Area Information for Bedford, MK40 2QE

This postcode in Bedford is in the Eastern region of England. The postcode is within the Greyfriars ward/electoral division, which is in the constituency of Bedford. This page combines information for the address Bedford, MK40 2QE, and the neighbourhood in which it resides. If you wish, you can also view information for the whole of MK40 here. For more details on the exact area these statistics cover, please see the map below and click "Show Census Area Covered" immediately below the map.

Please Note

This postcode was terminated by the Royal Mail in July 1995. Where possible, we have attempted to find data relating to the area in which the postcode used to reside before retirement. However, some data such as street names and house pricing is based on current postcodes only and so may be missing or incomplete.

Basic Information

Area Type Urban
Local Authority Bedford
Ward Greyfriars
Constituency Bedford * Note that some postcodes straddle constituency, local authority and/or ward boundaries.
To check your exact constituency by house number or name, use the TheyWorkForYou website at this link.
Region Eastern
Country England

Housing Summary

The most common type of housing in the area immediately surrounding this street is flats, with the most common tenure being social rental housing. We also have information on housing tenure, occupancy and more on our Housing tab.

Policing & Crime Summary

We have information on the local policing neighbourhood (Queens Park and Castle), and the Bedfordshire Police force area, which is available on the Crime tab of this page.

We also hold details of the latest crimes committed in July 2025, when 375 crimes were reported within half a mile of MK40 2QE.

Nearby Services

StreetCheck lists many nearby services, for instance railway stations, GPs and schools. Here is just a selection...

More details and a full list are available on the Nearby tab

About the Demographic Information

The information on housing, people, culture, employment and education that is displayed about Bedford, MK40 2QE is based on the last census performed in the UK in 2021. They are performed once every 10 years. Our website shows 2021 data for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For Scotland, 2022 data is shown (the Scottish census was performed a year later than the rest of the UK). Please note: census information may include figures for adjacent streets and postcodes. The figures are therefore representative of the local area, not a specific street address or row of houses.

The census collection is designed so that each group of postcodes should contain at least 100 people (50 in Scotland). This is done to preserve the anonymity of the people in that area, as some postcodes cover a very small area, sometimes a single building. You can see the area covered by the census statistics by clicking "Show Census Area Covered" below the map above.

Nearby Locations

Our information is available for almost all UK postcodes. Why not take a look at some of these other postcodes in the immediate vicinity of Bedford, MK40 2QE:

Bromham Road, Bedford, MK40 2QG
Bromham Road, Bedford, MK40 2QH
Bromham Road, Bedford, MK40 2QD
Union Street, Bedford, MK40 2UU
Bromham Road, Bedford, MK40 2AA
Bromham Road, Bedford, MK40 2BP

Alternatively, click here to view demographic information about MK40 as a whole.

Using this Information Commercially

The information we provide on the website is done so without charge. However, if you wish to use this data on other websites, or in any other public medium should consult our data sources page for information on how you should correctly attribute the information.

House Prices

There have been no house sales reported to the Land Registry in this postcode since January 1st 1995.

Our data comes directly from the Land Registry, and is updated monthly. It does not include commercial sales, or sales of land without property.

Housing Types Embed This

The area containing Bedford consists predominantly of flats, which is common in inner cities, student neighbourhoods and poorer suburban settings. Please note that the figures may include adjacent streets - see the Summary tab for an explanation and map of the area that these figures cover.

Housing Types
Detached 1
Semi-Detached 8
Terraced 7
Flat (Purpose-Built) 69
Flat (Converted) 0
Residence in Converted Building inc. former schools, churches, warehouses 1
Total 86
Are these numbers higher than you expected? Click here for explanation.

Housing Tenure Embed This Back to Top

The area containing Bedford contains a higher-than-average level of social housing - 56% of household spaces. This contrasts with the national average of just under 17.5%.

Housing Tenure
Owned Outright 12
Owned with Mortgage 3
Shared Ownership 1
Rented: From Council 10
Rented: Other Social 38
Rented: Private Landlord inc. letting agents 21
Rent Free 0
Total 85

Housing Occupancy Embed This Back to Top

This data lists the total number of residents normally resident within each household. The figures do not record under- or over-occupancy.

