Town Pop. 249

Living in Podington: Liveability Score 34/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Podington comes out at 34/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is broadband: 99/100 against a national town median of 60/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 24/100 versus a median of 88/100.

Of the 6 places sharing the NN29 postcode district, Podington scores lowest. It scores 13 points below the NN29 postcode district as a whole, which averages 47/100. On broadband specifically, Podington sits 24 points above the NN29 district figure of 75/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the NN29 postcode district.

34
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.

Podington scores 34 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Podington.
Or compare:
NN29 7AA NN29

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
24
654.6 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 56 crimes
↑ 575% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 33 crimes
↑ 772% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 21 crimes
↑ 1140% above national average
Other crime 13 crimes
↑ 2510% above national average
Burglary 11 crimes
↑ 1163% above national average
other 29 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Lancaster Gardens 38 crimes
  2. 2 Rushden Road 23 crimes
  3. 3 High Street 16 crimes

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

Environment
58
Air Quality NO₂ 5.787 · PM2.5 6.727 · PM10 11.91 µg/m³
73
Green Space 22
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
28
1 school in area · 9 within 4km
1Good
  • Christopher Reeves CofE VA Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good

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

Healthcare
15
A&E departmentsBedford Hospital South Wing10.5 mi
Northampton General Hospital11 mi
Kettering General Hospital11.2 mi
Hospital waitsKettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust2.3 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks64.4%
A&E seen within 4 hrs80.2%
Nearest GP surgeryIrchester Surgery2.2 mi
GP capacity2,194 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
99
Full fibre (FTTP)70.4%
available across Bedford
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
100%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
100%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 7 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
43
Employment rate61.9%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed61.9%Unemployed2.4%Retired20.7%Student4.5%Other inactive10.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial41.8%Skilled & technical34.5%Routine & elementary23.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.4%Level 3 (A levels)17.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)32.5%Apprenticeship6.5%Other (incl. vocational)2.6%
Home ownership68.1%
Among the most-deprived 34% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
42
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 East Midlands region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band E
Water Severn Trent Water
Average bill regional £424/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
14
Wellingborough 4.1 mi
Bedford 10.1 mi
Kettering 10.7 mi
J15 M1 12.4 mi
J15 M1 12.6 mi
J14 M1 13.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
18
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Some 1
Takeaways None
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Podington 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

Wymington 34 1.5 mi away ⇄
Wollaston 44 2.0 mi away ⇄
Irchester 52 2.1 mi away ⇄
Rushden 52 2.6 mi away ⇄
Bozeat 43 3.1 mi away ⇄
Little Irchester 48 3.2 mi away ⇄
Harrold 40 3.6 mi away ⇄
Sharnbrook 45 3.7 mi away ⇄
Great Doddington 58 4.0 mi away ⇄
Higham Ferrers 52 4.0 mi away ⇄
Grendon (North Northamptonshire) 42 4.3 mi away ⇄
Felmersham 36 4.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Podington a nice place to live?

Podington has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Podington is 34/100, 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 Podington?

Crime levels in Podington are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 24/100. There were 163 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Podington?

Among the top-rated schools in Podington is Christopher Reeves CofE VA Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Podington in total.

Podington in context

See the best places to live in Bedfordshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Podington

NN29 47 ⇄

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