Bedford — a yellow and white train traveling down train tracks

Area guide · Bedfordshire

Living in Bedford

A snapshot of life in Bedford, East of England — house prices, crime, schools, broadband and more, drawn straight from official UK datasets.

Bedford: Photo by Sam on Unsplash

At a glance

Bedford is a town in Bedfordshire, East of England with a population of 97,226. The average house price is £432,760 and the overall crime rate is 77.7 per 1,000 residents.

Where Bedford ranks

Population

97,226

Avg House Price

£432,760

Crime Rate

77.7/1k

Top-Two School Inspection Bands

95%

Avg Download Speed

434 Mbps

EPC Rating

Median Income

£33,416

Median Age

41.6

House Prices (2025)

Average Price by Property Type (2025)

Bedford's detached homes (£585,794) command roughly 3.2× the price of a flat (£180,246).

Price Trend (11 Years)

Bedford prices have risen 37% over the last 9 years (£315,941 → £432,760).

Property Type	Average	Median	Sales Count
Detached	£585,794	£531,000	622
Semi-Detached	£368,669	£350,000	501
Terraced	£294,117	£284,000	427
Flat	£180,246	£165,000	215

Crime & safety

The overall crime rate in Bedford is 77.7 per 1,000 residents.

Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)

Most common offence in Bedford: violent crime (37% of all recorded crimes).

Schools & Education

School Inspection Breakdown

95% of 27 schools (20 primary, 7 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.

School Details

Total Schools	27
Primary	20
Secondary	7
% Top two bands	95%

Schools in this area

School	Phase	Rating
Bedford Academy	Secondary	Good
Bedford Free School	Secondary	Outstanding
Biddenham International School and Sports College	Secondary	No rating available
Brickhill Primary School	Primary	Good
Castle Newnham School	Secondary	Good
Castle Newnham School	Primary	No rating available
Cauldwell School	Primary	Good
Edith Cavell Primary School	Primary	Good
Elstow School	Primary	No rating available
Goldington Academy	Secondary	Good
Goldington Green Academy	Primary	No rating available
Great Ouse Primary Academy	Primary	Good
Hazeldene School	Primary	No rating available
King's Oak Primary School	Primary	Good
Livingstone Primary School	Primary	Good
Mark Rutherford School	Secondary	Requires improvement
Priory Primary School	Primary	No rating available
Putnoe Primary School	Primary	Good
Queen's Park Academy	Primary	Good
Scott Primary School	Primary	Good
Shackleton Primary School	Primary	Good
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School	Primary	Good
St James' CofE Academy	Primary	No rating available
St John Rigby Catholic Primary School	Primary	Good
St Thomas More Catholic School	Secondary	Good
The Hills Academy	Primary	Good
Westfield Primary School	Primary	Good

Broadband & Connectivity

Bedford averages 434 Mbps — 334% above the typical UK download speed.

Energy Efficiency & Running Costs

Most Bedford homes sit at band C on the EPC scale. 68.5% of homes reach band C or above.

Average EPC Rating	C
Average EPC Score	71.5
% Rated C or Above	68.5%
Avg Energy Cost (per year)	£1,111

Demographics & Economy

Population	97,226
Median Age	41.6
Median Household Income	£33,416
Employment Rate	61.3%
Owner Occupied	62.7%
Degree-Level Qualified	34.7%

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

What is the average house price in Bedford?

The average house price in Bedford is £432,760 based on Land Registry sales in 2025.

What is the cheapest type of property to buy in Bedford?

The most affordable entry point in Bedford is a flat, with an average price of £180,246.

Is Bedford a safe place to live?

Bedford has a recorded crime rate of 77.7 per 1,000 residents. Whether that feels "safe" depends on the comparison — see how it stacks up against nearby towns in the rankings below.

How are the schools in Bedford?

Bedford has 27 schools in total, with 95% rated in the top two inspection bands by the relevant inspectorate.

What broadband speeds are available in Bedford?

Average broadband download speeds in Bedford are around 434 Mbps. Superfast (30 Mbps+) coverage reaches 97% of premises.

How big is Bedford?

Bedford is a settlement in Bedfordshire with a population of approximately 97,226.

Most compared with

How does Bedford stack up against its neighbours?

Ampthill

Bedford

House price: £717,486 · £432,760
Crime rate: 48.6 · 77.7
Distance: 7.9 mi

Arlesey

Bedford

House price: £476,109 · £432,760
Crime rate: 48.6 · 77.7
Distance: 12.2 mi

Barton-le-Clay

Bedford

House price: £425,505 · £432,760
Crime rate: 48.6 · 77.7
Distance: 11.9 mi

Bedford

Biggleswade

House price: £432,760 · £399,954
Crime rate: 77.7 · 48.7
Distance: 9.5 mi

Bedford

Bromham (Bedford)

House price: £432,760 · £478,315
Crime rate: 77.7 · 77.6
Distance: 3.0 mi

Bedford

Clapham (Bedford)

House price: £432,760 · £500,968
Crime rate: 77.7 · 77.5
Distance: 2.3 mi

Looking for somewhere different? Browse all towns in East of England or start a fresh comparison from the homepage.