Town Pop. 7,414

Living in Shefford: Liveability Score 48/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Shefford is 48/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, broadband stands out most: 94/100 where the typical UK town scores 60/100. Safety falls furthest short: 73/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

Shefford places 3rd of 5 in the SG17 postcode district. It scores 5 points above the SG17 postcode district as a whole, which averages 43/100. Its broadband score runs 54 points above the SG17 district's 40/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: SG17 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.

Shefford scores 48 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Shefford.
Or compare:
SG17 5AA SG17 9AP SG17

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
73
93.6 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 205 crimes
↓ 17% below national average
Shoplifting 132 crimes
↑ 128% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 105 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Vehicle crime 63 crimes
↑ 77% above national average
Public order 45 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 144 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Supermarket 122 crimes
  2. 2 Petrol Station 38 crimes
  3. 3 High Street 27 crimes

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

Environment
58
Air Quality NO₂ 7 · PM2.5 7.1 · PM10 12.2 µg/m³
72
Green Space 25
Parks Ample 8
Sports Pitches Ample 14
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 8

Services

Schools
33
5 schools in area · 11 within 4km
4Good1Ungraded
  • Campton AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Clifton All Saints AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Samuel Whitbread AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Shefford Lower SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Robert Bloomfield AcademySecondary · 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
30
A&E departmentsBedford Hospital South Wing8.2 mi
Lister Hospital8.5 mi
Luton and Dunstable Hospital11 mi
Hospital waitsCambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust5.8 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs71.1%
1 GP surgery in area 2 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity2,240 patients per GP
2dentists2pharmacies

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
94
Full fibre (FTTP)68.3%
available across Central Bedfordshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
96.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
96.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 158 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
67
Employment rate64.3%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed64.3%Unemployed2.3%Retired22.6%Student3.5%Other inactive7.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial46.2%Skilled & technical34%Routine & elementary19.8%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications13.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.9%Level 3 (A levels)19.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)34.1%Apprenticeship5.9%Other (incl. vocational)2.1%
Home ownership68.2%
Among the least-deprived 32% 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 Affinity Water
Average bill regional £490/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
17
Arlesey 2.9 mi
Biggleswade 4.5 mi
Letchworth Garden City 5.8 mi
J10 A1(M) 5.5 mi
J10 A1(M) 5.9 mi
J9 A1(M) 7.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
33
Pubs & Bars Adequate 6
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 5
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 3
Retail Shopping Adequate 14
Takeaways Adequate 6
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 £344,000 79
Detached £520,000 27
Semi-detached £370,000 11
Terraced £307,000 24
Flat / Maisonette £182,000 17
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£176k £312k £453k £589k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Campton 50 1.1 mi away ⇄
Clifton (Central Bedfordshire) 51 1.2 mi away ⇄
Chicksands 43 1.3 mi away ⇄
Meppershall 48 1.4 mi away ⇄
Henlow 48 2.0 mi away ⇄
Southill 41 2.0 mi away ⇄
Lower Stondon 47 2.4 mi away ⇄
Upper Gravenhurst 38 2.7 mi away ⇄
Langford (Central Bedfordshire) 45 2.9 mi away ⇄
Shillington 33 3.0 mi away ⇄
Broom (Central Bedfordshire) 37 3.0 mi away ⇄
Haynes 34 3.1 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Shefford a nice place to live?

Shefford has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Shefford 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 Shefford?

Shefford has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 73/100. There were 694 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Shefford?

Among the top-rated schools in Shefford are Campton Academy, Clifton All Saints Academy and Samuel Whitbread Academy, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 5 rated schools in Shefford in total.

What are house prices like in Shefford?

The current median house price in Shefford is £344,000, around 21% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £520,000, semi-detached £370,000, terraced £307,000, flat £182,000. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 12%. There were 79 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Shefford in context

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

Postcode districts in Shefford

SG17 43 ⇄

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