Keller vs. Bedford, TX: Comparing Price, Space, and Commute
Is Keller or Bedford, TX the better fit for your budget and commute?
Keller and Bedford both sit in Tarrant County, but they serve very different budgets and lifestyles. Keller runs roughly $650,000–$700,000 at the median with larger lots and newer housing stock, while Bedford runs closer to $380,000–$435,000 with smaller, established lots and a housing stock that dates mostly to the 1970s and 1980s. Bedford also sits closer to DFW Airport and the Mid-Cities job corridor, while Keller trades a longer commute for more space and newer construction. Which one wins depends on whether you’re optimizing for square footage and lot size or for price and proximity.
By The Chad Smith Team | October 9, 2026
Buyers cross-shopping Keller and Bedford usually land on the same question: how much more house do you actually get for the extra money, and is the trade-off in commute time worth it? Both cities fall under the Tarrant Appraisal District, both are a straight shot to DFW Airport, and both give you easy access to Fort Worth and Dallas. Past that, the two markets diverge fast.
Here’s how the numbers actually break down.
Price and price per square foot
Keller is the pricier of the two by a wide margin. Recent data pulled from local MLS feeds and market trackers puts Keller’s median sale price in the $650,000–$700,000 range, with price per square foot running around $240. Bedford’s median sale price sits closer to $380,000–$435,000, with price per square foot in the $210–$216 range.
That’s roughly a $250,000–$280,000 gap between the two medians. Some of that is lot size and home age (more on that below), and some of it is simply that Keller has built out a reputation as one of the higher-priced suburbs in northeast Tarrant County over the last two decades, while Bedford has stayed one of the more affordable Mid-Cities options.
A few things worth noting on price:
• Texas is a non-disclosure state, so exact sold prices aren’t published as public record — the figures above reflect current market data and MLS-sourced trends, not individual closed transactions.
• Keller’s price range varies a lot by subdivision — infill lots and updated homes near Old Town Keller price differently than newer construction near the northern edge of the city.
• Bedford’s inventory is more uniform in price because most of the housing stock was built in a shorter window, giving you less spread between the low end and high end.
If price per square foot is the number you’re anchoring on, Bedford gives you meaningfully more house for the money on paper. Whether that math holds up once you factor in lot size and home age is the next question.
Space, lot size, and housing stock
This is where the two cities really separate.
Keller’s housing stock leans newer and more suburban, with larger lots as a general pattern — subdivisions built from the 1990s through the 2010s, plus ongoing infill and new construction on the city’s remaining developable land. Some newer communities are built on quarter-acre-plus and even near-acre home sites, though lot size varies significantly by neighborhood and isn’t uniform citywide. If you’re deciding between buying new versus buying resale, the trade-offs are similar to what we’ve covered when comparing new construction against resale homes elsewhere in the metroplex — newer stock generally means updated systems and warranties, at a price premium.
Bedford is older and smaller-lot by comparison. The median home in Bedford was built around 1983, and the city was mostly built out during its 1970s–1980s growth phase. That means:
• Smaller, more consistent lot sizes across most neighborhoods
• Mature landscaping and established street layouts, since there’s been decades to grow in
• Limited new construction — most Bedford transactions are resale, since there’s little vacant land left to build on
• Homes where major systems (roof, HVAC, plumbing) are more likely approaching or past their expected service life, which is worth budgeting for in an inspection
Neither pattern is better or worse — it’s a function of when each city did most of its building. Keller was still adding rooftops well into the 2010s and continues to see infill and new construction today. Bedford’s growth era is largely behind it, which is part of why its per-square-foot pricing runs lower.
Commute and location within the Mid-Cities
Both cities are in Tarrant County, but they sit in different spots relative to the region’s job centers.
Keller sits toward the northern edge of the Tarrant County suburbs. SH-114 runs east-west through the northern part of the metro, connecting Keller to Southlake, Grapevine, and the Las Colinas job corridor, while I-35W and North Tarrant Parkway provide the north-south connection toward downtown Fort Worth. The drive from Keller to downtown Dallas covers roughly 36 miles and typically runs about 40 minutes outside of peak congestion — Fort Worth is a noticeably shorter trip given Keller’s position closer to I-35W. As with any DFW commute, actual drive times swing widely with traffic, and it’s worth reviewing general commute patterns across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex before assuming a number holds at rush hour.