Housing Occupancy
One Person 51
Two People 14
Three People 10
Four People 7
Five People 1
Six People 0
Seven People 1
8+ People 1
Total 85

Household Composition Embed This Back to Top

The area containing Bedford consists predominantly of single-person households, common in inner-city areas.

Household Composition
1 Person Household 51
Family Household 31
Other Household 2
Total 84

Household Deprivation Embed This Back to Top

Household deprivation was measured against four dimensions for the 2021 census - employment, education, health/disability, and overcrowding.

Household Deprivation
Not Deprived 22
Deprived In One Dimension 38
Deprived In Two Dimensions 19
Deprived In Three Dimensions 6
Deprived In Four Dimensions 0
Total 85

Gender Embed This

Across the UK as a whole, the gender split is roughly 49% male, 51% female. The local area around MK40 2QE however is predominantly male (57%). This can be caused by a number of factors, but amongst the most common are: areas associated with nearby higher education, areas that contain large establishments such as boarding schools, and areas with younger populations (females on average live longer than males, so are more likely to be found in retirement areas).

Gender
Male 89
Female 68
Total 157

Age Groups Embed This Back to Top

The area around MK40 2QE has a very large concentration of children that are under 15 (at 26% of the resident population). This is commonly seen in suburban neighbourhoods, and sometimes in areas of high social housing.

Age Groups
0-4 17
5-9 16
10-14 8
15-19 2
20-24 6
25-29 12
30-34 12
35-39 16
40-44 10
45-49 11
50-54 9
55-59 8
60-64 9
65-69 7
70-74 5
75-79 4
80-84 2
85+ 4
Total 158

Relationship Status Embed This Back to Top

The postcode MK40 2QE does not show a significant deviation from the average figures for the UK. In the UK as a whole, the average figures are approximately as follows for relationship statuses: 44.6% married, 37.9% single, 9% divorced, 6.2% widowed, and 2.3% separated.

Figures for relationship status do not include those aged under 16, or those family members aged 16-18 who are in full-time education. Following the Civil Partnership Act that came into force in 2019, census figures for 2021 no longer categorise same sex relationships as a separate category. Civil partnerships are now included within the figures for the other categories (Married, Divorced and so forth).

Relationship Status
Single 46
Married 43
Separated 3
Divorced 15
Widowed 8
Total 115

Health Embed This Back to Top

Health in the UK is strongly tied to age as you would expect, but the affluence of a neighbourhood also has strong influence, with deprived areas often showing poorer standards of health.

Overall, the UK considers itself to be healthy - 81.7% of residents rated their health as Very Good or Good. The full breakdown is as follows for the United Kingdom: 48.4% Very Good, 33.3% Good, 12.9% Fair, 4.2% Bad and 1.3% Very Bad.

It is notable that the number of residents reporting Very Good or Good health increased in 2021/22 compared to the previous census, despite an aging UK population. This may have been influenced by how people perceived their health against the backdrop of the pandemic.

Health
Very Good 75
Good 43
Fair 29
Bad 10
Very Bad 0
Total 157

Education & Qualifications Embed This Back to Top

MK40 2QE and surrounding area has a larger than average concentration of residents have no qualifications - 34% of the resident population. On average, around 18.2% of census respondents fall into this category.

The qualification levels are based on current qualification names. The former Ordinary Levels (O-Levels) and CSEs will be included in the GCSE figures. Former Higher School Certificates (HSCs) will be counted as A-Levels.

Highest Qualification Level Achieved
Degree or above, or Similar e.g. professional qualification (accountancy etc) 27
Apprenticeship 6
HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels 12
5+ GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels 13
1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent 14
No GCSEs or Equivalent 40
Other 6
Total 118

Ethnic Group Embed This

Bedford can be considered more ethnically diverse than the UK average. As whole, the UK population claims itself as approximately 83% white, with residents of this area being 68% so.

As a country with a diverse population, the UK is home to other sizable ethnic groups, with mixed ethnicity (2.7%), Indian (2.9%) and Pakistani (2.6%) being the largest groups reported.

There is considerable division of ethnicities within the UK, with ethnically diverse addresses uncommon outside of urban areas.

