The verdict
St Neots is the more affordable option, with average house prices around 20% lower. St Neots has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, St Neots edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Bedford
£432,760
St Neots
£360,878
Crime Rate
Bedford
77.7
St Neots
57.2
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Bedford
95.0%
St Neots
100.0%
Avg Download Speed
Bedford
434.4
St Neots
418.9
EPC Rating
Bedford
71.5
St Neots
73.3
Median Income
Bedford
£33,416
St Neots
£34,823
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in East of EnglandAt £360,878, St Neots undercuts Bedford (£432,760) by around 20% on average house prices. The most affordable entry point in Bedford is a flat at £180,246, while in St Neots it is a flat at £172,516.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: detached homes are 20% pricier in Bedford (£585,794 vs £486,431).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Bedford prices grew faster — 37% vs 16%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in East of EnglandSt Neots has a crime rate of 57.2 per 1,000 residents, which is 36% lower than Bedford at 77.7 per 1,000. The most common crime category in Bedford is violent-crime, while in St Neots it is violent-crime.
Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)
Both towns share the same top crime category: violent crime.
Schools & Education
Best for schools in East of EnglandOf the 27 schools in Bedford, 95% are in the top two inspection bands. In St Neots, which has 13 schools, the figure is 100%.
Bedford School Inspection Breakdown
95% of 27 schools (20 primary, 7 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
St Neots School Inspection Breakdown
100% of 13 schools (11 primary, 2 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Bedford | St Neots |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 27 | 13 |
| Primary | 20 | 11 |
| Secondary | 7 | 2 |
| % Top two bands | 95% | 100% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Broadband in Bedford averages 434.4 Mbps – ahead of St Neots's 418.9 Mbps. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 97% of premises in Bedford and 95.3% in St Neots. Gigabit availability stands at 82.1% in Bedford and 80.3% in St Neots.
Bedford is the faster of the two by 4% on average download speed (434 vs 419 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Energy efficiency favours St Neots, scoring 73.3 on average (band C) compared to 71.5 (band C) in Bedford. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,111 in Bedford and £1,116 in St Neots. 68.5% of homes in Bedford have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 71.4% in St Neots.
St Neots has more energy-efficient housing — 71.4% reach band C or above, vs 68.5% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £34,823 in St Neots and £33,416 in Bedford. The median age is 41.6 in Bedford and 43.1 in St Neots. Employment rates stand at 61.3% in Bedford and 62.4% in St Neots. Owner-occupancy is 62.7% in Bedford versus 67.9% in St Neots. Bedford has a population of 97,226 and St Neots has 33,262.
| Indicator | Bedford | St Neots |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 97,226 | 33,262 |
| Median Age | 41.6 | 43.1 |
| Median Household Income | £33,416 | £34,823 |
| Employment Rate | 61.3% | 62.4% |
| Owner Occupied | 62.7% | 67.9% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 34.7% | 37.3% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How far apart are Bedford and St Neots?
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