Is Bedford a good place to live?
Living in Bedford, Bedford: house prices, crime, schools and the practical details to check before you move.
On this page
Bedford at a glance
Bedford is in Bedford, East of England. Flats sold for a median £165,000, compared with £327,000 across all property types (12 months to July 2026). Gigabit-capable broadband was available to 91.1% of premises (January 2026). Whether it suits you comes down to the home and neighbourhood: compare the property you can afford, the schools relevant to your household and the checks needed at the exact address.
Sources and periods vary by measure. See the source register · How we use the data
Where is Bedford, and who lives here?
Bedford is in Bedford, East of England.
The mapped town had 97,226 residents in Census 2021. This describes the town area, rather than the wider council area.
| County / area | Bedford |
|---|---|
| Region | East of England |
| Local authority | Bedford |
| Population | 97,226 · Census 2021 |
Office for National Statistics · ONS BUA 2024 / LAD December 2025 / hierarchy April 2025. Source details
Office for National Statistics · Census 2021, BUA24 geography; released May 2026. Source details
View population and age groups
| Under 16 | 19.7% |
|---|---|
| 16–24 | 10.7% |
| 25–64 | 54.2% |
| 65 and over | 15.5% |
ONS best-fits the Census counts to the built-up-area geography. The population displayed here must not silently replace the denominator used in the crime rate.
How much do homes sell for in Bedford?
The median recorded sold price in Bedford is £327,000, based on 803 transactions in the published 12-month window. This is not a current asking-price estimate or a measure of affordability relative to income.
For a nearby reference, Kempston’s median was £315,000 across 185 sales—£12,000 below Bedford in the same source period. These are different mixes of homes, not a like-for-like valuation. See nearby comparisons
- Median recorded sale
- £327,000
- Recorded sales in the period
- 803
| Detached | £487,500 |
|---|---|
| Semi-detached | £346,320 |
| Terraced | £290,000 |
| Flat / maisonette | £165,000 |
View recorded price changes
| One-year change | -0.9% |
|---|---|
| Five-year change | 14.7% |
A change in the mix of properties sold can move the median. These are nominal comparisons, not a forecast or an inflation-adjusted price index.
See recent sales
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| Date | Property type | Postcode | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 July 2026 | Semi-detached | MK42 9RQ | £275,000 |
| 24 July 2026 | Detached | MK41 0FP | £390,000 |
| 20 July 2026 | Detached | MK41 7QA | £670,000 |
| 17 July 2026 | Flat | MK41 0AX | £240,000 |
| 17 July 2026 | Detached | MK40 4DL | £540,000 |
| 17 July 2026 | Semi-detached | MK40 4WS | £386,000 |
| 16 July 2026 | Semi-detached | MK40 2EQ | £520,000 |
| 15 July 2026 | Terraced | MK41 7RQ | £285,000 |
| 10 July 2026 | Semi-detached | MK40 3SH | £365,000 |
| 10 July 2026 | Detached | MK41 7NG | £320,000 |
Property-type samples may be smaller still. The mix of homes sold affects medians; these are not like-for-like valuations.
HM Land Registry · 12 months to July 2026. Source details
Is Bedford safe? What the crime data shows
Kerbside does not classify Bedford as safe or unsafe. The published 12-month Police.uk dataset records 124.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, including antisocial behaviour. Reporting, policing, visitor numbers and the source coverage all affect the figure.
| Total incidents in the period | 12,254 |
|---|---|
| Incidents per 1,000 residents | 124.7 |
| Population denominator | 98,257 |
| Violence and sexual offences per 1,000 | 43.7 |
| Antisocial behaviour per 1,000 | 19.0 |
| Burglary per 1,000 | 3.8 |
| Vehicle crime per 1,000 | 7.7 |
| Robbery per 1,000 | 1.9 |
The categories shown are a selection, not the whole total. The rate uses the recorded source denominator above, not the newer Census count. Town-wide rates hide differences between streets and neighbourhoods.
Home Office / Police.uk · July 2025 to June 2026 · 12 months. Source details
How are schools rated in Bedford?
17 of 17 schools with a recorded overall grade have a Good or Outstanding grade (100%). These are historical grades from inspections between 2014 and 2024, not new inspections in the source-download year.