Ethnic Group
White 107
Mixed Ethnicity 10
Indian 8
Pakistani 6
Bangladeshi 9
Other Asian 1
Black African 1
Black Caribbean 7
Other Black/African/Caribbean 1
Other 5
Total 155

Country of Birth Embed This Back to Top

In this area (Bedford), 62% of the residents were born in the United Kingdom, which is significantly below the UK average.

At the time of the 2021/22 census, approximately 84% of the resident population of the United Kingdom were born in the UK. The other major groups were 6.7% from European countries, 5.2% from Middle Eastern or Asian countries, 2.5% from African countries, and 1.6% from the rest of the world.

Country of Birth
United Kingdom 98
European Union 36
Africa 2
Middle East and Asia 10
The Americas (North, Central and South America, and the Caribbean) 11
Total 157

Length of Residence Embed This Back to Top

At the time of the 2021/22 census, approximately 83.8% of the resident population of the United Kingdom were born in the UK. Some 9.4% have resided in the UK for 10 years plus, 2.8% for 5-10 years, 2.2% for 2-5 years, and 1.8% for less than two years.

The length of time a person has been resident in the UK has been calculated from the time a resident most recently arrived in the UK (excluding holidays/short stays outside the UK). However, residents that were born in the UK but emigrated and then later returned will still be counted as "Born in the United Kingdom".

Length of Residence
Born in The United Kingdom 98
10+ Years 32
5-10 Years 14
2-5 Years 11
Less Than 2 Years 3
Total 158

Passport(s) Held Embed This Back to Top

Note that an individual may hold one or more passports. The data may include people living in adjacent addresses to MK40 2QE.

Passport(s) Held
None 26
United Kingdom 86
Republic of Ireland 5
European Union 35
Rest of Europe 1
Middle East or Asia 6

Religion Embed This Back to Top

The largest religious group in England and Wales are Christians - 46.2% of residents. However, a sizeable portion of the population (37.2%) claim to have no religion, which has increased substantially from the 25.1% reported in the 2011 census. Some 6.5% identify themselves as Muslim, 1.7% Hindu, 0.9% Sikh, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.5% Jewish, and 0.6% as other religions, while the remaining 6% did not state their religious views.

Religion
No Religion 53
Christian 74
Buddhist 0
Hindu 1
Jewish 1
Muslim 19
Sikh 3
Other Religion 1
Not Stated 5
Total 157

Economic Activity Embed This

Figures for economic activity do not include those aged under 16, or those family members aged 16-18 who are in full-time education. The data was correct as of the 2021/22 census, which was a period of depressed economic activity.

The 2021 census occurred during period of depressed economic activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, care should be taken in interpreting figures relating to labour market participation.

Economic Activity
Full-Time Employee 40
Part-Time Employee (defined as 30 hours or less per week) 13
Self Employed (No Subordinates) 6
Self Employed (With Subordinates) 1
Unemployed 3
Full-Time Student (with or without job) 1
Retired 20
Looking After Home or Family 14
Long-Term Sick or Disabled 12
Other 7
Total 117

Occupation Group Embed This Back to Top

This data is based on resident aged 16+ on census day 2021/22, who were in employment. The categories used are taken from the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 2020.

Occupation Group
Managers, Directors and Senior Officials 4
Professional Occupations 5
Associate Professional Occupations 9
Administrative and Secretarial Occupations 1
Skilled Trades Occupations 11
Caring, Leisure and Other Service Occupations 4
Sales and Customer Service Occupations 4
Process, Plant and Machine Operatives 5
Elementary Occupations 19
Total 62

Socio-Economic Classification Embed This Back to Top

Classifications are assigned based on an algorithm created by the National Statistics Agency, called the Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC).

Socio-Economic Classification
Large Employer or Higher Managerial/Professional 4
Supervisory, or Lower Managerial/Administrative/Professional 16
Intermediate Occupation e.g. clerical, sales, technical, engineering occupations 5
Own Account Worker/Small Employer 8
Lower Technical or Supervisory Occupation 10
Routine Occupation e.g. sales, service, production, operative, agricultural occupations 16
Semi-Routine Occupation 38
Never Worked or Long-Term Unemployed 18
Full-time Student 1
Total 116

Bedford, MK40 2QE is within the Queens Park and Castle policing neighbourhood, under the Bedfordshire Police force area. For non-urgent queries, contact 101. For emergency assistance, please contact 999. In July 2025, 375 crimes were reported within half a mile of MK40 2QE.