Bedford sits centrally in the Mid-Cities, between Hurst and Euless along the SH 121/183 corridor — the same freeway that feeds the southern entrance of DFW Airport. That location is Bedford’s biggest commute advantage: DFW Airport is about 8 miles away, typically a 10–15 minute drive via SH 183. Downtown Fort Worth runs about 18 miles and 20–30 minutes, and downtown Dallas is about 25 miles and 30–45 minutes, depending on traffic. If your work regularly routes you through the airport or you fly frequently, Bedford’s central Mid-Cities position is hard to beat.
In short: Keller trades commute time for space and newer construction. Bedford trades some space for a shorter, more central commute and a lower price point.
Property taxes: same county, different rates
Because Keller and Bedford are both in Tarrant County, they share the same appraisal district and the same county-level exemptions — including the homestead exemption Tarrant County added on the county and hospital district portions of the tax bill starting with the 2025 tax year, which local commissioners have since moved to expand further for the 2026 tax year. That exemption applies the same way whether you buy in Keller or Bedford.
Where the two cities differ is in city and school district rates layered on top of the county rate:
• Keller, largely served by Keller ISD, tends to run a lower effective combined rate — commonly cited around 1.3%–1.7% of assessed value, though this varies by subdivision, MUD, and exact ZIP code.
• Bedford, served by Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, tends to run a higher combined rate — commonly cited in the low-to-mid 2% range once city, school, county, community college, and hospital district levies are added together.
That gap partly offsets the price difference between the two cities — a lower-priced Bedford home may carry a higher effective tax rate than a higher-priced Keller home. If you’re weighing total monthly cost rather than just purchase price, it’s worth running both scenarios rather than assuming the cheaper city is automatically cheaper to own in. We’ve broken down how this plays out across other DFW cities in our comparison of property tax rates in the metroplex, and the same logic applies here — tax rate is a real line item, not a footnote.
It’s also worth stepping back and looking at total cost of ownership rather than price alone. Insurance, HOA dues (more common in Keller’s newer subdivisions), and maintenance on an older Bedford home all factor into the real monthly number, the same way we’ve laid out for cost of living comparisons elsewhere in North Texas.
What this means for your decision
If your priority is square footage, lot size, and newer construction — and you can absorb both the higher purchase price and the longer Dallas commute — Keller is the stronger fit. If your priority is a shorter, more central commute, a lower purchase price, and you don’t mind an older home that may need some system updates, Bedford is worth a serious look, with the trade-off that its combined tax rate runs higher.
Your specific number — what you’d actually pay monthly, what you’d net if you’re selling one to buy the other, and which neighborhoods in each city fit your budget — depends on your situation. That’s where running the real numbers together makes the difference between a guess and a plan.
If you’re thinking through this for your own situation, we’re happy to walk you through the numbers. Reach out anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Keller or Bedford, TX more affordable?
Bedford is more affordable on purchase price, with a median sale price roughly $250,000–$280,000 lower than Keller’s. Keller runs higher on both total price and price per square foot, reflecting its newer housing stock and larger lots in many neighborhoods.
Which city has a shorter commute to Dallas or Fort Worth?
Bedford’s central Mid-Cities location generally gives it the edge for Fort Worth (about 18 miles) and for DFW Airport access (about 8 miles). Keller is closer to I-35W and has a somewhat shorter Fort Worth commute than its Dallas commute, but Bedford’s position between Hurst and Euless keeps it more central to the broader metro.
Are property taxes higher in Keller or Bedford?
Bedford’s combined tax rate, driven largely by Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, tends to run higher — commonly in the low-to-mid 2% range — compared to Keller’s commonly cited 1.3%–1.7% range under Keller ISD. Both cities share the same Tarrant County homestead exemption, so the difference mainly comes from city and school district rates.
Does Keller have more new construction than Bedford?
Yes. Keller continues to see new construction and infill development on its remaining developable land, while Bedford is largely built out and most of its transactions involve resale homes built in the 1970s and 1980s. That’s a major reason Bedford’s per-square-foot pricing runs lower.
Should I buy in Keller or Bedford if I want a shorter commute to DFW Airport?
Bedford is the stronger choice for airport proximity, sitting about 8 miles from DFW Airport along SH 183 with a typical drive time of 10–15 minutes. Keller is farther north and involves a longer drive to the airport.
About The Chad Smith Team
The Chad Smith Team at Realty of America is one of the top-producing real estate teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, with more than 22 years of experience, 2,915 homes sold, and recognition by RealTrends among the top 1% of real estate professionals nationwide. The team helps first-time buyers, sellers, relocation clients, and new construction buyers throughout Arlington, Mansfield, Fort Worth, Midlothian, Waxahachie, and surrounding DFW communities. Through this blog, the Chad Smith Team shares expert market insights and practical advice to help North Texas buyers and sellers make informed real estate decisions.
