Meads Lane is in Wheathampstead, St. Albans and in St Albans district. AL4 8BZ is located in the Sandridge & Wheathampstead electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Hitchin and Harpenden. This postcode has been in use since 1980-01-01.
StreetScan combines information about Meads Lane, Wheathampstead, St. Albans, AL4 8BZ and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: AL4 8BW, AL4 8SB, AL4 8BP, AL4 8BX, AL4 8BJ, AL4 8FF, AL4 8BE, AL4 8BH, AL4 8FE.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The local area around AL4 8BZ is generally consistent with those figures, having a male population of 48.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 52.3% | 51.8% | -0.5% | 51.0% | 0.8% |
| Male | 47.7% | 48.2% | 0.5% | 49.0% | -0.8% |
Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 29.9% | 31.5% | 1.6% | 37.9% | -6.4% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 52.8% | 50.6% | -2.2% | 44.2% | 6.4% |
| Married: Same sex | 0% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| Separated | 2.8% | 2.7% | -0.1% | 2.2% | 0.5% |
| Divorced | 8.1% | 8.7% | 0.6% | 9.1% | -0.4% |
| Widowed | 6.3% | 6.3% | 0.0% | 6.1% | 0.2% |
Across the UK, the average 48.4% rated their health as Very Good, 33.6% as Good, 12.7% as Fair, 4% as Bad, and 1.2% as Very Bad.
Population age significantly impacts residents' health. Additionally, socioeconomic status plays a crucial role: higher income levels and lower poverty rates are linked to better health outcomes. Affluent areas benefit from higher living standards, access to private healthcare, and healthier lifestyle choices.
This area has a high percentage of residents reporting their health as Good or Very Good (89.4%) compared to the average (82%). This typically indicates either a younger population or more affluent area.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very good health | 60.9% | 61.8% | 0.9% | 48.4% | 13.4% |
| Good health | 27% | 27.6% | 0.6% | 33.6% | -6.0% |
| Fair health | 9.8% | 8.4% | -1.4% | 12.7% | -4.3% |
| Bad health | 2.1% | 1.9% | -0.2% | 4.0% | -2.1% |
| Very bad health | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 1.2% | -0.8% |
During the 2021 census, the educational qualifications of residents across the UK were as follows: 18.2% had no qualifications, 9.6% had 1-4 GCSEs, 13.4% had 5 or more GCSEs and 1-2 A/AS Levels, 16.9% had 2 or more A Levels, 33.8% held a degree (or equivalent), and 5.4% had completed an apprenticeship.
In the area around AL4 8BZ this area, 9.7% of residents have no qualifications. This is significantly lower than the UK average of 18.2%. This area stands out for its high percentage of residents with higher education degree or similar. The UK average is 33.8%, while in this area it is 53.5%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 8.6% | 9.7% | 1.1% | 18.2% | -8.5% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 9.9% | 3.9% | -6.0% | 9.6% | -5.7% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 12.4% | 14.8% | 2.4% | 13.4% | 1.4% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.1% | 3.9% | -1.2% | 5.3% | -1.4% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 10.7% | 10.9% | 0.2% | 16.9% | -6.0% |
| Degree or Similar | 50.5% | 53.5% | 3.0% | 33.8% | 19.7% |
| Other | 2.8% | 3.4% | 0.6% | 2.8% | 0.6% |
In this area, the population is predominantly white, with 92.5% identifying as such, significantly higher than the UK average of 81.4%. This indicates a lower level of ethnic diversity compared to the broader UK population.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 0.9% | 0.2% | -0.7% | 0.7% | -0.5% |
| Indian | 0% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 3.1% | -2.0% |
| Pakistani | 0.8% | 0% | -0.8% | 2.7% | -2.7% |
| Other Asian | 0.6% | 0% | -0.6% | 1.6% | -1.6% |
| Black African | 0.6% | 1% | 0.4% | 2.5% | -1.5% |
| Black Caribbean | 0.8% | 0.2% | -0.6% | 1.0% | -0.8% |
| Other Black | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 0.2% | 1.1% | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Mixed White and African | 0.6% | 0.2% | -0.4% | 0.4% | -0.2% |
| Mixed Other | 0% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 0.8% | 0.9% |
| White | 95.1% | 92.5% | -2.6% | 81.4% | 11.1% |
| Arab | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.6% | -0.4% |
| Other | 0% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.6% | -0.5% |
In this area, 87.8% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is similar to the UK average of 83.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 91.5% | 87.8% | -3.7% | 83.2% | 4.6% |
| European Union | 2.6% | 4% | 1.4% | 6.1% | -2.1% |
| Rest of Europe | 0.4% | 1% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| Africa | 1.9% | 2.1% | 0.2% | 2.7% | -0.6% |
| Middle East and Asia | 1.7% | 1.3% | -0.4% | 5.6% | -4.3% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 0.8% | 1.1% | 0.3% | 1.3% | -0.2% |
| Oceania | 1.1% | 2.7% | 1.6% | 0.3% | 2.4% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 90.9% | 87.8% | -3.1% | 83.2% | 4.6% |
| 10+ Years | 1.7% | 7.8% | 6.1% | 9.8% | -2.0% |
| 5-10 Years | 0.6% | 2.3% | 1.7% | 2.9% | -0.6% |
| 2-5 Years | 2.8% | 1.9% | -0.9% | 2.2% | -0.3% |
| Less than 2 years | 4% | 0.2% | -3.8% | 1.9% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 90% | 76.7% | 13.3% |
| Ireland | 1.3% | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| France | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| Italy | 0.4% | 0.6% | -0.2% |
| Portugal | 0.4% | 0.5% | -0.1% |
| Spain | 0.2% | 0.4% | -0.2% |
| Lithuania | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| Romania | 0.4% | 0.9% | -0.5% |
| Other EU countries | 0.6% | 1.5% | -0.9% |
| North America and the Caribbean | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Central and South America | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Oceania | 1% | 0.1% | 0.9% |
| No passport held | 4.6% | 13.5% | -8.9% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 36.6% | 37.2% | -0.6% |
| Christian | 54.1% | 46.2% | 7.9% |
| Hindu | 1.5% | 1.7% | -0.2% |
| Jewish | 1.3% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Muslim | 0.8% | 6.5% | -5.7% |
| Other religion | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.0% |
| Not answered | 5.1% | 6.0% | -0.9% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Meads Lane was 90.7 per 1,000 residents, which is 246.8% higher than the Harpenden South average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
Meads Lane has the 3rd highest crime rate of 40 local areas in Harpenden South and the 111th highest crime rate of 430 local areas in St Albans .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 34.7 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has risen by about 7.4%.

