The Embankment is in Bedford and in Bedford district. MK40 1RW is located in the Castle & Newnham electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Bedford. This postcode has been in use since 1980-01-01.
StreetScan combines information about The Embankment, Bedford, MK40 1RW and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: MK40 1RN, MK40 3US, MK40 3NT, MK40 3UT, MK40 3FE, MK40 1RY, MK42 0AU, MK40 3FG, MK40 1SL.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. However, the area surrounding MK40 1RW, has a female population slightly higher than UK average, with 52% of residents being female. Several factors can contribute to this. Women generally live longer than men, resulting in a higher proportion of women in neighborhoods with significant elderly populations. Typically, as people grow older, they tend to relocate from city center addresses to suburban areas, smaller towns, and rural locations. Consequently, these areas often have a higher number of females. A higher female population can also be found in areas with industries that employ more women, such as healthcare, education, and retail.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 50.8% | 52% | 1.2% | 51.0% | 1.0% |
| Male | 49.2% | 48% | -1.2% | 49.0% | -1.0% |
Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.
In the immediate area around MK40 1RW, a significant portion of the population is single, making up 43.1% of the residents. On average, approximately 38% of individuals who responded to the census in the UK were single. Areas with higher single populations are typically urban centers, university towns, regions with dynamic job markets, rich cultural offerings and entertainment facilities. These regions also tend to have a younger demographic.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 50.3% | 43.1% | -7.2% | 37.9% | 5.2% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 26.3% | 32.6% | 6.3% | 44.2% | -11.6% |
| Married: Same sex | 0% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 0.3% | 1.4% |
| Separated | 5.4% | 1.1% | -4.3% | 2.2% | -1.1% |
| Divorced | 12% | 15.5% | 3.5% | 9.1% | 6.4% |
| Widowed | 6% | 6.1% | 0.1% | 6.1% | 0.0% |
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 | 50.8% | 45.1% | -5.7% | 48.4% | -3.3% |
| Good health | 35.9% | 33.8% | -2.1% | 33.6% | 0.2% |
| Fair health | 8.7% | 15.7% | 7.0% | 12.7% | 3.0% |
| Bad health | 3.6% | 4.4% | 0.8% | 4.0% | 0.4% |
| Very bad health | 1% | 1% | 0.0% | 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.
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 51.4%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 10.2% | 10.1% | -0.1% | 18.2% | -8.1% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 12% | 6.1% | -5.9% | 9.6% | -3.5% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 14.4% | 10.1% | -4.3% | 13.4% | -3.3% |
| Apprenticeship | 1.8% | 5% | 3.2% | 5.3% | -0.3% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 16.8% | 12.8% | -4.0% | 16.9% | -4.1% |
| Degree or Similar | 37.7% | 51.4% | 13.7% | 33.8% | 17.6% |
| Other | 7.2% | 4.5% | -2.7% | 2.8% | 1.7% |
In this area, the population is predominantly white, with 92.6% 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 | 4.1% | 0% | -4.1% | 0.7% | -0.7% |
| Indian | 4.1% | 2% | -2.1% | 3.1% | -1.1% |
| Pakistani | 0% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 2.7% | 0.7% |
| Other Asian | 0.5% | 1% | 0.5% | 1.6% | -0.6% |
| Black African | 0.5% | 0% | -0.5% | 2.5% | -2.5% |
| Black Caribbean | 2.1% | 0% | -2.1% | 1.0% | -1.0% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.9% | -0.4% |
| Mixed Other | 1% | 0% | -1.0% | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| White | 86.7% | 92.6% | 5.9% | 81.4% | 11.2% |
| Gypsy or Irish Traveller | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
In this area, 79.2% 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 | 82.6% | 79.2% | -3.4% | 83.2% | -4.0% |
| European Union | 6.7% | 14.4% | 7.7% | 6.1% | 8.3% |
| Rest of Europe | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.8% | -0.3% |
| Africa | 0.5% | 1% | 0.5% | 2.7% | -1.7% |
| Middle East and Asia | 6.2% | 4.5% | -1.7% | 5.6% | -1.1% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 3.1% | 0.5% | -2.6% | 1.3% | -0.8% |
| Oceania | 0.5% | 0% | -0.5% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 82.1% | 78.8% | -3.3% | 83.2% | -4.4% |
| 10+ Years | 3.1% | 9.9% | 6.8% | 9.8% | 0.1% |
| 5-10 Years | 6.7% | 2.5% | -4.2% | 2.9% | -0.4% |
| 2-5 Years | 2.1% | 6.4% | 4.3% | 2.2% | 4.2% |
| Less than 2 years | 6.2% | 2.5% | -3.7% | 1.9% | 0.6% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 72.5% | 76.7% | -4.2% |
| Ireland | 0.5% | 0.6% | -0.1% |
| France | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Italy | 1.4% | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Spain | 1.4% | 0.4% | 1.0% |
| Lithuania | 2.4% | 0.3% | 2.1% |
| Poland | 4.8% | 1.3% | 3.5% |
| Romania | 2.4% | 0.9% | 1.5% |
| Other EU countries | 1% | 1.5% | -0.5% |
| Other Europe | 1% | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Southern Asia | 0.5% | 1.2% | -0.7% |
| South-East Asia | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Central and South America | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| No passport held | 10.6% | 13.5% | -2.9% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 39.9% | 37.2% | 2.7% |
| Christian | 44.8% | 46.2% | -1.4% |
| Buddhist | 1% | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Hindu | 1.5% | 1.7% | -0.2% |
| Muslim | 3.4% | 6.5% | -3.1% |
| Sikh | 0.5% | 0.9% | -0.4% |
| Other religion | 0.5% | 0.6% | -0.1% |
| Not answered | 8.4% | 6.0% | 2.4% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around The Embankment was 308.8 per 1,000 residents, which is 47.0% higher than the Castle & Newnham average. The most reported crime type was Anti-social behaviour.