View all 24 school records
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| School | Phase | Historical grade |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry Trees Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school · MK42 9LS | NurseryAges 2–5 | Outstanding4 July 2019 |
| Peter Pan Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school · MK42 9DR | NurseryAges 2–5 | Outstanding19 April 2023 |
| Priory Primary SchoolFoundation school · MK40 1JD | PrimaryAges 3–11 | Outstanding30 April 2014 |
| Bedford Free SchoolFree schools · MK42 9AD | SecondaryAges 11–16 | Outstanding15 January 2020 |
| Brickhill Primary SchoolCommunity school · MK41 7AA | PrimaryAges 5–11 | Good7 February 2024 |
| Cauldwell SchoolAcademy converter · MK42 9DR | PrimaryAges 4–11 | Good1 December 2021 |
| Edith Cavell Primary SchoolFoundation school · MK41 7NH | PrimaryAges 3–11 | Good10 July 2018 |
| Hazeldene SchoolFoundation school · MK41 9AT | PrimaryAges 3–11 | Good21 February 2019 |
| King's Oak Primary SchoolCommunity school · MK42 0HH | PrimaryAges 1–11 | Good11 January 2022 |
| Livingstone Primary SchoolFoundation school · MK41 7LG | PrimaryAges 2–11 | Good8 March 2023 |
| Scott Primary School & NurseryCommunity school · MK41 7JA | PrimaryAges 3–11 | Good19 June 2024 |
| Shackleton Primary SchoolAcademy converter · MK42 9LZ | PrimaryAges 4–11 | Good28 September 2021 |
| St John Rigby Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter · MK41 9DQ | PrimaryAges 5–11 | Good26 September 2023 |
| The Hills AcademyAcademy converter · MK41 9AT | PrimaryAges 3–11 | Good5 February 2020 |
| Bedford AcademyAcademy sponsor led · MK42 9TR | SecondaryAges 11–18 | Good21 March 2023 |
| Goldington AcademyAcademy converter · MK41 9BX | SecondaryAges 11–16 | Good1 February 2022 |
| St Thomas More Catholic SchoolAcademy converter · MK41 7UL | SecondaryAges 11–18 | Good4 October 2023 |
| Bedford CollegeFurther education · MK42 9AH | Post-16Ages 16–99 | No usable overall gradeDate not supplied |
| Castle Newnham SchoolAcademy converter · MK40 3EP | SecondaryAges 4–16 | No usable overall gradeDate not supplied |
| Bedford Girls' SchoolOther independent school · MK42 0BX | Ages 7–18 | No usable overall gradeDate not supplied |
| Bedford Modern SchoolOther independent school · MK41 7NT | Ages 7–18 | No usable overall gradeDate not supplied |
| Bedford SchoolOther independent school · MK40 2TU | Ages 7–19 | No usable overall gradeDate not supplied |
| Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory SchoolOther independent school · MK41 7QZ | Ages 0–7 | No usable overall gradeDate not supplied |
| Polam SchoolOther independent school · MK40 2BU | Ages 1–9 | No usable overall gradeDate not supplied |
A historical grade does not establish catchment eligibility, available places or suitability for a particular child. Source extraction dates are not inspection dates.
Department for Education · Historical overall grades 2009–2024 · GIAS 2026-09-01 + Ofsted 2026-07-31. Source details
What flood risk is mapped in Bedford?
1.41% of Bedford’s mapped land is in Flood Zone 3. Flood Zone 2 excluding Zone 3 covers 5.35%. Separately, 9.93% has at least a 1% annual chance of surface-water flooding in the source model. These are land-area measures, not a property-level assessment; do not add the two models together.
River and sea planning zones
| Flood Zone 3 | 1.41% |
|---|---|
| Flood Zone 2, excluding Zone 3 | 5.35% |
Environment Agency · Flood Map for Planning Flood Zones, revision 20 May 2026. Source details
Surface-water flooding
| High modelled likelihood | 4.80% |
|---|---|
| Medium modelled likelihood | 5.13% |
| Low modelled likelihood | 12.87% |
Environment Agency · NaFRA2 RoFSW v202509. Source details
Land coverage is not the percentage of homes expected to flood. Areas outside mapped bands are not guaranteed flood-free. Check the actual address before a purchase.
What broadband is available?
of premises have gigabit-capable broadband available.
| Gigabit-capable | 91.1% |
|---|---|
| Full fibre | 88.1% |
| Superfast · 30 Mbps or more | 98.3% |
| Premises without decent broadband | 0.0% |
| Premises in the dataset | 44,844 |
Availability is not measured speed or a guarantee of a particular package. Ofcom’s “decent broadband” measure is at least 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload.
Ofcom · January 2026. Source details
Check broadband at your address
Compare available plans before you move.
Compare broadband →Opens Broadband Genie. Available deals may not cover every provider. Kerbside earns no commission.
How energy-efficient are homes in Bedford?
The dataset includes 24,516 domestic properties with a usable latest certificate. 59.9% are rated C or above.
| Mean energy-efficiency score | 69 · Band C |
|---|---|
| Rated C or above | 59.9% |
| Mean recorded CO₂ emissions | 3.2 tonnes / year |
| Properties represented | 24,516 |
View the EPC band distribution
| Band A | 0.4% |
|---|---|
| Band B | 11.3% |
| Band C | 48.3% |
| Band D | 31.9% |
| Band E | 7.6% |
| Band F | 0.5% |
| Band G | 0.1% |
The latest certificate per property within the source’s ten-year validity window is used. These are assessed properties, not every home. Emissions are estimates, not measured household use.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · MHCLG domestic EPC register August 2026. Source details
Planning activity and local heritage
What do planning figures show?
