Foster Hill Road is in Bedford and in Bedford district. MK40 2FE is located in the Harpur electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Bedford. This postcode has been in use since 2008-04-01.
StreetScan combines information about Foster Hill Road, Bedford, MK40 2FE and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: MK40 2FF, MK40 2EN, MK40 2HY, MK40 2TW, MK40 2ES, MK40 2JE, MK40 2ET, MK40 2JB, MK40 2RB.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The area surrounding MK40 2FE has a slightly higher male population, with 51.3% of residents being male. Several factors can contribute to this, including areas with industries or sectors that predominantly employ men, proximity to universities or technical schools with a higher enrollment of male students, presence of all-male or predominantly male institutions (military academies, boarding schools).
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 33.9% | 48.7% | 14.8% | 51.0% | -2.3% |
| Male | 66.1% | 51.3% | -14.8% | 49.0% | 2.3% |
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 2FE, a significant portion of the population is single, making up 55.4% 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 | 55.6% | 55.4% | -0.2% | 37.9% | 17.5% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 26.1% | 24.7% | -1.4% | 44.2% | -19.5% |
| Married: Same sex | 0.4% | 0% | -0.4% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| Separated | 4.5% | 3.4% | -1.1% | 2.2% | 1.2% |
| Divorced | 11.2% | 12% | 0.8% | 9.1% | 2.9% |
| Widowed | 2.2% | 4.5% | 2.3% | 6.1% | -1.6% |
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 | 41.9% | 45.1% | 3.2% | 48.4% | -3.3% |
| Good health | 37.1% | 32.9% | -4.2% | 33.6% | -0.7% |
| Fair health | 14.3% | 13.2% | -1.1% | 12.7% | 0.5% |
| Bad health | 5% | 8.2% | 3.2% | 4.0% | 4.2% |
| Very bad health | 1.7% | 0.6% | -1.1% | 1.2% | -0.6% |
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 | 22.4% | 26% | 3.6% | 18.2% | 7.8% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 19.8% | 10.2% | -9.6% | 9.6% | 0.6% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 16.8% | 13.6% | -3.2% | 13.4% | 0.2% |
| Apprenticeship | 3.7% | 5.3% | 1.6% | 5.3% | 0.0% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 11.4% | 17.4% | 6.0% | 16.9% | 0.5% |
| Degree or Similar | 15.3% | 25.3% | 10.0% | 33.8% | -8.5% |
| Other | 10.6% | 2.3% | -8.3% | 2.8% | -0.5% |
In this area, the population is more ethnically diverse compared to the UK average. While 53.3% 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 | 7.8% | 9.5% | 1.7% | 1.1% | 8.4% |
| Chinese | 1.3% | 0% | -1.3% | 0.7% | -0.7% |
| Indian | 4.3% | 7.6% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 4.5% |
| Pakistani | 4.3% | 1.3% | -3.0% | 2.7% | -1.4% |
| Other Asian | 2% | 3.2% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 1.6% |
| Black African | 4.3% | 10.2% | 5.9% | 2.5% | 7.7% |
| Black Caribbean | 3.7% | 2.5% | -1.2% | 1.0% | 1.5% |
| Other Black | 0.2% | 1.3% | 1.1% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 1% | 0% | -1.0% | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| Mixed White and African | 0.3% | 1.6% | 1.3% | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 2.8% | 3.8% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 2.9% |
| Mixed Other | 1.2% | 1.3% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| White | 62.9% | 53.3% | -9.6% | 81.4% | -28.1% |
| Gypsy or Irish Traveller | 1.8% | 0% | -1.8% | 0.1% | -0.1% |
| Roma | 0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Arab | 0.5% | 0% | -0.5% | 0.6% | -0.6% |
