Central Bedfordshire: house prices, jobs and local statistics

Detached

£609,817

Semi-detached

£377,901

Terraced

£299,825

Flat or maisonette

£173,264

First-time buyers

£300,772

The claimant count is people claiming unemployment-related benefits as a share of residents aged 16 to 64; the unemployment rate is the survey measure of people out of work and looking. Pay is for full-time employees who live in the area.

• Residents

  220,504 in 1991 → 315,877 in 2024 (+43.3%)

  England over the same years: +22.4%

• Average house price

  £182,346 in 2005 → £356,758 in 2026 (+95.6%)

  England over the same years: +85.9%

• Median weekly pay

  £428 in 2008 → £731 in 2025 (+70.8%)

  England over the same years: +63.7%

• Employment rate

  81.0% in 2004 → 83.8% in 2023 (+3.5%)

  England over the same years: +4.4%

• Claimant count

  1.1% in 2001 → 2.5% in 2025 (+127.3%)

  England over the same years: +60.0%

• Disposable income per head

  £11,903 in 1997 → £26,560 in 2024 (+123.1%)

  England over the same years: +143.8%

40 official indicators are published for Central Bedfordshire; 33 of them have a better and a worse direction and are ranked here. A rank of 1st is the best (lowest unemployment, highest pay, and so on).

Where it ranks best

• No qualifications · Education & skills2.4% (2023) · 11th lowest of 293
• 4G coverage · Connectivity & access100.0% (January 2026) · 31st highest of 361
• Employment rate · Economy & work83.8% (2023) · 42nd highest of 348
• Economic inactivity · Economy & work14.4% (2023) · 46th lowest of 348

Where it ranks worst

• Job density · Economy & work0.66 jobs per resident (2024) · 266th highest of 350
• Life satisfaction · Health & wellbeing7.3 out of 10 (2022/23) · 276th highest of 363
• High-growth businesses · Economy & work3.8% (2024) · 253rd highest of 361
• Library within a 30-minute walk · Connectivity & access66% (May 2024) · 206th highest of 318

• Life expectancy (male) (2025)82.0 years · England 80.0 · 15th highest of 151
• Life expectancy (female) (2025)84.4 years · England 83.8 · 48th highest of 151
• Healthy life expectancy (male) (2022 - 24)61.5 years · England 60.9 · 61st highest of 151
• Healthy life expectancy (female) (2022 - 24)60.9 years · England 61.3 · 71st highest of 151
• Under-75 mortality, all causes (2025)264.2 per 100k · England 321.0 · 21st lowest of 151
• Adult smoking prevalence (2024)9.5% · England 10.4 · 59th lowest of 148
• Adults overweight or obese (2024/25)65.2% · England 64.6 · 71st lowest of 153

• School readiness (good development at Reception) (2024/25)68.2% · England 68.3 · 78th highest of 153
• GCSE Attainment 8 score (2024/25)44.2 score · England 46.0 · 105th highest of 153
• 16–17 year-olds NEET or activity not known (2025/26)3.7% · England 5.8 · 42nd lowest of 150
• Children in absolute low-income families (2024/25)11.7% · England 19.8 · 23rd lowest of 153