Old Bedford Road is in Luton and in Luton district. LU2 7BW is located in the Barnfield electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Luton North. This postcode has been in use since 1980-01-01.
StreetScan combines information about Old Bedford Road, Luton, LU2 7BW and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: LU2 7BP, LU2 7AY, LU2 7AX, LU2 7FG, LU2 7XT, LU2 7AZ, LU2 7BA, LU2 7SY, LU2 7AS.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The local area around LU2 7BW is generally consistent with those figures, having a male population of 49.1%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 47.5% | 50.9% | 3.4% | 51.0% | -0.1% |
| Male | 52.5% | 49.1% | -3.4% | 49.0% | 0.1% |
Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.
In the immediate vicinity of LU2 7BW there is a very large concentration of residents that are married - 58.2% of the resident population. In contrast, the average marriage rate across the census is about 44%.
Areas with a high percentage of married residents are typically suburban neighborhoods, towns with good schools and family-friendly amenities, and regions with affordable, spacious housing options. Additionally, such areas can be popular among retirees.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 26% | 27.4% | 1.4% | 37.9% | -10.5% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 61% | 58.2% | -2.8% | 44.2% | 14.0% |
| Civil partnership: Opposite sex | 0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Separated | 2.9% | 0.9% | -2.0% | 2.2% | -1.3% |
| Divorced | 2.6% | 5.5% | 2.9% | 9.1% | -3.6% |
| Widowed | 7.5% | 7.4% | -0.1% | 6.1% | 1.3% |
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.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very good health | 47.8% | 49.3% | 1.5% | 48.4% | 0.9% |
| Good health | 38.3% | 32.3% | -6.0% | 33.6% | -1.3% |
| Fair health | 10.9% | 13.9% | 3.0% | 12.7% | 1.2% |
| Bad health | 1.9% | 3.5% | 1.6% | 4.0% | -0.5% |
| Very bad health | 1.1% | 1% | -0.1% | 1.2% | -0.2% |
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.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 12.3% | 20% | 7.7% | 18.2% | 1.8% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 10.1% | 5.8% | -4.3% | 9.6% | -3.8% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 14.3% | 12.9% | -1.4% | 13.4% | -0.5% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.8% | 4% | -1.8% | 5.3% | -1.3% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 11.4% | 14.8% | 3.4% | 16.9% | -2.1% |
| Degree or Similar | 37.3% | 40.3% | 3.0% | 33.8% | 6.5% |
| Other | 8.8% | 2.2% | -6.6% | 2.8% | -0.6% |
In this area, the population is more ethnically diverse compared to the UK average. While 36.3% of the residents identify as white, which is lower than the UK average of 81.4%, there are significant representations of other ethnic groups.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladeshi | 3.8% | 12.7% | 8.9% | 1.1% | 11.6% |
| Chinese | 0% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Indian | 15.3% | 10.9% | -4.4% | 3.1% | 7.8% |
| Pakistani | 10.7% | 21.9% | 11.2% | 2.7% | 19.2% |
| Other Asian | 0.3% | 7.7% | 7.4% | 1.6% | 6.1% |
| Black African | 0.5% | 0.2% | -0.3% | 2.5% | -2.3% |
| Black Caribbean | 1.9% | 2.7% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 1.7% |
| Other Black | 1.4% | 0.5% | -0.9% | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 2.2% | 1.5% | -0.7% | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 0.5% | 0.7% | 0.2% | 0.9% | -0.2% |
| Mixed Other | 1.1% | 1.5% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| White | 60.7% | 36.3% | -24.4% | 81.4% | -45.1% |
| Arab | 0.3% | 0% | -0.3% | 0.6% | -0.6% |
| Other | 1.4% | 1.7% | 0.3% | 1.6% | 0.1% |
In this area, 72.7% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is lower than the UK average of 83.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 81.1% | 72.7% | -8.4% | 83.2% | -10.5% |
| European Union | 1.9% | 2% | 0.1% | 6.1% | -4.1% |
| Rest of Europe | 0% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.8% | -0.6% |
| Africa | 5.5% | 4.5% | -1.0% | 2.7% | 1.8% |
| Middle East and Asia | 10.4% | 18.9% | 8.5% | 5.6% | 13.3% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 1.1% | 1.7% | 0.6% | 1.3% | 0.4% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 79.8% | 72.9% | -6.9% | 83.2% | -10.3% |
| 10+ Years | 1.1% | 23.1% | 22.0% | 9.8% | 13.3% |
| 5-10 Years | 1.1% | 2% | 0.9% | 2.9% | -0.9% |
| 2-5 Years | 0.8% | 1.7% | 0.9% | 2.2% | -0.5% |
| Less than 2 years | 17.2% | 0.2% | -17.0% | 1.9% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 88.4% | 76.7% | 11.7% |
| Ireland | 1% | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Italy | 0.2% | 0.6% | -0.4% |
| Other EU countries | 1% | 1.5% | -0.5% |
| Central and Western Africa | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| Southern Asia | 2.2% | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| North America and the Caribbean | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| No passport held | 6.4% | 13.5% | -7.1% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 9.7% | 37.2% | -27.5% |
| Christian | 29.3% | 46.2% | -16.9% |
| Buddhist | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.2% |
| Hindu | 7.2% | 1.7% | 5.5% |
| Muslim | 40.4% | 6.5% | 33.9% |
| Sikh | 1.5% | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Other religion | 1% | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Not answered | 10.2% | 6.0% | 4.2% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Old Bedford Road was 90.7 per 1,000 residents, which is 76.6% higher than the Barnfield average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
Old Bedford Road has the 12th highest crime rate of 74 local areas in Barnfield and the 197th highest crime rate of 582 local areas in Luton .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 34.3 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -17.1%.

