Town Pop. 3,325

Living in Cranfield: Liveability Score 48/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Cranfield is 48/100, built from 9 categories. Broadband is where Cranfield most outperforms the national norm: 97/100 against a median of 60/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is healthcare, at 3/100 against a town median of 18/100.

Cranfield places 5th of 20 in the MK43 postcode district. Cranfield is a place of extremes: 97/100 for broadband against 3/100 for healthcare, a 94-point spread wider than roughly nine in ten UK towns. It scores 6 points above the MK43 postcode district as a whole, which averages 42/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the MK43 postcode district.

48
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.

Cranfield scores 48 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Cranfield.
Or compare:
MK43 0AA MK43 1AA MK43 2AA MK43 6AZ MK43 7AA MK43 8AA MK43 9AA MK43

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
91
43 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 58 crimes
↓ 48% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 17 crimes
↓ 66% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 17 crimes
↓ 25% below national average
Vehicle crime 11 crimes
↓ 31% below national average
Drugs 7 crimes
↓ 36% below national average
other 33 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Hotch Croft 20 crimes
  2. 2 Millards Close 20 crimes
  3. 3 Maltings Close 14 crimes

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

Environment
65
Air Quality NO₂ 7.3 · PM2.5 7 · PM10 12.1 µg/m³
71
Green Space 51
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches Ample 7
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 4
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Ample 13

Services

Schools
31
2 schools in area · 3 within 4km
2Good
  • Cranfield Church of England AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Holywell SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsMilton Keynes University Hospital4.8 mi
Bedford Hospital South Wing6.1 mi
Luton and Dunstable Hospital12.7 mi
Hospital waitsNorthampton General Hospital NHS Trust5.4 mi
Routine referral (median)14 wks
Treated within 18 weeks61.1%
A&E seen within 4 hrs75%
Nearest GP surgeryBrooklands Health Centre3 mi
GP capacity2,847 patients per GP
2dentists1pharmacy

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
97
Full fibre (FTTP)68.3%
available across Central Bedfordshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
82.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
82.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
92.3%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 137 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
74
Employment rate61.9%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed61.9%Unemployed3.3%Retired21.8%Student5.8%Other inactive7.2%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial43.9%Skilled & technical33.3%Routine & elementary22.8%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.5%Level 3 (A levels)17.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)36%Apprenticeship6.1%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%
Home ownership72.6%
Among the least-deprived 21% 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 C
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
15
Lidlington 3.2 mi
Ridgmont 3.2 mi
Aspley Guise 3.6 mi
J13 M1 3 mi
J13 M1 3.3 mi
J14 M1 3.3 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
28
Pubs & Bars Adequate 4
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 7
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 5
Retail Shopping Adequate 10
Takeaways Adequate 4
Fitness Ample 6

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £385,750 50
Detached £480,000 25
Semi-detached £326,000 20
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£269k £356k £447k £534k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

North Crawley 34 2.1 mi away ⇄
Marston Moretaine 39 2.9 mi away ⇄
Brogborough 35 2.9 mi away ⇄
Lidlington 31 3.3 mi away ⇄
Wavendon 43 4.0 mi away ⇄
Wootton (Bedford) 54 4.0 mi away ⇄
Woburn Sands 58 4.1 mi away ⇄
Ridgmont 41 4.2 mi away ⇄
Aspley Guise 50 4.2 mi away ⇄
Stewartby 43 4.4 mi away ⇄
Sherington 41 4.5 mi away ⇄
Stagsden 38 4.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Cranfield a nice place to live?

Cranfield has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Cranfield is 48/100, 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 Cranfield?

Cranfield is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 91/100. There were 143 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Cranfield?

Among the top-rated schools in Cranfield are Cranfield Church of England Academy and Holywell School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Cranfield in total.

What are house prices like in Cranfield?

The current median house price in Cranfield is £385,750, around 35% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £480,000, semi-detached £326,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 19%. There were 50 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Cranfield in context

See where Cranfield ranks among the best places to live in Bedfordshire

Postcode districts in Cranfield

MK43 42 ⇄

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