Bedford residents pay a 3% municipal income tax, placing the city among the highest-taxing communities in Cuyahoga County.
Why it matters: The tax affects not only people who work in Bedford, but also many residents who work in other cities and may still owe Bedford income tax.
By the numbers: Bedford’s rate is higher than many neighboring and nearby communities.
- Bedford — 3%
- Euclid — 2.85%
- Cleveland — 2.5%
- Maple Heights — 2.5%
- Cleveland Heights — 2.25%
- Independence — 2%
The big picture: Bedford residents pay one of the highest municipal income tax rates in Cuyahoga County. The city currently charges a 3% income tax, a rate that has been in place since 2018. By comparison, Cleveland charges 2.5%, Maple Heights charges 2.5%, Cleveland Heights charges 2.25%, Independence charges 2% and Euclid charges 2.85%.
Bedford’s rate was not always this high. Before 2018, the city income tax was 2.25%. In May 2017, Bedford voters approved a 0.75% increase, raising the rate to 3%. The new rate took effect Jan. 1, 2018.
At the same time, Bedford increased the tax credit residents receive for income taxes paid to other cities. Before the change, the credit was limited to 1.5%. Today, Bedford gives residents a 100% credit for taxes paid elsewhere, but only up to 2.25%. That means many Bedford residents who work outside the city can still owe Bedford income tax.
For example, a resident earning $50,000 in a city with a 2% income tax would pay $1,000 to the city where they work. Bedford’s 3% tax on that income is $1,500, leaving another $500 owed to Bedford.
Even residents who work in Cleveland can owe Bedford additional tax.
Cleveland’s income tax is 2.5%, but Bedford’s credit is capped at 2.25%. On $50,000 in taxable income, that difference could mean another $375 owed to Bedford.
Income tax is only one part of what Bedford residents pay.
Property taxes here are also higher than in a number of other Cuyahoga County communities. For tax year 2024, the Bedford City School District taxing district had a total voted rate of about 133.85 mills. Bedford does not have the highest property-tax rate in the county, but the rate is significantly higher than in several nearby communities.
Independence offers one of the clearest comparisons. Its municipal income tax is 2%, compared with Bedford’s 3%, and its property-tax millage is much lower.
Still, for residents, the comparison raises a fair question: What are we receiving in return for the taxes we pay? Bedford provides the core services residents expect, including police, fire protection, public works, road maintenance, parks and recreation. But Bedford’s high tax rate does not automatically mean a high level of service compared to other cities. In fact, while our police and fire forces remain strong, the overall number of services in Bedford have decreased since the higher tax was instituted.
Residents also face costs and responsibilities that are handled differently in other communities. One example is sidewalks. Bedford property owners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks in front of their homes. As a result, Bedford’s sidewalks are in poor condition in many areas of the city. Other cities who maintain their sidewalks as part of city services typically have sidewalks in better condition. Asking residents to maintain their own sidewalks could be perceived as a hidden tax on Bedford residents.
If Bedford residents are paying one of the highest city income tax rates in the county, it is reasonable to ask how city services, staffing, road repairs, recreation, senior programs, snow removal and other services compare with those in lower-tax communities.
The 3% income tax was approved by Bedford voters nearly a decade ago. Since then, the rate has remained unchanged despite assurances at the time of the vote that the tax rate would be rolled back in the future. There has been no information on when that rollback might appear.
What deserves a closer look now is not simply how much Bedford residents pay, but what we receive for it.
