Town Pop. 222

Living in Broom (Central Bedfordshire): Liveability Score 37/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Broom (Central Bedfordshire) scores 37/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. The biggest shortfall against other towns is transport: 5/100 versus a median of 21/100. That makes it the 6th highest-scoring of the 8 places in the SG18 postcode district.

The SG18 district averages 47/100, putting Broom (Central Bedfordshire) 10 points below its own postcode area. Its safety score runs 18 points above the SG18 district's 74/100. That is 13 points below the national benchmark of 50, the bottom quarter of all UK towns and villages. For the surrounding area, see SG18 postcode district.

37
OUT OF 100
Below Avg
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.

Broom (Central Bedfordshire) scores 37 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Broom (Central Bedfordshire).
Or compare:
SG18 0AA SG18 1AP SG18 8AA SG18 9AA SG18

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
270.3 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 26 crimes
↑ 252% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 8 crimes
↑ 137% above national average
Vehicle crime 8 crimes
↑ 650% above national average
Public order 5 crimes
↑ 246% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 5 crimes
↑ 231% above national average
other 8 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Further/Higher Educational Building 12 crimes
  2. 2 Sports/Recreation Area 11 crimes
  3. 3 Gilpin Close 7 crimes

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

Environment
56
Air Quality NO₂ 5.887 · PM2.5 6.843 · PM10 12.18 µg/m³
72
Green Space 17
Parks Adequate 4
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
17

School inspection data is not available for this area.

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsBedford Hospital South Wing8.4 mi
Lister Hospital10.5 mi
Luton and Dunstable Hospital14.2 mi
Hospital waitsCambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust6.9 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs71.1%
Nearest GP surgerySaffron Health Partnership1.4 mi
GP capacity2,387 patients per GP
0dentists0pharmacies

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
50
Full fibre (FTTP)68.3%
available across Central Bedfordshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
77.9%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
77.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 11 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
57
Employment rate59.6%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed59.6%Unemployed2.1%Retired25%Student6.3%Other inactive7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial43.3%Skilled & technical38.4%Routine & elementary18.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)18.6%Level 3 (A levels)16.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)31.8%Apprenticeship5.6%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%
Home ownership48.9%
Among the most-deprived 32% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
40
Council tax Central Bedfordshire · 2026-27
A £1,677
B £1,957
C £2,236
D £2,516
E £3,075
F £3,634
G £4,193
H £5,032
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 Affinity Water
Average bill regional £490/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
5
Biggleswade 1.6 mi
Arlesey 3.4 mi
Sandy 3.7 mi
J10 A1(M) 5.3 mi
J10 A1(M) 5.9 mi
J9 A1(M) 8.3 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
10
Pubs & Bars Adequate 4
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Broom (Central Bedfordshire) in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

Southill 41 1.4 mi away ⇄
Langford (Central Bedfordshire) 45 1.6 mi away ⇄
Upper Caldecote 37 1.7 mi away ⇄
Biggleswade 53 1.9 mi away ⇄
Ickwell 40 2.1 mi away ⇄
Clifton (Central Bedfordshire) 51 2.5 mi away ⇄
Northill 37 2.6 mi away ⇄
Henlow 48 2.8 mi away ⇄
Shefford 48 3.0 mi away ⇄
Beeston (Central Bedfordshire) 42 3.3 mi away ⇄
Chicksands 43 3.7 mi away ⇄
Campton 50 4.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Broom (Central Bedfordshire) a nice place to live?

Broom (Central Bedfordshire) has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Broom (Central Bedfordshire) is 37/100, placing it among a below-average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Broom (Central Bedfordshire)?

Broom (Central Bedfordshire) is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 60 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Broom (Central Bedfordshire) in context

See the best places to live in Bedfordshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Broom (Central Bedfordshire)

SG18 47 ⇄

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