Spenser Road is in Bedford and in Bedford district. MK40 2BE is located in the Harpur electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Bedford. This postcode has been in use since 1980-01-01.
StreetScan combines information about Spenser Road, Bedford, MK40 2BE and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: MK40 2AP, MK40 2BB, MK40 2BQ, MK40 2AL, MK40 2SU, MK40 2TD, MK40 2BG, MK40 2TB, MK40 2AX.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. However, the area surrounding MK40 2BE, has a female population slightly higher than UK average, with 55.9% 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 | 50.7% | 55.9% | 5.2% | 51.0% | 4.9% |
| Male | 49.3% | 44.1% | -5.2% | 49.0% | -4.9% |
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 2BE, a significant portion of the population is single, making up 42.2% 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 | 45.3% | 42.2% | -3.1% | 37.9% | 4.3% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 39.4% | 40.1% | 0.7% | 44.2% | -4.1% |
| Separated | 1.3% | 2.2% | 0.9% | 2.2% | 0.0% |
| Divorced | 7.2% | 8.2% | 1.0% | 9.1% | -0.9% |
| Widowed | 6.8% | 7.3% | 0.5% | 6.1% | 1.2% |
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.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very good health | 44% | 49.3% | 5.3% | 48.4% | 0.9% |
| Good health | 36.5% | 35.6% | -0.9% | 33.6% | 2.0% |
| Fair health | 15.2% | 12.3% | -2.9% | 12.7% | -0.4% |
| Bad health | 3.9% | 2.8% | -1.1% | 4.0% | -1.2% |
| Very bad health | 0.4% | 0% | -0.4% | 1.2% | -1.2% |
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 47.9%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 23.3% | 19.2% | -4.1% | 18.2% | 1.0% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 9.7% | 8.1% | -1.6% | 9.6% | -1.5% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 8.5% | 8.1% | -0.4% | 13.4% | -5.3% |
| Apprenticeship | 2.5% | 5.1% | 2.6% | 5.3% | -0.2% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 11.9% | 10.3% | -1.6% | 16.9% | -6.6% |
| Degree or Similar | 39.4% | 47.9% | 8.5% | 33.8% | 14.1% |
| Other | 4.7% | 1.3% | -3.4% | 2.8% | -1.5% |
In this area, the population is more ethnically diverse compared to the UK average. While 74.6% 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 | 3.2% | 1.4% | -1.8% | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Chinese | 1.8% | 1.4% | -0.4% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Indian | 1.4% | 0.7% | -0.7% | 3.1% | -2.4% |
| Pakistani | 0.7% | 5.7% | 5.0% | 2.7% | 3.0% |
| Other Asian | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 1.6% | -1.2% |
| Black African | 1.1% | 3.5% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 1.0% |
| Black Caribbean | 2.8% | 2.8% | 0.0% | 1.0% | 1.8% |
| Other Black | 0% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 1.1% | 1.4% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Mixed White and African | 0.4% | 0% | -0.4% | 0.4% | -0.4% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 2.8% | 1.4% | -1.4% | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Mixed Other | 1.1% | 1.8% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| White | 82.3% | 74.6% | -7.7% | 81.4% | -6.8% |
| Gypsy or Irish Traveller | 1.1% | 1.4% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| Roma | 0% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Arab | 0% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.6% | -0.2% |
| Other | 0% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.6% | -0.5% |
In this area, 72.8% 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 | 77.7% | 72.8% | -4.9% | 83.2% | -10.4% |
| European Union | 14.5% | 15.5% | 1.0% | 6.1% | 9.4% |
| Rest of Europe | 0% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.8% | -0.1% |
| Africa | 2.8% | 3.5% | 0.7% | 2.7% | 0.8% |
| Middle East and Asia | 3.5% | 4.9% | 1.4% | 5.6% | -0.7% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 0.7% | 2.5% | 1.8% | 1.3% | 1.2% |
| Oceania | 0.7% | 0% | -0.7% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 75.9% | 72% | -3.9% | 83.2% | -11.2% |
| 10+ Years | 2.8% | 16.1% | 13.3% | 9.8% | 6.3% |
| 5-10 Years | 3.5% | 5.2% | 1.7% | 2.9% | 2.3% |
| 2-5 Years | 3.9% | 3.5% | -0.4% | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| Less than 2 years | 13.8% | 3.1% | -10.7% | 1.9% | 1.2% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 67.9% | 76.7% | -8.8% |
| Germany | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Italy | 8.4% | 0.6% | 7.8% |
| Portugal | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.2% |
| Lithuania | 1.7% | 0.3% | 1.4% |
| Poland | 2.8% | 1.3% | 1.5% |
| Romania | 2.1% | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| Other EU countries | 2.8% | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Other Europe | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| South and Eastern Africa | 0.7% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Eastern Asia | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Southern Asia | 0.3% | 1.2% | -0.9% |
| Oceania | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| No passport held | 11.1% | 13.5% | -2.4% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 39.2% | 37.2% | 2.0% |
| Christian | 45.1% | 46.2% | -1.1% |
| Buddhist | 1.7% | 0.5% | 1.2% |
| Muslim | 7.7% | 6.5% | 1.2% |
| Other religion | 1.4% | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Not answered | 4.9% | 6.0% | -1.1% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Spenser Road was 37.4 per 1,000 residents, which is 75.7% lower than the Harpur average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
Spenser Road has the 3rd lowest crime rate of 26 local areas in Harpur and the 173rd lowest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 17.0 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -32.0%.