The Embankment has the 12th highest crime rate of 52 local areas in Castle & Newnham and the 33rd highest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 88.2 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been falling year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -9.5%.

Households in this area have a similar level level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 59% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Swan Hotel The Embankment, Bedford, Bedford Other, an established residential building | £9,499,999 | 2018-03-15 | £10,665,192 |
MK40 1RW area has a low unemployment rate. According to Census 2021, 0% 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 | 78 |
| Retired | 42 |
| Part-Time Employee | 15 |
| Self-Employed | 15 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 8 |
| Other | 6 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 6 |
| Looking after home or family | 5 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 4 |
| Unemployed | 0 |
| Education | 14 |
| Human health and social work activities | 14 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 13 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 12 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 11 |
| Information and communication | 11 |
| Construction | 10 |
| Manufacturing | 8 |
| Other | 4 |
| Transport and storage | 4 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 3 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 2 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 1 |
| Real estate activities | 1 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 1 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Pan Nursery School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 4out of 4 | 1,224 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Cherry Trees Nursery School Hawkins Road , MK42 9LS | 4out of 4 | 1,374 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Priory Primary School Greyfriars , MK40 1JD | 4out of 4 | 668 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Castle Newnham School Goldington Road , MK40 3EP | 4out of 4 | 1,110 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Livingstone Primary School Clapham Road , MK41 7LG | 3out of 4 | 1,202 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Cauldwell School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 3out of 4 | 1,261 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Shackleton Primary School Pearcey Road , MK42 9LZ | 3out of 4 | 1,403 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Free School Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AD | 3out of 4 | 363 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Castle Newnham School Polhill Avenue , MK41 9DT | 3out of 4 | 1,694 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Goldington Academy Haylands Way , MK41 9BX | 3out of 4 | 2,028 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Biddenham International School and Sports College Biddenham Turn , MK40 4AZ | 3out of 4 | 2,246 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Academy Mile Road , MK42 9TR | 3out of 4 | 2,285 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford College Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AH | - not rated | 271 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Girls' School Cardington Road , MK42 0BX | - not rated | 546 yd | Other independent school | No | Girls | More About School |
| Bedford School De Parys Avenue , MK40 2TU | - not rated | 775 yd | Other independent school | No | Boys | More About School |
| E-Spired Centre of Excellence The Raleigh Centre , Ampthill Road MK42 9HE | - not rated | 897 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Polam School 45 Lansdowne Road , MK40 2BU | - not rated | 982 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| St Andrew's School 78 Kimbolton Road , MK40 2PA | - not rated | 1,084 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Café | 5 High Street | 63 yd | |
| McDonalds | 9 High Street | 63 yd | |
| Nando's | 3 High Street | 63 yd | |
| Baja | 17 Castle Lane | 70 yd | |
| Open Group Food Manufacturing Limited | 15 Castle Lane | 70 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Rose | The Rose, 45 High Street | 98 yd | |
| Bedford Rowing Club | Bedford Rowing Club, Duckmill Lane | 169 yd | |
| Astons | 32 High Street | 179 yd | |
| Kings Arms PH | The Kings Arms, 24 St Marys Street | 186 yd | |
| Slug & Lettuce Bedford | 53-55 High Street | 196 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| BB Tea | 43 High Street | 141 yd | |
| Lee's Kitchen | Lee's Kitchen, Duckmill Lane | 169 yd | |
| Greggs | 19 Harpur Centre | 299 yd | |
| Emporium cafe | 18 The Boulevards | 353 yd | |
| Millennium Kebab | 80a High Street | 383 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco | 63 High Street | 196 yd | |
| Farmfoods | Farm Foods, 4-6 Kingsway | 443 yd | |
| Liana International Market | 59 Midland Road | 461 yd | |
| Lidl Food Stores | 5-9 St Peters Street | 465 yd | |
| Essential Supermarket | 10-11 Thurlow Street | 541 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Pace Health Club (Bedford) (Closed) St. Marys Street | health and fitness suite | 142 yd |
| Bunyan Meeting Church MILL STREET | 241 yd | |
| Flexibility Health & Fitness Club 1-3 1-3 SILVER STREET | health and fitness suite | 304 yd |
| Bedford College CAULDWELL STREET | health and fitness suite | 317 yd |
| Bedford Free School CAULDWELL HOUSE CAULDWELL HOUSE CAULDWELL STREET | 332 yd | |
| Bedford Girls School CARDINGTON ROAD | artificial grass pitch, grass pitches, health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 419 yd |
| Hmp Bedford ST. LOYES STREET | artificial grass pitch | 639 yd |
| Samsons Fitness MIDLAND ROAD | health and fitness suite | 648 yd |
| Trinity Arts & Leisure BROMHAM ROAD | health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 724 yd |
| The Gym (Bedford) London Road | health and fitness suite | 797 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% |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.