Town Pop. 1,966

Living in Great Barford: Liveability Score 43/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Great Barford is 43/100, built from 9 categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 47/100 against a national town median of 18/100. Furthest below the national norm is broadband, at 30/100 against a town median of 60/100.

Great Barford places 4th of 16 in the MK44 postcode district. It scores 8 points above the MK44 postcode district as a whole, which averages 35/100. On healthcare specifically, Great Barford sits 16 points above the MK44 district figure of 31/100. For the surrounding area, see MK44 postcode district.

43
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.

Great Barford scores 43 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Great Barford.
Or compare:
MK44 1AA MK44 2AA MK44 3AA MK44 5AB MK44

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
91
51.9 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 32 crimes
↓ 51% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 16 crimes
↓ 47% below national average
Vehicle crime 12 crimes
↑ 27% above national average
Burglary 11 crimes
↑ 60% above national average
Public order 7 crimes
↓ 45% below national average
other 24 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Roxton Road 12 crimes
  2. 2 Nightingale Road 8 crimes
  3. 3 Norman Close 7 crimes

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

Environment
52
Air Quality NO₂ 6.5 · PM2.5 7 · PM10 12.5 µg/m³
71
Green Space 8
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools
24
1 school in area · 4 within 4km
1Good
  • Great Barford Church of England Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good

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

Healthcare
47
A&E departmentsBedford Hospital South Wing5.1 mi
Lister Hospital16.5 mi
Milton Keynes University Hospital18.4 mi
Hospital waitsEast And North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust2.6 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks68.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs74.7%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity2,170 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
30
Full fibre (FTTP)70.4%
available across Bedford
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
56.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
57.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.3%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 52 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
61
Employment rate62.8%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed62.8%Unemployed2.2%Retired23.9%Student3.1%Other inactive8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial43.9%Skilled & technical36.4%Routine & elementary19.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications12.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.8%Level 3 (A levels)18.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)33.5%Apprenticeship6.5%Other (incl. vocational)2.8%
Home ownership76.4%
Among the least-deprived 40% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
45
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 C
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
7
Sandy 3.7 mi
Bedford St Johns 5.3 mi
Bedford 5.6 mi
J10 A1(M) 11.4 mi
J10 A1(M) 12.1 mi
J13 M1 13.9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
11
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping Some 1
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £410,000 21
Detached £483,750 10
5-year monthly trend
All Detached
£286k £396k £510k £621k 2022 2023 2024 2025

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

Nearby places

Blunham 23 1.5 mi away ⇄
Willington (Bedford) 34 1.8 mi away ⇄
Workhouse End 32 1.9 mi away ⇄
Roxton 30 2.0 mi away ⇄
Moggerhanger 31 2.0 mi away ⇄
Tempsford 23 2.7 mi away ⇄
Cople 34 2.8 mi away ⇄
Sandy 52 3.0 mi away ⇄
Salph End 32 3.1 mi away ⇄
Wyboston 29 3.5 mi away ⇄
Beeston (Central Bedfordshire) 42 3.6 mi away ⇄
Cardington 31 3.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Great Barford a nice place to live?

Great Barford has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Great Barford is 43/100, 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 Great Barford?

Great Barford is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 91/100. There were 102 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Great Barford?

Among the top-rated schools in Great Barford is Great Barford Church of England Primary Academy, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Great Barford in total.

What are house prices like in Great Barford?

The current median house price in Great Barford is £410,000, around 44% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £483,750. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 7%. There were 21 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Great Barford in context

See the best places to live in Bedfordshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Great Barford

MK44 35 ⇄

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