Nicolson Drive is in Leighton Buzzard and in South Bedfordshire district. LU7 4HQ is located in the Leighton-Linslade South electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of South West Bedfordshire. This postcode has been in use since 2003-10-01.
StreetScan combines information about Nicolson Drive, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 4HQ and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: LU7 4HY, LU7 4AR, LU7 4HT, LU7 4FN, LU7 4HS, LU7 4HJ, LU7 4HG, LU7 4BQ, LU7 4HH.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The local area around LU7 4HQ 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 | 51.1% | 51.8% | 0.7% | 51.0% | 0.8% |
| Male | 48.9% | 48.2% | -0.7% | 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 | 32.3% | 42% | 9.7% | 37.9% | 4.1% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 50.4% | 44.3% | -6.1% | 44.2% | 0.1% |
| Married: Same sex | 0% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Separated | 4.4% | 2.9% | -1.5% | 2.2% | 0.7% |
| Divorced | 11.1% | 8.3% | -2.8% | 9.1% | -0.8% |
| Widowed | 1.8% | 2.3% | 0.5% | 6.1% | -3.8% |
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 (91%) 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 | 60.5% | 60.8% | 0.3% | 48.4% | 12.4% |
| Good health | 33.2% | 30.2% | -3.0% | 33.6% | -3.4% |
| Fair health | 4.7% | 6% | 1.3% | 12.7% | -6.7% |
| Bad health | 1.6% | 2.6% | 1.0% | 4.0% | -1.4% |
| Very bad health | 0% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 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 LU7 4HQ this area, 7.8% of residents have no qualifications. This is significantly lower than the UK average of 18.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 7.5% | 7.8% | 0.3% | 18.2% | -10.4% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 19.5% | 10.7% | -8.8% | 9.6% | 1.1% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 17.3% | 20.9% | 3.6% | 13.4% | 7.5% |
| Apprenticeship | 2.2% | 4.9% | 2.7% | 5.3% | -0.4% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 14.6% | 23.8% | 9.2% | 16.9% | 6.9% |
| Degree or Similar | 35% | 31.3% | -3.7% | 33.8% | -2.5% |
| Other | 4% | 0.6% | -3.4% | 2.8% | -2.2% |
In this area, the population is predominantly white, with 90.8% 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% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Indian | 1.3% | 0.8% | -0.5% | 3.1% | -2.3% |
| Pakistani | 0.6% | 0% | -0.6% | 2.7% | -2.7% |
| Other Asian | 0.6% | 2% | 1.4% | 1.6% | 0.4% |
| Black African | 0% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 2.5% | -2.3% |
| Black Caribbean | 0% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1.0% | -0.8% |
| Other Black | 0% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.5% | -0.3% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 1.6% | 1.6% | 0.0% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Mixed White and African | 0.6% | 1.2% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 1.3% | 1% | -0.3% | 0.9% | 0.1% |
| Mixed Other | 0.3% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| White | 93.7% | 90.8% | -2.9% | 81.4% | 9.4% |
In this area, 92.4% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is higher than the UK average of 83.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 92.2% | 92.4% | 0.2% | 83.2% | 9.2% |
| European Union | 2.8% | 4.2% | 1.4% | 6.1% | -1.9% |
| Rest of Europe | 0.3% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| Africa | 2.2% | 0.4% | -1.8% | 2.7% | -2.3% |
| Middle East and Asia | 1.9% | 2.2% | 0.3% | 5.6% | -3.4% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 0.3% | 0% | -0.3% | 1.3% | -1.3% |
| Oceania | 0.3% | 0% | -0.3% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 92.2% | 92.2% | 0.0% | 83.2% | 9.0% |
| 10+ Years | 0.3% | 3.2% | 2.9% | 9.8% | -6.6% |
| 5-10 Years | 2.8% | 4.2% | 1.4% | 2.9% | 1.3% |
| 2-5 Years | 1.6% | 0.4% | -1.2% | 2.2% | -1.8% |
| Less than 2 years | 3.1% | 0% | -3.1% | 1.9% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 83.5% | 76.7% | 6.8% |
| Ireland | 0.2% | 0.6% | -0.4% |
| Lithuania | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| Poland | 1.4% | 1.3% | 0.1% |
| Romania | 2.4% | 0.9% | 1.5% |
| Other EU countries | 1% | 1.5% | -0.5% |
| Central and Western Africa | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| No passport held | 11% | 13.5% | -2.5% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 55.6% | 37.2% | 18.4% |
| Christian | 33.4% | 46.2% | -12.8% |
| Buddhist | 0.4% | 0.5% | -0.1% |
| Hindu | 0.4% | 1.7% | -1.3% |
| Muslim | 0.8% | 6.5% | -5.7% |
| Not answered | 9.4% | 6.0% | 3.4% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Nicolson Drive was 18.3 per 1,000 residents, which is 79.6% lower than the Leighton-Linslade South average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
Nicolson Drive has the 6th lowest crime rate of 41 local areas in Leighton-Linslade South and the 131st lowest crime rate of 871 local areas in Central Bedfordshire .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 12.8 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -58.8%.