Households in this area have a slightly lower level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 61% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have higher average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat 2 47 Spenser Road, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £350,000 | 2025-09-12 | £350,000 |
| 61 Spenser Road, Bedford, Bedford Detached, an established residential building | £440,000 | 2023-06-01 | £470,345 |
| 79 Spenser Road, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £295,000 | 2021-09-03 | £343,897 |
| 75 Spenser Road, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £260,000 | 2021-02-19 | £321,070 |
| 87 Spenser Road, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £338,000 | 2020-11-20 | £424,800 |
MK40 2BE 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 | 93 |
| Retired | 45 |
| Part-Time Employee | 18 |
| Self-Employed | 17 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 16 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 10 |
| Other | 9 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 9 |
| Looking after home or family | 9 |
| Unemployed | 5 |
| Education | 24 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 17 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 13 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 11 |
| Manufacturing | 11 |
| Human health and social work activities | 11 |
| Other | 10 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 8 |
| Information and communication | 8 |
| Construction | 7 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 6 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 5 |
| Transport and storage | 4 |
| Real estate activities | 2 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 1 |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Pan Nursery School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 4out of 4 | 2,127 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Cherry Trees Nursery School Hawkins Road , MK42 9LS | 4out of 4 | 2,722 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Ouse Primary Academy Seaforth Gardens , MK40 4TJ | - not rated | 495 yd | Free schools | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Livingstone Primary School Clapham Road , MK41 7LG | 3out of 4 | 657 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Edith Cavell Primary School Manton Lane , MK41 7NH | 3out of 4 | 855 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Priory Primary School Greyfriars , MK40 1JD | 4out of 4 | 930 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Queen's Park Academy Chestnut Avenue , MK40 4HA | 2out of 4 | 954 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biddenham International School and Sports College Biddenham Turn , MK40 4AZ | 3out of 4 | 1,125 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Free School Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AD | 3out of 4 | 1,816 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Castle Newnham School Polhill Avenue , MK41 9DT | 3out of 4 | 2,488 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Thomas More Catholic School Tyne Crescent , MK41 7UL | 4out of 4 | 2,852 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Goldington Academy Haylands Way , MK41 9BX | 3out of 4 | 3,066 yd | Academy converter | 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 | 1,683 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rushmoor School 58-60 Shakespeare Road , MK45 2RS | - not rated | 293 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Polam School 45 Lansdowne Road , MK40 2BU | - not rated | 634 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Modern School Manton Lane , MK41 7NT | - not rated | 742 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford School De Parys Avenue , MK40 2TU | - not rated | 1,605 yd | Other independent school | No | Boys | More About School |
| St Andrew's School 78 Kimbolton Road , MK40 2PA | - not rated | 1,845 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dudu Bar Restaurant and Lounge | 49 Bromham Road | 334 yd | |
| A Different Brew | 106 Clapham Road | 596 yd | |
| McDonalds | Mcdonalds, Fairhill | 610 yd | |
| LIME STREET BUFFET LIMITED | 12 Lime Street | 681 yd | |
| Flamme Rouge Cycles | 62-64 Bromham Road | 791 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kalooki Club | 2 Spenser Road | 209 yd | |
| RAFA Club | 93 Ashburnham Road | 600 yd | |
| Brewpoint | Brewpoint, Fairhill | 636 yd | |
| The Ship | The Ship, 102 Bromham Road | 659 yd | |
| The Foresters Arms | The Foresters Arms, 41 Union Street | 674 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Kebab | 100 Bromham Road | 629 yd | |
| Happy House | 96 Bromham Road | 644 yd | |
| Golden Chicken Bar B Q | 100a Bromham Road | 659 yd | |
| Best Pizza | 100b Bromham Road | 659 yd | |
| Le Raj | 29 Park Road West | 703 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aldi Stores Ltd | 98 Clapham Road | 595 yd | |
| J Sainsbury Plc (Main Store) | 90 Clapham Road | 596 yd | |
| J Sainsbury Plc (Petrol station Shop) | 90 Clapham Road | 596 yd | |
| Iceland Foods Ltd | 7-11 Midland Road | 681 yd | |
| Sainsbury's | 105-107 Tavistock Street | 890 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Rushmoor School RUSHMOOR SCHOOL RUSHMOOR SCHOOL SHAKESPEARE ROAD | 273 yd | |
| Alexander Sports Centre SIDNEY ROAD | grass pitches, health and fitness suite | 289 yd |
| Bedford Girls' School Playing Fields (Closed) Beverley Grove | grass pitches, tennis courts | 296 yd |
| University Of Bedfordshire (Lansdowne Road Campus) (Closed) Lansdowne Road | swimming pool | 375 yd |
| Bedford Modern School MANTON LANE | artificial grass pitch, grass pitches, health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 752 yd |
| St. Gregorys Catholic Middle School Biddenham Turn | grass pitches | 870 yd |
| Trinity Arts & Leisure BROMHAM ROAD | health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 924 yd |
| Towers Health And Racquets Club Clapham Road | health and fitness suite, indoor tennis centre, squash courts, swimming pool, tennis courts | 942 yd |
| Rushmoor School Playing Fields 1 FRANKLIN COTTAGES 1 FRANKLIN COTTAGES CLAPHAM ROAD | grass pitches | 1,007 yd |
| Hmp Bedford ST. LOYES STREET | artificial grass pitch | 1,033 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 | 100 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 149.1 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 600 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 600 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 18.9 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 16.6 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 40 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.