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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 293 Old Bedford Road, Luton, Luton Detached, an established residential building | £935,000 | 2023-01-04 | £908,820 |
| 279 Old Bedford Road, Luton, Luton Detached, an established residential building | £840,000 | 2022-05-04 | £851,387 |
| 277 Old Bedford Road, Luton, Luton Detached, an established residential building | £762,500 | 2021-02-25 | £869,894 |
| 269 Old Bedford Road, Luton, Luton Detached, an established residential building | £705,000 | 2019-03-22 | £817,733 |
| 269 Old Bedford Road, Luton, Luton Detached, an established residential building | £450,000 | 2017-12-15 | £516,411 |
LU2 7BW area has a high level of entrepreneurship. Only 23% of streets have higher percent of entrepreneur residents. 12% 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.
LU2 7BW area has a low unemployment rate. According to Census 2021, 2% 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 | 102 |
| Retired | 84 |
| Self-Employed | 39 |
| Part-Time Employee | 29 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 21 |
| Looking after home or family | 20 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 9 |
| Other | 8 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 8 |
| Unemployed | 6 |
| Education | 40 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 27 |
| Manufacturing | 18 |
| Construction | 14 |
| Human health and social work activities | 13 |
| Information and communication | 11 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 10 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 7 |
| Transport and storage | 7 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 7 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 7 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 7 |
| Other | 4 |
| Real estate activities | 4 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grasmere Nursery School Icknield Way , LU3 2BT | 3out of 4 | 1,418 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Lea Bank Nursery Wauluds Bank Drive , LU3 3LZ | - not rated | 2,859 yd | Local authority nursery school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Hart Hill Nursery School Whitecroft Road , LU2 0JS | 3out of 4 | 3,529 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| The Gill Blowers Nursery School 1 Mossdale Court , Teesdale LU4 9JL | 3out of 4 | 3,828 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Rothesay Nursery School 59 Rothesay Road , LU1 1RB | 3out of 4 | 3,941 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bushmead Junior School Bushmead Road , LU2 7EU | - not rated | 428 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bushmead Infant School Bushmead Road , LU2 7EU | - not rated | 428 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Bushmead Primary & Nursery School Bushmead Road , LU2 7EU | 3out of 4 | 428 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Warden Hill Junior School Birdsfoot Lane , LU3 2DN | - not rated | 938 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Warden Hill Infant Academy Birdsfoot Lane , LU3 2DN | 2out of 4 | 987 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icknield High School Riddy Lane , LU3 2AH | 3out of 4 | 750 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Icknield High School Riddy Lane , LU3 2AH | - not rated | 750 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Stopsley High School St Thomas's Road , LU2 7UX | 3out of 4 | 1,328 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Stopsley High School St Thomas's Road , LU2 7UX | - not rated | 1,328 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College Warden Hill Road , LU2 7AE | 3out of 4 | 1,534 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnfield College New Bedford Road , LU2 7BF | - not rated | 505 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Luton Sixth Form College Bradgers Hill Road , LU2 7EW | - not rated | 900 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamiatul Uloom Al - Islamia 364 - 370 Leagrave Road , LU3 1RF | - not rated | 2,333 yd | Other independent school | No | Boys | More About School |
| Richmond Hill School Sunridge Avenue , LU2 7JL | 3out of 4 | 2,346 yd | Community special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Lady Zia Wernher School Ashcroft Road , Stopsley LU2 9AY | 4out of 4 | 2,378 yd | Community special school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Woodlands Secondary School Northwell Drive , LU3 3SP | 4out of 4 | 2,468 yd | Community special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Active Support Education Centre Unit 1 Britannia Estates , Leagrave Road LU3 1RJ | - not rated | 2,564 yd | Other independent special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aramark @ Barnfield College | Barnfield College, New Bedford Road | 488 yd | |
| CJ's Cafe | Unit 5 The Parade, Hancock Drive | 521 yd | |
| Ashiyana Indian Luton Ltd | 66 Birdsfoot Lane | 1,037 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bushmead Fish Bar | 7 The Parade, Hancock Drive | 531 yd | |
| CAFE GRILL EXPRESS | 5b Riddy Lane | 657 yd | |
| Riddy Lane Peri Peri | 3 Riddy Lane | 657 yd | |
| Meedou | 1 Riddy Lane | 657 yd | |
| Domino's Pizza | 5c Riddy Lane | 657 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-op | 1-3 The Parade, Hancock Drive | 531 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Bushmead Primary School BUSHMEAD ROAD | grass pitches | 460 yd |
| Barnfield College BARNFIELD AVENUE | grass pitches, health and fitness suite | 507 yd |
| Icknield High School RIDDY LANE | grass pitches, tennis courts | 719 yd |
| Luton Sixth Form College BRADGERS HILL ROAD | artificial grass pitch, grass pitches, health and fitness suite, tennis courts | 768 yd |
| Luton Sixth Form College (Closed) Bradgers Hill Road | grass pitches, health and fitness suite | 905 yd |
| Warden Hill Infant School BIRDSFOOT LANE | grass pitches | 945 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 | 15.8% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (300Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 15.8% |
| 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 | 39.8 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 38.2 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 71.91 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 71.91 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 7.7 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 8.5 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 20 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.