Castle Road is in Bedford and in Bedford district. MK40 3RX 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 Castle Road, Bedford, MK40 3RX and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: MK40 3SP, MK40 3SW, MK40 3RU, MK40 3TX, MK40 3SZ, MK40 3TA, MK40 3TB, MK40 3SG, MK40 3TG.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. However, the area surrounding MK40 3RX, has a female population slightly higher than UK average, with 54.4% 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 | 52.4% | 54.4% | 2.0% | 51.0% | 3.4% |
| Male | 47.6% | 45.6% | -2.0% | 49.0% | -3.4% |
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 | 43.4% | 41.4% | -2.0% | 37.9% | 3.5% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 35.6% | 36.6% | 1.0% | 44.2% | -7.6% |
| Separated | 3.2% | 3.1% | -0.1% | 2.2% | 0.9% |
| Divorced | 14.6% | 12.8% | -1.8% | 9.1% | 3.7% |
| Widowed | 3.2% | 6.2% | 3.0% | 6.1% | 0.1% |
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 | 56.9% | 49.4% | -7.5% | 48.4% | 1.0% |
| Good health | 32.7% | 33.5% | 0.8% | 33.6% | -0.1% |
| Fair health | 7.8% | 12.2% | 4.4% | 12.7% | -0.5% |
| Bad health | 1.9% | 4.2% | 2.3% | 4.0% | 0.2% |
| Very bad health | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.1% | 1.2% | -0.4% |
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 46.9%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 12.8% | 11.4% | -1.4% | 18.2% | -6.8% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 8.2% | 10.1% | 1.9% | 9.6% | 0.5% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 11.9% | 10.1% | -1.8% | 13.4% | -3.3% |
| Apprenticeship | 2.3% | 3.9% | 1.6% | 5.3% | -1.4% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 11.9% | 17.5% | 5.6% | 16.9% | 0.6% |
| Degree or Similar | 50.2% | 46.9% | -3.3% | 33.8% | 13.1% |
| Other | 2.7% | 0% | -2.7% | 2.8% | -2.8% |
This area closely mirrors the overall ethnic composition of the UK, with 80.6% of the population identifying as white, with UK average of 81.4%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.7% | -0.3% |
| Indian | 2.2% | 1.5% | -0.7% | 3.1% | -1.6% |
| Pakistani | 2.6% | 6.8% | 4.2% | 2.7% | 4.1% |
| Other Asian | 0% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1.6% | -0.8% |
| Black African | 2.2% | 0% | -2.2% | 2.5% | -2.5% |
| Black Caribbean | 1.1% | 1.9% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 0.9% |
| Other Black | 0.7% | 0% | -0.7% | 0.5% | -0.5% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 0.7% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Mixed White and African | 1.9% | 0.4% | -1.5% | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 1.5% | 3.4% | 1.9% | 0.9% | 2.5% |
| Mixed Other | 0.4% | 0% | -0.4% | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| White | 85.9% | 80.6% | -5.3% | 81.4% | -0.8% |
| Roma | 0% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Arab | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.6% | -0.2% |
| Other | 0% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.6% | -0.1% |
In this area, 89% 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 | 85.9% | 89% | 3.1% | 83.2% | 5.8% |
| European Union | 4.8% | 3% | -1.8% | 6.1% | -3.1% |
| Africa | 2.2% | 0% | -2.2% | 2.7% | -2.7% |
| Middle East and Asia | 4.1% | 5.3% | 1.2% | 5.6% | -0.3% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 1.5% | 2.7% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.4% |
| Oceania | 1.5% | 0% | -1.5% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 84% | 89.3% | 5.3% | 83.2% | 6.1% |
| 10+ Years | 0.4% | 8.4% | 8.0% | 9.8% | -1.4% |
| 5-10 Years | 2.6% | 1.5% | -1.1% | 2.9% | -1.4% |
| 2-5 Years | 2.2% | 0.4% | -1.8% | 2.2% | -1.8% |
| Less than 2 years | 10.8% | 0.4% | -10.4% | 1.9% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 87.5% | 76.7% | 10.8% |
| Ireland | 0.4% | 0.6% | -0.2% |
| Germany | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Italy | 0.4% | 0.6% | -0.2% |
| Spain | 0.8% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Poland | 0.4% | 1.3% | -0.9% |
| Romania | 1.1% | 0.9% | 0.2% |
| Southern Asia | 0.4% | 1.2% | -0.8% |
| North America and the Caribbean | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| No passport held | 8% | 13.5% | -5.5% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 49.6% | 37.2% | 12.4% |
| Christian | 34.5% | 46.2% | -11.7% |
| Muslim | 7.6% | 6.5% | 1.1% |
| Sikh | 0.4% | 0.9% | -0.5% |
| Other religion | 2.3% | 0.6% | 1.7% |
| Not answered | 5.7% | 6.0% | -0.3% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Castle Road was 35.6 per 1,000 residents, which is 83.1% lower than the Castle & Newnham average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
Castle Road has the 14th lowest crime rate of 52 local areas in Castle & Newnham and the 155th lowest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 14.2 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -19.1%.