Households in this area have a higher level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 86% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99 Nicolson Drive, Leighton Buzzard, Central Bedfordshire Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £390,000 | 2024-10-28 | £417,431 |
| 69 Nicolson Drive, Leighton Buzzard, Central Bedfordshire Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £358,000 | 2024-09-27 | £383,180 |
| 65 Nicolson Drive, Leighton Buzzard, Central Bedfordshire Terraced, an established residential building | £360,000 | 2024-08-16 | £379,918 |
| 59 Nicolson Drive, Leighton Buzzard, Central Bedfordshire Terraced, an established residential building | £333,000 | 2023-07-03 | £356,168 |
| 47 Nicolson Drive, Leighton Buzzard, Central Bedfordshire Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £375,000 | 2022-12-09 | £394,144 |
LU7 4HQ 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 | 176 |
| Part-Time Employee | 46 |
| Self-Employed | 35 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 23 |
| Retired | 20 |
| Looking after home or family | 15 |
| Unemployed | 10 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 9 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 9 |
| Other | 6 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 31 |
| Manufacturing | 24 |
| Education | 24 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 17 |
| Information and communication | 11 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 11 |
| Human health and social work activities | 10 |
| Other | 10 |
| Transport and storage | 10 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 8 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 8 |
| Construction | 8 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 6 |
| Real estate activities | 2 |
| Mining and quarrying | 1 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leedon Lower School Highfield Road , LU7 3LZ | 2out of 4 | 680 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Clipstone Brook Lower School Brooklands Drive , LU7 3PG | 3out of 4 | 1,207 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Beaudesert Lower School Appenine Way , LU7 3DX | 3out of 4 | 1,625 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Pulford CofE VA Lower School Pulford Road , LU7 1AB | 4out of 4 | 1,938 yd | Voluntary aided school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| The Rushmere Park Academy East Street , LU7 1EW | 3out of 4 | 1,998 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vandyke Upper School Vandyke Road , LU7 3DY | 3out of 4 | 2,192 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Cedars Upper School Mentmore Road , Linslade LU7 2AE | 3out of 4 | 2,663 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklands Middle School Brooklands Drive , LU7 3PF | 3out of 4 | 963 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Gilbert Inglefield Academy Vandyke Road , LU7 3FU | 3out of 4 | 2,087 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Leighton Middle School Church Square , LU7 1EX | 3out of 4 | 2,108 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Linslade School Mentmore Road , Linslade LU7 2PA | 3out of 4 | 2,762 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Bank School Sandy Lane , LU7 3BE | 4out of 4 | 3,593 yd | Academy special converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astral Park Sports and Community Centre | Astral Park Sports and Community Centre, Johnson Drive | 573 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Astral Park Sports & Community Centre JOHNSON DRIVE | grass pitches | 389 yd |
| Pages Field THE VYNES THE VYNES WESTON AVENUE | grass pitches | 604 yd |
| Greenleas School (Kestrel Way Site) KESTREL WAY | grass pitches | 845 yd |
| Pages Park Billington Road | grass pitches, tennis courts | 955 yd |
| Brooklands Middle School Brooklands Drive | grass pitches, tennis courts | 1,059 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 | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (300Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have coverage from a Gigabit capable service from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| 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 | 80 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 227 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 1000 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 1000 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 20 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 34.4 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 115 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.