Town Pop. 28,131

Living in Dunstable: Liveability Score 58/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Dunstable is 58/100, built from 9 categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 67/100 against a national town median of 18/100. Safety falls furthest short: 55/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

Among the 4 scored places sharing the LU1 postcode district, Dunstable ranks 2nd. Notably, nothing falls below 40/100. Most UK towns have at least one category in the 30s or worse. On healthcare specifically, Dunstable sits 15 points below the LU1 district figure of 82/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the LU1 postcode district.

58
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.

Dunstable scores 58 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Dunstable.
Or compare:
LU1 1AA LU1 2AA LU1 3AA LU1 4AB LU1 5AA LU1 9AB LU1 LU5 LU6

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
55
96.4 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 938 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 502 crimes
↑ 17% above national average
Vehicle crime 231 crimes
↑ 71% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 204 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Other theft 187 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 651 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Petrol Station 164 crimes
  2. 2 Shopping Area 154 crimes
  3. 3 Morpeth Crescent 78 crimes

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

Environment
58
Air Quality NO₂ 8.6 · PM2.5 7.2 · PM10 11.7 µg/m³
70
Green Space 31
Parks Ample 16
Sports Pitches Ample 24
Allotments Ample 6
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Ample 12
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 12

Services

Schools
63
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 21 in area · 37 within 4km
15Good1Requires Improvement5Ungraded
  • Ardley Hill AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Ashton St Peter's VA C of E SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Beecroft AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Hadrian AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Houghton Regis Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Lancot SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Manshead Church of England AcademySecondary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Priory AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Queensbury AcademySecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Mary's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good

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

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

Healthcare
67
A&E departmentsLuton and Dunstable Hospital1.5 mi
Milton Keynes University Hospital12.1 mi
Stoke Mandeville Hospital12.2 mi
Hospital waitsEast And North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust1.2 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks68.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs74.7%
4 GP surgeries in area 8 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,895 patients per GP
5dentists6pharmacies

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
68
Full fibre (FTTP)68.3%
available across Central Bedfordshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
93.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
95.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.6%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 520 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
56
Employment rate62.2%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed62.2%Unemployed2.9%Retired21.6%Student3.3%Other inactive9.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial37%Skilled & technical36.1%Routine & elementary26.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.4%Level 3 (A levels)17.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)29%Apprenticeship6.5%Other (incl. vocational)3.1%
Home ownership68.5%
Around the England average for deprivation
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
45
Leagrave 3.2 mi
Luton 4.7 mi
Harlington 5.5 mi
J11 M1 2.4 mi
J11 M1 2.5 mi
J11A M1 2.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
58
Pubs & Bars Ample 20
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 36
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 29
Retail Shopping Ample 143
Takeaways Ample 50
Fitness Adequate 3

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £325,000 218
Detached £475,000 27
Semi-detached £375,000 77
Terraced £320,500 60
Flat / Maisonette £175,500 54
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£163k £297k £436k £571k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Houghton Regis 53 1.7 mi away ⇄
Totternhoe 39 1.8 mi away ⇄
Kensworth 35 2.3 mi away ⇄
Holywell (Central Bedfordshire) 43 2.8 mi away ⇄
Eaton Bray and Edlesborough 43 2.8 mi away ⇄
Tilsworth 32 2.9 mi away ⇄
Oldhill Wood 0 3.0 mi away ⇄
Caddington 56 3.2 mi away ⇄
Tebworth 33 3.5 mi away ⇄
Stanbridge 35 3.5 mi away ⇄
Dagnall 37 3.6 mi away ⇄
Chalton 0 3.6 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Dunstable a nice place to live?

Dunstable is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Dunstable is 58/100, 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 Dunstable?

Dunstable has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 55/100. There were 2,713 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Dunstable?

Among the top-rated schools in Dunstable are Ardley Hill Academy, Ashton St Peter's VA C of E School and Beecroft Academy, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 21 rated schools in Dunstable in total.

What are house prices like in Dunstable?

The current median house price in Dunstable is £325,000, around 14% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £475,000, semi-detached £375,000, terraced £320,500, flat £175,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 18%. There were 218 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Dunstable in context

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

Postcode districts in Dunstable

LU1 60 ⇄
LU5 55 ⇄
LU6 57 ⇄

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