania. Rural areas often lag state averages, which are buoyed by higher wages in large metropolitan centers. According to the May 2008 Occupational Employment Survey, there are three major industrial sectors where Bedford County wages do outperform the state averages: Protective Service Occupations, Farming, Fishing & Forestry Occupations and Materials Moving Occupations.
Bedford County's 22,000 plus employees are mainly working for private firms, with over 18,150 in that category. Government employment accounts for over 2,300 jobs, while over 2,000 people are self-employed.
Over 59% of the households in Bedford County are married-couple families. As a result, mean household income is much higher at $46,966. The Chamber of Commerce, elected officials and many other business organizations have been working for decades to insure a bright future for Bedford County with an abundance of well-paying jobs. While the current national economic climate may seem bleak, imagine what the local economy would look like without REI, Bedford Springs, Lampire Biologicals and the many other fine companies that are growing here.
Average Occupational Wages
Accountants $52,230
Administrative Assistants $32,480
Architects & Engineers $57,350
Assemblers/Fabricators $27,030
Bartenders $16,370
Bookkeepers $30,290
Bus/Truck Mechanics $31,680
Carpenters $36,150
Cashiers $19,620
Chief Executives $155,210
Child/Family Social Workers $43,040
Compliance Officers $45,280
Computer & Math Occupations $46,470
Construction Laborers $43,050
Dishwashers $16,380
Education Administration - Elementary & Secondary $70,890
Electrical Engineers $53,780
Engineer Managers $75,480
Fast Food Cooks $15,960
Financial Managers $57,510
General Office Clerks $27,170
Health Support Workers $23,610
Hotel Desk Clerks $18,840
Human Resource Clerks $29,480
Heavy Truck Drivers $40,620
Janitors $25,520
Laborers $28,890
Librarians $51,510
Machinists $35,670
Maids/Housekeepers $17,790
Mechanical Engineers $45,830
Medical Managers $53,240
Network Administrators $52,330
Office Support Workers $28,490
Order Clerks $28,810
Personal Care/Service Workers $19,980
Postal Carriers $44,890
Preschool Teachers $39,130
Production Workers $30,180
Receptionists $22,140
Rehab Counselors $26,710
School Bus Drivers $18,690
Security Guards $20,800
Tool & Die Makers $37,820
Waiters/Waitresses $16,640
Welders $31,480
Top Employers
1. Wal-Mart Distribution Center 556 employees
2. New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co. 417 employees
3. Pennsylvania State Government 400 employees
4. Omni Bedford Springs Resort 377 employees
5. UPMC Bedford Memorial 354 employees
6. Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) 340 employees
7. Kennametal, Inc. 337 employees
8. Thomas Automotive Family 280 employees
9. Gateway Travel Plaza 265 employees
10. Sunco. (Denny's, Perkins, & Union Hotel) 250 employees
11. Bedford County Commissioners 244 employees
12. Bedford Reinforced Plastics 228 employees
13. Bedford Area School District 226 employees
14. Rockland Manufacturing 200 employees
15. Chestnut Ridge School District 197 employees
16. Wal-Mart Associates 178 employees
17. Everett Area School District 174 employees
18. Tussey Mountain School District 170 employees
19. SAC, Inc. 160 employees
20. Corle Building Systems 150 employees
21. Creative Pultrusions 150 employees
22. Northern Bedford County School District 141 employees
23. Pennknoll/Consultate Health Care 140 employees
24. Schneider National 140 employees
25. JLG Industries 140 employees
26. Sheetz, Inc. 137 employees
27. McDonald's/Delamor Enterprises 118 employees
28. PA Department of Transportation 113 employees
29. Cycling Sports Group 110 employees
30. Defiance Metal Products 110 employees
31. Bedford-Somerset MH/MR 105 employees
32. Donahoe Manor/HCR Manor Care 105 employees
33. Blue Triangle Hardwoods 101 employees
34. United States Government 100 employees
35. Ruggeri Enterprises 100 employees
36. ALSM Children's Services 99 employees
37. CaptiveAire 93 employees
38. Weis Markets 92 employees
39. Blue Knob All Seasons Resort 90 employees
40. Everett Foodliner, Inc. 76 employees
41. Bedford Ford/Bedford Chrysler 75 employees
42. B.C. Stone Inc. 73 employees
43. Bob Evans Restaurant 60 employees
44. Allegany College of Maryland-Bedford County Campus 60 employees
45. McDevitt & Slick Enterprises 60 employees
46. Lampire Biological Laboratories, Inc.-Lab & Farm 60 employees
47. Saxton Foodliner 59 employees
48. Cottles Asphalt Maintenance, Inc. 59 employees
49. Colonial Courtyard at Bedford 58 employees
50. Giant Eagle 57 employees