| Other | 1.5% | 3.8% | 2.3% | 1.6% | 2.2% |
In this area, 62.3% 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 | 66.7% | 62.3% | -4.4% | 83.2% | -20.9% |
| European Union | 11.8% | 15.2% | 3.4% | 6.1% | 9.1% |
| Rest of Europe | 1% | 2.2% | 1.2% | 0.8% | 1.4% |
| Africa | 4.5% | 6.3% | 1.8% | 2.7% | 3.6% |
| Middle East and Asia | 11.8% | 10.4% | -1.4% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 3.5% | 2.8% | -0.7% | 1.3% | 1.5% |
| Oceania | 0.7% | 0.6% | -0.1% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 66.1% | 62.5% | -3.6% | 83.2% | -20.7% |
| 10+ Years | 3.7% | 26.7% | 23.0% | 9.8% | 16.9% |
| 5-10 Years | 7% | 7% | 0.0% | 2.9% | 4.1% |
| 2-5 Years | 7.2% | 2.5% | -4.7% | 2.2% | 0.3% |
| Less than 2 years | 16.1% | 1.3% | -14.8% | 1.9% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 68.8% | 76.7% | -7.9% |
| France | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Italy | 1.3% | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| Portugal | 0.3% | 0.5% | -0.2% |
| Spain | 0.9% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Lithuania | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Poland | 7.9% | 1.3% | 6.6% |
| Romania | 1.6% | 0.9% | 0.7% |
| Other EU countries | 1.9% | 1.5% | 0.4% |
| Turkey | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Other Europe | 1.3% | 0.2% | 1.1% |
| Central and Western Africa | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| South and Eastern Africa | 1.3% | 0.2% | 1.1% |
| Eastern Asia | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Southern Asia | 1.6% | 1.2% | 0.4% |
| North America and the Caribbean | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Oceania | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| No passport held | 10.4% | 13.5% | -3.1% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 25.9% | 37.2% | -11.3% |
| Christian | 41.1% | 46.2% | -5.1% |
| Muslim | 18.4% | 6.5% | 11.9% |
| Sikh | 3.2% | 0.9% | 2.3% |
| Other religion | 3.5% | 0.6% | 2.9% |
| Not answered | 7.9% | 6.0% | 1.9% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Foster Hill Road was 215.0 per 1,000 residents, which is 31.8% higher than the Harpur average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
Foster Hill Road has the 9th highest crime rate of 25 local areas in Harpur and the 50th highest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 92.2 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -41.0%.

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 5 Princess Court, 34 Foster Hill Road, Bedford, Bedford Flats/Maisonettes, an established residential building | £235,000 | 2024-09-13 | £233,823 |
| Flat 1 Princess Court, 34 Foster Hill Road, Bedford, Bedford Other, an established residential building | £165,000 | 2023-09-15 | £164,668 |
| Flat 4 Princess Court, 34 Foster Hill Road, Bedford, Bedford Flats/Maisonettes, an established residential building | £181,000 | 2022-05-06 | £184,342 |
| Flat 5 Princess Court, 34 Foster Hill Road, Bedford, Bedford Flats/Maisonettes, an established residential building | £195,000 | 2022-04-20 | £196,384 |
| Flat 3 Princess Court, 34 Foster Hill Road, Bedford, Bedford Flats/Maisonettes, an established residential building | £160,000 | 2018-05-31 | £174,978 |
MK40 2FE area has a high unemployment rate. According to Census 2021, 8% residents of this area were unemployed, while the average in the UK was 4.83%. High levels of unemployment lead to more frequent crime and reduce the quality of life in this area.
