Bedford is a significant regional job center, hosting slightly over 20,000 jobs . Bedford jobs are concentrated in Manufacturing and Professional & Technical Services which together comprise almost half of all jobs in Town. Both of these industries are oriented toward technology. Almost two-thirds of Manufacturing jobs are involved in production of Computer and Electronic Products. And in Professional & Technical Services, over half of the jobs are in Architectural and Engineering businesses and another third in Computer Systems Design and Services.
The focus on these industries reflects the long history of military electronics research and production clustered near Hanscom Field and MITRE, as well as the more recent concentration of information technology businesses along the Route 3 and 128/95 corridors. The high average wages in these industries contribute to Bedford having one of the best paying mixes of jobs in the region. Bedford’s concentration of technically-oriented businesses offer high wages, but many of their positions require specialized skills, education, and training that draw workers from the regional supply of technical talent rather than more broadly from the general population.