Town Pop. 10,728

Living in Sandy: Liveability Score 52/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Sandy is 52/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, lifestyle stands out most: 66/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 65/100 versus a median of 88/100.

That is the highest score of the 9 places in the SG19 postcode district. It scores 8 points above the SG19 postcode district as a whole, which averages 44/100. Its lifestyle score runs 17 points above the SG19 district's 49/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: SG19 postcode district.

52
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.

Sandy scores 52 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Sandy.
Or compare:
SG19 1AA SG19 2AA SG19 3AA SG19 9AL SG19

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
65
79 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 308 crimes
↓ 14% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 161 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Criminal damage and arson 65 crimes
↓ 10% below national average
Drugs 65 crimes
↑ 85% above national average
Public order 63 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 185 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Mcmurdo Court 43 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 40 crimes
  3. 3 Maple Road 32 crimes

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

Environment
69
Air Quality NO₂ 7.7 · PM2.5 7.1 · PM10 12.4 µg/m³
70
Green Space 64
Parks Ample 108
Sports Pitches Adequate 4
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Adequate 5

Services

Schools
38
6 schools in area · 10 within 4km
3Good1Requires Improvement1Inadequate1Ungraded
  • Maple Tree Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Robert Peel Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • St Swithun's Church of England VC Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • John Donne Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Requires Improvement
  • Laburnum Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Inadequate
  • Sandy Secondary SchoolSecondary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded

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
35
A&E departmentsBedford Hospital South Wing7.1 mi
Lister Hospital13.9 mi
Luton and Dunstable Hospital17.6 mi
Hospital waitsCambridgeshire And Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust4.7 mi
Routine referral (median)22 wks
Treated within 18 weeks37.2%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity2,098 patients per GP
3dentists2pharmacies

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
81
Full fibre (FTTP)68.3%
available across Central Bedfordshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
94.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
94.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.5%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 216 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
55
Employment rate62.3%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed62.3%Unemployed2.8%Retired21%Student3.2%Other inactive10.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial37.5%Skilled & technical35%Routine & elementary27.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.4%Level 3 (A levels)19.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)26.3%Apprenticeship6.3%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership66.6%
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
33
Sandy 0.8 mi
Biggleswade 3.6 mi
St Neots 7 mi
J10 A1(M) 8.8 mi
J10 A1(M) 9.5 mi
J9 A1(M) 12.2 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
66
Pubs & Bars Adequate 7
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 8
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 8
Retail Shopping Ample 34
Takeaways Adequate 8
Fitness Adequate 2

Places like Sandy Pro

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £325,000 68
Detached £395,000 19
Semi-detached £332,475 26
Terraced £275,000 21
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£249k £318k £389k £458k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Beeston (Central Bedfordshire) 42 1.0 mi away ⇄
Blunham 23 1.6 mi away ⇄
Moggerhanger 31 1.9 mi away ⇄
Northill 37 2.4 mi away ⇄
Tempsford 23 2.5 mi away ⇄
Upper Caldecote 37 2.6 mi away ⇄
Ickwell 40 2.9 mi away ⇄
Great Barford 43 3.0 mi away ⇄
Roxton 30 3.1 mi away ⇄
Potton 48 3.2 mi away ⇄
Willington (Bedford) 34 3.6 mi away ⇄
Biggleswade 53 3.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Sandy a nice place to live?

Sandy is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Sandy is 52/100, 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 Sandy?

Sandy has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 65/100. There were 847 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Sandy?

Among the top-rated schools in Sandy are Maple Tree Primary School, Robert Peel Primary School and St Swithun's Church of England VC Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 6 rated schools in Sandy in total.

What are house prices like in Sandy?

The current median house price in Sandy is £325,000, around 14% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £395,000, semi-detached £332,475, terraced £275,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 15%. There were 68 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Sandy in context

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

Postcode districts in Sandy

SG19 44 ⇄

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