Town Pop. 85,258

Living in Bedford: Liveability Score 59/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Bedford is 59/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 73/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 31/100 versus a median of 88/100.

On healthcare specifically, Bedford sits 8 points below the MK40 district figure of 81/100. That sits 9 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 10% of the towns and villages we score. Broadband (84) sits at 80/100 or above. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the MK40 postcode district.

OUT OF 100

Average

Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Bedford scores 59 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Bedford.

Or compare:

MK40 1AA MK40 2AA MK40 3AA MK40 4AA MK40 9EB MK40 MK41 MK42 MK43

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

113.8 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3

Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months

Violence and sexual offences 3,374 crimes

↑ 19% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 1,492 crimes

↑ 15% above national average

Shoplifting 824 crimes

↑ 24% above national average

Public order 674 crimes

↑ 22% above national average

Vehicle crime 671 crimes

↑ 65% above national average

other 2,664 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Supermarket 493 crimes
2 Parking Area 327 crimes
3 Adelaide Square 288 crimes

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 9.2 · PM2.5 7.2 · PM10 11.8 µg/m³

Green Space 43

Parks Ample 69

Sports Pitches Ample 63

Allotments Ample 5

Golf Courses Adequate 2

Tennis Courts Ample 40

Bowling Greens Ample 9

Playgrounds Ample 75

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 38 in area

3Outstanding29Good1Requires Improvement5Ungraded

Bedford Free SchoolSecondary · inspected 2025
Outstanding
Great Denham Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Peter Pan Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Bedford AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
Good
Biddenham International School and Sports CollegeSecondary · inspected 2024
Good
Brickhill Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Bromham CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Camestone SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
Castle Newnham SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
Good
Cauldwell SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Good

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare

A&E departmentsBedford Hospital South Wingin area

Milton Keynes University Hospital11.9 mi

Luton and Dunstable Hospital14.5 mi

Hospital waitsCambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust1.3 mi

Routine referral (median)11 wks

Treated within 18 weeks62.9%

A&E seen within 4 hrs71.1%

8 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'

GP capacity1,993 patients per GP

28dentists19pharmacies

Score reflects proximity to CQC-rated GP surgeries and hospitals, not facility count. Dentists and pharmacies are shown for context but don't affect the score.

Broadband

Full fibre (FTTP)70.4%

available across Bedford

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

93.1%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

93.9%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

98.8%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 2,000 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate58.7%

Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+

Economic activity (16+)

Employed58.7%Unemployed3.9%Retired18.8%Student4.9%Other inactive13.6%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial36.4%Skilled & technical31.7%Routine & elementary32%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications19.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13%Level 3 (A levels)15%Level 4+ (degree & above)33.1%Apprenticeship5.4%Other (incl. vocational)3.2%

Home ownership55.2%

Around the England average for deprivation

Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD

Bills

Council tax Bedford · 2026-27

A £1,648

B £1,923

C £2,197

D £2,472

E £3,021

F £3,571

G £4,120

H £4,944

Energy Eastern England region

Typical bill regional £1,641/yr

Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026

Typical home efficiency local EPC band D

Water Anglian Water

Average bill regional £498/yr

Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Bedford St Johns 0.9 mi

Bedford 1 mi

Kempston Hardwick 3.9 mi

J13 M1 10 mi

J13 M1 10.2 mi

J14 M1 11.5 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 68

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 130

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 97

Retail Shopping Ample 398

Takeaways Ample 102

Fitness Ample 23

Places like Bedford Pro

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House Prices

Current median sale prices · last 12 months · England & Wales only

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£325,000	477
Detached	£490,000	114
Semi-detached	£350,000	149
Terraced	£288,500	127
Flat / Maisonette	£160,000	87

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data (OGL v3.0)

Frequently asked questions

Is Bedford a nice place to live?

Bedford is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Bedford is 59/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Bedford?

Bedford has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 31/100. There were 9,699 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Bedford?

Among the top-rated schools in Bedford are Bedford Free School, Great Denham Primary School and Peter Pan Nursery School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 38 rated schools in Bedford in total.

What are house prices like in Bedford?

The current median house price in Bedford is £325,000, around 14% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £490,000, semi-detached £350,000, terraced £288,500, flat £160,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 20%. There were 477 sales recorded in the past 12 months.