The Bedford local planning authority received 1,004 applications in the published annual period. 79.6% of recorded decisions were approvals.
These are local-authority totals, not applications inside the town boundary. Approval rates use decisions as their denominator, not applications received. They do not predict approval for an individual proposal.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · MHCLG PS1/PS2 year to Mar 2026. Source details
Listed buildings
There are 166 listed-building records mapped to the town.
| Grade I | 9 |
|---|---|
| Grade II* | 11 |
| Grade II | 146 |
For a particular property, check the official listing and the council’s conservation-area boundaries. A town count does not establish whether an address is designated.
Historic England · Listed buildings Sep 2026; conservation areas Jul 2025. Source details
Air quality and deprivation
What does the air-quality model show?
| PM2.5 annual mean | 7.2 µg/m³ |
|---|---|
| PM10 annual mean | 11.9 µg/m³ |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) annual mean | 9.2 µg/m³ |
An annual background estimate is not today’s air quality or pollution beside a particular road. It cannot establish an individual’s exposure.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Defra PCM 2024. Source details
How should deprivation data be read?
| Population-weighted mean IMD decile | 4.9 |
|---|---|
| Constituent areas in deciles 1–3 | 36.5% |
| Constituent areas in deciles 8–10 | 23.8% |
Lower deciles indicate greater relative deprivation. The town mean is not an official national town rank or a judgement about individual residents; conditions vary within each town.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (corrected v2). Source details
Which towns are near Bedford?
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| Town | Distance | Median sold price | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salph EndBedford2.2 miles away | 2.2 miles | — | — |
| KempstonBedford2.2 miles away | 2.2 miles | £315,000 | 185 |
| Great DenhamBedford2.3 miles away | 2.3 miles | £341,045 | 71 |
| ShortstownBedford2.4 miles away | 2.4 miles | £297,500 | 52 |
| Clapham (Bedford)Bedford2.5 miles away | 2.5 miles | £292,500 | 46 |
| CardingtonBedford2.5 miles away | 2.5 miles | £400,000 | 35 |
| Cotton EndBedford3.6 miles away | 3.6 miles | — | — |
| WixamsBedford3.6 miles away | 3.6 miles | £385,112 | 142 |
| Kempston HardwickBedford4.0 miles away | 4.0 miles | — | — |
| WilsteadBedford4.3 miles away | 4.3 miles | £410,000 | 21 |
Distances describe geographic proximity, not a road journey or a public-transport connection. Price comparisons use the same published source period and require at least 20 sales; a dash means no eligible comparison, not a zero price.
Office for National Statistics · ONS BUA 2024 / LAD December 2025 / hierarchy April 2025. Source details
More questions about living in Bedford
Is Bedford a good place to live?
Bedford is in Bedford, East of England. Flats sold for a median £165,000, compared with £327,000 across all property types (12 months to July 2026). Gigabit-capable broadband was available to 91.1% of premises (January 2026). Whether it suits you comes down to the home and neighbourhood: compare the property you can afford, the schools relevant to your household and the checks needed at the exact address.
Where is Bedford?
Bedford is in Bedford, East of England.
What is the population of Bedford?
Bedford has a population of 97,226 on the Census 2021, BUA24 geography; released May 2026 town geography used by Kerbside.
How much do homes sell for in Bedford?
The median recorded sold price in Bedford is £327,000, based on 803 transactions in the published 12-month window. This is not a current asking-price estimate or a measure of affordability relative to income.
Is Bedford safe?
Kerbside does not classify Bedford as safe or unsafe. The published 12-month Police.uk dataset records 124.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, including antisocial behaviour. Reporting, policing, visitor numbers and the source coverage all affect the figure.
How are schools rated in Bedford?
17 of 17 schools with a recorded overall grade have a Good or Outstanding grade (100%). These are historical grades from inspections between 2014 and 2024, not new inspections in the source-download year.
What broadband coverage is available in Bedford?
In Bedford, 91.11% of premises have gigabit-capable coverage and 88.13% have full-fibre coverage. Availability at an individual address and the package a provider will sell there may differ.
What do EPC records show for homes in Bedford?
Across 24,516 recorded domestic properties in Bedford, 59.93% are rated C or above. The source keeps the latest certificate per property within its ten-year window; this does not represent every home or certify current running costs.
What mapped flood risk is shown for Bedford?