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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 181 Castle Road, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £389,500 | 2016-11-02 | £530,319 |
| 181 Castle Road, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £278,000 | 2013-01-11 | £543,713 |
| 181 Castle Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire Terraced, an established residential building | £249,000 | 2006-11-16 | £472,519 |
| 181 Castle Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire Terraced, an established residential building | £117,500 | 1999-08-27 | £564,534 |
| 181 Castle Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire Terraced, an established residential building | £73,000 | 1996-08-30 | £479,261 |
MK40 3RX 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 | 84 |
| Retired | 40 |
| Part-Time Employee | 26 |
| Self-Employed | 23 |
| Looking after home or family | 11 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 10 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 10 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 9 |
| Unemployed | 7 |
| Other | 6 |
| Human health and social work activities | 23 |
| Education | 21 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 16 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 14 |
| Manufacturing | 12 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 12 |
| Construction | 9 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 8 |
| Information and communication | 8 |
| Other | 6 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 5 |
| Transport and storage | 5 |
| Real estate activities | 2 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 2 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Trees Nursery School Hawkins Road , MK42 9LS | 4out of 4 | 1,873 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Peter Pan Nursery School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 4out of 4 | 2,181 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Newnham School Goldington Road , MK40 3EP | 4out of 4 | 286 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| St John Rigby Catholic Primary School Polhill Avenue , MK41 9DQ | 4out of 4 | 913 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Hazeldene School Stancliffe Road , MK41 9AT | 3out of 4 | 1,522 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| The Hills Academy Stancliffe Road , MK41 9AT | 4out of 4 | 1,546 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Priory Primary School Greyfriars , MK40 1JD | 4out of 4 | 1,749 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goldington Academy Haylands Way , MK41 9BX | 3out of 4 | 970 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Castle Newnham School Polhill Avenue , MK41 9DT | 3out of 4 | 989 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Free School Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AD | 3out of 4 | 1,320 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Academy Mile Road , MK42 9TR | 3out of 4 | 2,339 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Mark Rutherford School Wentworth Drive , MK41 8PX | 3out of 4 | 2,884 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford College Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AH | - not rated | 1,350 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Andrew's School 78 Kimbolton Road , MK40 2PA | - not rated | 933 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Girls' School Cardington Road , MK42 0BX | - not rated | 975 yd | Other independent school | No | Girls | More About School |
| Bedford School De Parys Avenue , MK40 2TU | - not rated | 995 yd | Other independent school | No | Boys | More About School |
| KWS School 51 Brunel Road , Bedford MK41 9TJ | - not rated | 1,121 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School Brickhill Drive , MK41 7QZ | - not rated | 1,627 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Papillon Coffee House & Beloved Brownies | 133 Castle Road | 246 yd | |
| 2likeus | 127a Castle Road | 246 yd | |
| Peng | 51a Pembroke Street | 250 yd | |
| Sapori del sud | 108 Castle Road | 407 yd | |
| A Casa asa di Anna | 108 Castle Road | 407 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devonshire Arms | The Devonshire Arms, 32 Dudley Street | 111 yd | |
| Gordon Arms | The Gordon Arms, 118 Castle Road | 330 yd | |
| Fox & Hounds | The Fox And Hounds, 178 Goldington Road | 406 yd | |
| Russell Park Social Club | 69 Goldington Road | 444 yd | |
| The White Horse | The White Horse, 84 Newnham Avenue | 526 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chai Rasoi | 167 Castle Road | 78 yd | |
| The Denmark St Fish & Chip Shop | 34 Denmark Street | 137 yd | |
| The New Golden Lion Chinese Takeaway | 53 York Street | 192 yd | |
| Lee's Takeaway | 131 Castle Road | 246 yd | |
| Big Pans People | 238 Castle Road | 337 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco | Tesco, Cardington Road | 945 yd | |
| Village Choice Ltd T/A Budgens | Budgens, 82 Kimbolton Road | 1,009 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Russell Park PEMBROKE STREET | grass pitches, tennis courts | 345 yd |
| Riverside Tennis Club GOLDINGTON ROAD | indoor tennis centre, tennis courts | 399 yd |
| Bedford And County Badminton Club BRADGATE ROAD | 605 yd | |
| Fitness First Health Club (Bedford) ASPECTS LEISURE CENTRE ASPECTS LEISURE CENTRE NEWNHAM AVENUE | health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 703 yd |
| University Of Bedfordshire (Bedford Campus) POLHILL AVENUE | artificial grass pitch, grass pitches, health and fitness suite | 740 yd |
| Goldington Road (Bedford Blues Rufc) GOLDINGTON ROAD | grass pitches | 760 yd |
| Bedford International Athletic Stadium BARKERS LANE | athletics tracks, grass pitches, health and fitness suite | 811 yd |
| Bedford Borough Indoor Bowling Club GOLDINGTON ROAD | indoor bowls | 825 yd |
| Oasis Beach Pool CARDINGTON ROAD | health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 867 yd |
| St John Rigby Catholic Primary School POLHILL AVENUE | grass pitches | 940 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% |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.