Households in this area have a higher level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 88% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Meads Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire Detached, an established residential building | £1,105,000 | 2022-07-12 | £1,131,869 |
| 9 Meads Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire Detached, an established residential building | £700,000 | 2014-09-23 | £1,015,352 |
| 13 Meads Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire Detached, a newly built property | £650,000 | 2010-04-20 | £1,199,179 |
| 9 Meads Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire Detached, a newly built property | £575,000 | 2010-02-15 | £1,100,994 |
| 7 Meads Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire Detached, a newly built property | £562,500 | 2009-09-12 | £1,139,654 |
AL4 8BZ area has a high level of entrepreneurship. Only 18% of streets have higher percent of entrepreneur residents. 13% of population in this area is self-employed, while the average in the UK is 9.7%. High number of entrepreneurs usually leads to relatively high economic growth, higher paid jobs and better quality of life in the area.
AL4 8BZ area has a low unemployment rate. According to Census 2021, 3% residents of this area were unemployed, while the average in the UK was 4.83%. A low level of unemployment in an area indicates a strong job market, where most people who are seeking work can find employment. This generally reflects a healthy economy in the area.
| Full-Time Employee | 148 |
| Retired | 89 |
| Self-Employed | 53 |
| Part-Time Employee | 49 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 20 |
| Looking after home or family | 14 |
| Unemployed | 12 |
| Other | 11 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 10 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 5 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 42 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 39 |
| Human health and social work activities | 33 |
| Education | 31 |
| Information and communication | 25 |
| Construction | 24 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 19 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 15 |
| Manufacturing | 13 |
| Other | 10 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 7 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 7 |
| Transport and storage | 5 |
| Real estate activities | 5 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 2 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 1 |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batford Nursery School Holcroft Road , AL5 5BQ | 4out of 4 | 3,711 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Helen's Church of England Primary School Brewhouse Hill , Wheathampstead AL4 8AN | 3out of 4 | 441 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Beech Hyde Primary School and Nursery Nurseries Road , Wheathampstead AL4 8TP | 1out of 4 | 870 yd | Academy sponsor led | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| High Beeches Primary School Aldwickbury Crescent , AL5 5SD | 4out of 4 | 3,349 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| The Grove Infant and Nursery School Dark Lane , AL5 1QD | 4out of 4 | 3,432 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| The Grove Junior School Dark Lane , AL5 1QB | 3out of 4 | 3,494 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katherine Warington School Lower Luton Road , AL5 5FH | - not rated | 4,165 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Sir John Lawes School Manland Way , AL5 4QP | 4out of 4 | 4,178 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| St George's School Sun Lane , AL5 4TD | 4out of 4 | 4,732 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Sandringham School The Ridgeway , AL4 9NX | 4out of 4 | 5,393 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aldwickbury School Aldwickbury School , Wheathampstead Road AL5 1AD | - not rated | 2,915 yd | Other independent school | No | Boys | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Le Moulin | 3 Mill Walk, Wheathampstead | 214 yd | |
| Loafing | 4B High Street, Wheathampstead | 237 yd | |
| Golden Elephant | 43 High Street, Wheathampstead | 250 yd | |
| Marley’s | 1A Station Road, Wheathampstead | 251 yd | |
| Dildar II Tandoori Restaurant | 21 High Street, Wheathampstead | 252 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miller & Carter (Wheathampstead) | The Bull, 11 High Street | 202 yd | |
| The Swan Public House | The Swan Ph, 56 High Street | 369 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheathampstead Fryer | 18 High Street, Wheathampstead | 256 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco Express | 19-21 High Street, Wheathampstead | 252 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Marford Field MARFORD ROAD | artificial grass pitch, grass pitches, tennis courts | 226 yd |
| St Albans High School For Girls (Prep School) WHEATHAMPSTEAD HOUSE WHEATHAMPSTEAD HOUSE CODICOTE ROAD | tennis courts | 305 yd |
This statistics are based on Active Places Data - Contains Data © Sport England
| Percentage of premises that have Superfast Broadband (30Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (100Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (300Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have coverage from a Gigabit capable service from fixed broadband | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 2Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 5Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 10Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 30Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Median download speed | 77.8 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 73.4 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 80 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 80 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 20 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 18.7 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 20 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.