Neighbourhood Team

Crime: Click here to view 375 crimes committed near MK40 2QE
Neighbourhood Team Address Queens Park and Castle
Force Website: https://www.beds.police.uk/

Data courtesy of police.uk. See our Data Sources page for more information.

Key: Railway Stations Railway Station Hospitals Hospital GP Practices GP Dentists Dentist Opticians Optician Primary School Primary School Secondary School Secondary School

Below are the details of the closest services to MK40 2QE. All distances are straight-line distances, please consult the map of the facility to check the exact location. You can also view these details on our interactive services map for MK40 2QE.

Nearest Railway Stations Back to Top

Listed here are the 15 closest railway stations to Bedford, MK40 2QE. The nearest railway station is Bedford, approximately 460 yards away.

Name Approximate Distance*
Bedford 460 yards
Bedford St Johns 0.7 miles
Kempston Hardwick 3.4 miles
Stewartby 5.2 miles
Millbrook (Bedfordshire) 6.3 miles
Lidlington 7.6 miles
Sandy 8.3 miles
Ridgmont 9.3 miles
Flitwick 9.4 miles
Biggleswade 9.8 miles
Aspley Guise 11 miles
Woburn Sands 12 miles
St Neots 12 miles
Arlesey 12 miles
Harlington (Bedfordshire) 13 miles

Nearest Primary Schools Back to Top

Listed here are the 10 closest primary schools to Bedford, MK40 2QE. The nearest is Priory Primary School, approximately 80 yards away.

Name Approximate Distance* Last Ofsted Inspection
Priory Primary School 80 yards November 2024
Livingstone Primary School 630 yards March 2023
    
Edith Cavell Primary School 0.7 miles July 2018
    
Queen's Park Academy 0.7 miles May 2022
    
Great Ouse Primary Academy 0.8 miles February 2022
    
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School 0.8 miles  
Westfield Primary School 0.8 miles May 2022
    
Cauldwell School 0.9 miles June 2013
    
Castle Newnham School 0.9 miles October 2013
    
Shackleton Primary School 1.1 miles September 2021
    

Nearest Secondary Schools Back to Top

Listed here are the 10 closest secondary schools to Bedford, MK40 2QE. The nearest is Bedford Free School, approximately 0.5 miles away.

Name Approximate Distance* Last Ofsted Inspection
Bedford Free School 0.5 miles January 2020
    
Biddenham International School and Sports College 1 mile March 2019
    
Castle Newnham School 1.1 miles September 2018
    
Goldington Academy 1.4 miles February 2022
    
Bedford Academy 1.6 miles March 2023
    
St Thomas More Catholic School 1.7 miles October 2023
    
Daubeney Academy 1.8 miles February 2023
    
Mark Rutherford School 2.2 miles June 2023
    
Kempston Academy 2.5 miles September 2018
    
Lincroft Academy 2.9 miles December 2024

Nearest Doctor's Surgeries/GP Practices Back to Top

Listed here are the 10 closest GPs (General Practitioners) to Bedford, MK40 2QE. The nearest is Goldington Avenue Surgery Branch Site, approximately 240 yards away. Please consult the NHS Choices website to check if the facility is currently accepting new NHS patients.

Nearest Dentists Back to Top

Listed here are the 10 closest dentists to Bedford, MK40 2QE. The nearest is Priory Dental Practice, approximately 150 yards away. Please consult the NHS Choices website to check if the facility is currently accepting new NHS patients.

Nearest Hospitals Back to Top

Listed here are the 3 closest hospitals to Bedford, MK40 2QE. The nearest is Bedford Hospital South Wing, approximately 0.7 miles away.

Name Approximate Distance*
Bedford Hospital South Wing 0.7 miles
The Manor Hospital 1.6 miles
Lakeside Hospital 8.1 miles

Nearest Opticians Back to Top

Listed here are the 10 closest opticians to Bedford, MK40 2QE. The nearest is Vision Express (UK) Ltd, approximately 460 yards away.

* Distances are measured in a straight line from the given postcode. Please consult the facility's map page or your preferred route finding/GPS app for driving directions.