| Full-Time Employee | 96 |
| Other | 26 |
| Part-Time Employee | 25 |
| Retired | 25 |
| Unemployed | 22 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 22 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 21 |
| Self-Employed | 15 |
| Looking after home or family | 12 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 3 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 35 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 30 |
| Human health and social work activities | 30 |
| Manufacturing | 23 |
| Transport and storage | 19 |
| Construction | 17 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 13 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 11 |
| Education | 10 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 9 |
| Other | 8 |
| Information and communication | 7 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 4 |
| Real estate activities | 3 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 2 |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 1 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southway Nursery School Ampthill Road , MK42 9HE | - not rated | 1,661 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Peter Pan Nursery School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 4out of 4 | 1,877 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Cherry Trees Nursery School Hawkins Road , MK42 9LS | 4out of 4 | 2,107 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Livingstone Primary School Clapham Road , MK41 7LG | 3out of 4 | 639 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Priory Primary School Greyfriars , MK40 1JD | - not rated | 649 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Edith Cavell Primary School Manton Lane , MK41 7NH | 3out of 4 | 1,032 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Castle Newnham School Goldington Road , MK40 3EP | - not rated | 1,109 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Castle Newnham School Goldington Road , MK40 3EP | 4out of 4 | 1,109 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Free School Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AD | 4out of 4 | 1,094 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Castle Newnham School Polhill Avenue , MK41 9DT | 3out of 4 | 1,340 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Castle Newnham School Polhill Avenue , MK41 9DT | - not rated | 1,340 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Goldington Academy Haylands Way , MK41 9BX | 3out of 4 | 1,860 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Biddenham International School and Sports College Biddenham Turn , MK40 4AZ | 3out of 4 | 2,198 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Bede's RC Middle School 112 Bromham Road , MK40 2QR | - not rated | 743 yd | Voluntary aided school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Brickhill Middle School Falcon Avenue , MK41 7DS | - not rated | 1,814 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Goldington Middle School Haylands Way , MK41 9BX | - not rated | 1,860 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| St Gregory's Catholic Middle School Biddenham Turn , MK40 4AT | - not rated | 1,886 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Park Wood Middle School Hawk Drive , MK41 7JE | - not rated | 2,123 yd | Community school | 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 | 984 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford High School Bromham Road , MK40 2BS | - not rated | 316 yd | Other independent school | No | Girls | More About School |
| Bedford School De Parys Avenue , MK40 2TU | - not rated | 368 yd | Other independent school | No | Boys | More About School |
| Georgina Perkins School Young Life Centre , 163 Tavistock Street MK40 2SD | - not rated | 477 yd | Other independent school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Polam School 45 Lansdowne Road , MK40 2BU | - not rated | 641 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| St Andrew's School 78 Kimbolton Road , MK40 2PA | - not rated | 654 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No.7 Coffee House | 1-3 Wellington Street | 128 yd | |
| Grand Indian Restaurant | 39 Tavistock Street | 134 yd | |
| Dougal's Kitchen @ The Flowerpot | 25 Tavistock Street | 135 yd | |
| Royal Gurkha | 46-48 Tavistock Street | 172 yd | |
| Deshi Spice Restaurant | 60 Tavistock Street | 172 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellington Arms PH | The Wellington Arms, 40-42 Wellington Street | 33 yd | |
| The Flowerpot | The Flowerpot, 25 Tavistock Street | 134 yd | |
| Lucky 11 | 3a The Broadway | 173 yd | |
| The Bedford Club | 11 De Parys Avenue | 182 yd | |
| The Balloon | The Balloon, 52 Foster Hill Road | 233 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artisan Bakery | 33 Tavistock Street | 138 yd | |
| fishermans chip shop | 43 Tavistock Street | 138 yd | |
| Halal Dixy | 55 Tavistock Street | 167 yd | |
| Shanghai Kitchen | 61 Tavistock Street | 172 yd | |
| King Kebab | 59 Tavistock Street | 172 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| BQUALITY AFRICA MINI MARKET | Flat D, Broadway Apartments, 30 The Broadway | 209 yd | |
| Sainsbury's | 105-107 Tavistock Street | 230 yd | |
| Lidl Food Stores | 5-9 St Peters Street | 402 yd | |
| Iceland Frozen Foods Plc | 15-19 Greenhill Street | 465 yd | |
| Essential Supermarket | 10-11 Thurlow Street | 588 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Hmp Bedford ST. LOYES STREET | artificial grass pitch | 285 yd |
| Trinity Arts & Leisure BROMHAM ROAD | health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 330 yd |
| Bedford School DE PARYS AVENUE | grass pitches, health and fitness suite, squash courts, swimming pool, tennis courts | 369 yd |
| Robinson Pool PARK AVENUE | health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 440 yd |
| Flexibility Health & Fitness Club 1-3 1-3 SILVER STREET | health and fitness suite | 515 yd |
| Bunyan Meeting Church MILL STREET | 647 yd | |
| St Andrew'S School KIMBOLTON ROAD | 656 yd | |
| Bedford Borough Indoor Bowling Club GOLDINGTON ROAD | indoor bowls | 658 yd |
| Goldington Road (Bedford Blues Rufc) GOLDINGTON ROAD | grass pitches | 737 yd |
| University Of Bedfordshire (Lansdowne Road Campus) (Closed) Lansdowne Road | swimming pool | 742 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.