The area's Pennsylvania Grade crude oil has superior qualities and is free of asphaltic constituents, contains only trace amounts of sulfur and nitrogen, and has excellent characteristics for refining into lubricants.

Two adjoining townships, home to approximately 9,000 people, make the population of Greater Bradford about 18,000.

in Bradford in 1905), which is owned by Zippo and makes hunting, fishing, folding pocketknives, and collectibles.

Other major employers in February 2009 included Beacon Light (682 employees), which is responsible for overseeing troubled youth.

[citation needed] The city is home to American Refining Group (formerly Kendall), and their line of specialty products.

Along with being Bradford's longest running active business, ARG is the oldest continuously operating refinery in the United States.

The Bradford Creative and Performing Arts Center season runs from September to March.

The Bromeley Family Theater at The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford hosts many events in the university's Spectrum Series that brings authors, artists, musicians, recitalists and performance groups to campus with all events open to the public.

Part of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, the 3,400 square-foot exhibition space celebrates the life and career of American mezzo-soprano, Marilyn Horne.

The museum highlights objects from Horne's personal archive, which is housed at the University of Pittsburgh.

In early August, the annual Big 30 Charity high school all star football game takes place at Parkway Field, where a million-dollar artificial playing surface was installed in 2008.

Bradford is located on U.S. Route 219, just south of its junction with Interstate 86 north of the New York border.

Bradford is situated in a valley in the Allegheny Mountains and is surrounded by woods and steep hills.

Two branches of the Tunungwant Creek enter the city, merge and flow north into the Allegheny River just across the New York border.

Bradford Regional Airport is located approximately 15 miles (24 km) south of the city, at Mount Alton.

The airport has one of the few National Weather Service stations across the entire northern tier of the state.

Lake effect snow during cold snaps in early spring also helps to raise snowfall totals.