1.41% of Bedford’s mapped land is in Flood Zone 3. Flood Zone 2 excluding Zone 3 covers 5.35%. Separately, 9.93% has at least a 1% annual chance of surface-water flooding in the source model. These are land-area measures, not a property-level assessment; do not add the two models together.
Where the data comes from
Dates below distinguish the period represented by the data from when the source was collected and published here. How we use these sources
Locator mapStored town centroid · Natural Earth land outline
The point uses the town location retained by the controlled base-geography publication, including its documented legacy-centroid fallbacks. It is approximate and does not delineate the statistical boundary, flood risk or individual properties. Base-geography source
Generalised land outline: Natural Earth 1:50m countries, simplified for display; public domain. The map does not load third-party tiles or tracking.
Built-up areas and administrative geographyOffice for National Statistics · ONS BUA 2024 / LAD December 2025 / hierarchy April 2025
- Data version
- ONS BUA 2024 / LAD December 2025 / hierarchy April 2025
- Source published
- 29 April 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- annual
- Towns with a published result
- 7,099
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: 57acc0a8-b401-48c6-aab6-bbf71f0f8653. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Understanding towns in England and WalesOffice for National Statistics · Census 2021, BUA24 geography; released May 2026
- Data version
- Census 2021, BUA24 geography; released May 2026
- Source published
- 15 May 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 3 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 3 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- release-based
- Towns with a published result
- 1,266
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: 9c95eeab-00b4-4a59-ba69-482644419c71. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Price Paid DataHM Land Registry · HM Land Registry Price Paid Data 2021-2026 through July 2026
- Data version
- HM Land Registry Price Paid Data 2021-2026 through July 2026
- Source published
- 28 August 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- monthly
- Towns with a published result
- 6,150
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: b636c9b0-ad56-425a-864a-6c1c2b7b13ac. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Police.uk street-level crimeHome Office / Police.uk · 2026-06
- Data version
- 2026-06
- Source published
- 29 July 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- monthly
- Towns with a published result
- 6,260
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: 4d94afb3-682c-4003-9eef-f006b8451ce9. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Get Information About SchoolsDepartment for Education · GIAS 2026-09-01 + Ofsted 2026-07-31
- Data version
- GIAS 2026-09-01 + Ofsted 2026-07-31
- Source published
- 1 September 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- monthly
- Towns with a published result
- 5,070
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: bfa454a5-2429-4fcf-9562-02ab8aec64e4. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Connected Nations fixed broadbandOfcom · Ofcom Connected Nations Spring 2026 (January 2026, v2)
- Data version
- Ofcom Connected Nations Spring 2026 (January 2026, v2)
- Source published
- 7 July 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- annual
- Towns with a published result
- 6,250
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: 1de793a3-4b49-451e-b8e6-a53dabe9ff24. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Energy Performance CertificatesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · MHCLG domestic EPC register August 2026
- Data version
- MHCLG domestic EPC register August 2026
- Source published
- 1 September 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- quarterly
- Towns with a published result
- 6,336
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: fbe075dd-3890-4075-adcc-1af0da0943e5. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Flood Map for Planning - Flood ZonesEnvironment Agency · Flood Map for Planning Flood Zones, revision 20 May 2026
- Data version
- Flood Map for Planning Flood Zones, revision 20 May 2026
- Source published
- 20 May 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- as needed
- Towns with a published result
- 6,807
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: e315db85-8651-4532-b88f-b0f6233390a3. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Risk of Flooding from Surface WaterEnvironment Agency · NaFRA2 RoFSW v202509
- Data version
- NaFRA2 RoFSW v202509
- Source published
- 17 September 2025
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- as needed
- Towns with a published result
- 6,807
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: 5ebbae90-38ab-4f73-abc7-b515beec4ae8. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
District planning application statisticsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · MHCLG PS1/PS2 year to Mar 2026
- Data version
- MHCLG PS1/PS2 year to Mar 2026
- Source published
- 19 June 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- quarterly
- Towns with a published result
- 7,094
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: ef472acd-f430-4e09-a212-b3576567ee57. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Listed buildings and conservation areasHistoric England · Listed buildings Sep 2026; conservation areas Jul 2025
- Data version
- Listed buildings Sep 2026; conservation areas Jul 2025
- Source published
- 2 September 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- monthly
- Towns with a published result
- 6,807
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: b6109497-cc70-4816-bd75-8bbd151d2bca. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Modelled background pollution dataDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Defra PCM 2024
- Data version
- Defra PCM 2024
- Source published
- 30 September 2025
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- annual
- Towns with a published result
- 6,807
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: a9cb6fbd-3b88-4fc0-90b9-e3f8d751e96e. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
English Indices of DeprivationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (corrected v2)
- Data version
- English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (corrected v2)
- Source published
- 17 November 2025
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- approximately every five years
- Towns with a published result
- 3,793
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: b9817fd7-2109-4c23-937f-7b5bc28b0d53. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.