Vicars Close, Biddenham, Bedford, MK40 4BG

People

Gender

In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The local area around MK40 4BG is generally consistent with those figures, having a male population of 49.4%.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
Female	51.8%	50.6%	-1.2%	51.0%	-0.4%
Male	48.2%	49.4%	1.2%	49.0%	0.4%

Partnership Status

Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.

In the immediate vicinity of MK40 4BG there is a very large concentration of residents that are married - 63% of the resident population. In contrast, the average marriage rate across the census is about 44%.

Areas with a high percentage of married residents are typically suburban neighborhoods, towns with good schools and family-friendly amenities, and regions with affordable, spacious housing options. Additionally, such areas can be popular among retirees.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
Single	29.4%	21.1%	-8.3%	37.9%	-16.8%
Married: Opposite sex	56.9%	63%	6.1%	44.2%	18.8%
Separated	2.4%	1.7%	-0.7%	2.2%	-0.5%
Divorced	6.6%	5.9%	-0.7%	9.1%	-3.2%
Widowed	4.6%	8.3%	3.7%	6.1%	2.2%

Health

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 (85.7%) 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	56.7%	52.5%	-4.2%	48.4%	4.1%
Good health	32.3%	33.2%	0.9%	33.6%	-0.4%
Fair health	8.5%	9.9%	1.4%	12.7%	-2.8%
Bad health	1.9%	3.1%	1.2%	4.0%	-0.9%
Very bad health	0.6%	1.2%	0.6%	1.2%	0.0%

Education and Qualifications

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 MK40 4BG this area, 9.1% of residents have no qualifications. This is significantly lower than the UK average of 18.2%. 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 51.6%.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
No qualifications	12.4%	9.1%	-3.3%	18.2%	-9.1%
1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent	10.5%	6.3%	-4.2%	9.6%	-3.3%
5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels	16.1%	12.3%	-3.8%	13.4%	-1.1%
Apprenticeship	2.4%	3.9%	1.5%	5.3%	-1.4%
HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels	11.2%	14.7%	3.5%	16.9%	-2.2%
Degree or Similar	43.3%	51.6%	8.3%	33.8%	17.8%
Other	4.1%	2.1%	-2.0%	2.8%	-0.7%

Culture

Ethnic Group

This area closely mirrors the overall ethnic composition of the UK, with 77.3% of the population identifying as white, with UK average of 81.4%.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
Bangladeshi	1.4%	0%	-1.4%	1.1%	-1.1%
Indian	2.5%	12.1%	9.6%	3.1%	9.0%
Pakistani	2.1%	4.7%	2.6%	2.7%	2.0%
Other Asian	1%	3.1%	2.1%	1.6%	1.5%
Black African	1.4%	0%	-1.4%	2.5%	-2.5%
Black Caribbean	2.5%	0%	-2.5%	1.0%	-1.0%
Other Black	0.2%	0%	-0.2%	0.5%	-0.5%
Mixed White and Asian	1.2%	0.6%	-0.6%	0.8%	-0.2%
Mixed White and Caribbean	1.4%	0.6%	-0.8%	0.9%	-0.3%
Mixed Other	0.6%	0%	-0.6%	0.8%	-0.8%
White	85.9%	77.3%	-8.6%	81.4%	-4.1%
Other	0%	1.6%	1.6%	1.6%	0.0%

Country of Birth

In this area, 86.4% 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	85.1%	86.4%	1.3%	83.2%	3.2%
European Union	5.8%	2.2%	-3.6%	6.1%	-3.9%
Rest of Europe	1.2%	0%	-1.2%	0.8%	-0.8%
Africa	3.3%	0.6%	-2.7%	2.7%	-2.1%
Middle East and Asia	3.3%	10.8%	7.5%	5.6%	5.2%
The Americas and the Caribbean	1%	0%	-1.0%	1.3%	-1.3%
Oceania	0.4%	0%	-0.4%	0.3%	-0.3%

Length of Residence

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
Born in the UK	84.3%	87%	2.7%	83.2%	3.8%
10+ Years	1.9%	12.7%	10.8%	9.8%	2.9%
5-10 Years	1.4%	0%	-1.4%	2.9%	-2.9%
2-5 Years	3.9%	0.3%	-3.6%	2.2%	-1.9%
Less than 2 years	8.5%	0%	-8.5%	1.9%	-1.9%

Passport Held

	2021	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
United Kingdom	91.6%	76.7%	14.9%
France	0.3%	0.3%	0.0%
Italy	0.6%	0.6%	0.0%
Portugal	0.3%	0.5%	-0.2%
Eastern Asia	0.3%	0.3%	0.0%
Southern Asia	0.6%	1.2%	-0.6%
South-East Asia	0.3%	0.2%	0.1%
No passport held	5.9%	13.5%	-7.6%

Religion

	2021	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
No religion	28.3%	37.2%	-8.9%
Christian	47.5%	46.2%	1.3%
Buddhist	0.6%	0.5%	0.1%
Hindu	4.7%	1.7%	3.0%
Muslim	7.5%	6.5%	1.0%
Sikh	6.2%	0.9%	5.3%
Not answered	5.3%	6.0%	-0.7%

Safety

Is Vicars Close Street dangerous?

Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Vicars Close was 95.5 per 1,000 residents, which is 43.5% higher than the Biddenham average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.

Vicars Close has the 3rd highest crime rate of 38 local areas in Biddenham and the 154th highest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .

Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 35.8 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -60.9%.

🔎 See full breakdown of local crime, hotspots & trends

Affluence

Household Income

Households in this area have a higher level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 90% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

Average Household Income
£60,900

Income Rank
9/10

Household Income in MK40 4BG, Local Authority and Region

Deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) - 3/10 (low )
Indices of multiple deprivation (IMD) is used to classify the relative deprivation (a measure of poverty) of the area. It considers the following domains:
Income Deprivation Domain - 5/10 (average )
The Income Deprivation Domain measures the percentage of people in the population who are experiencing poverty due to having a low income. It includes both those who are unemployed and those who are employed but earn very little (and who satisfy the respective means tests).
Employment Deprivation Domain - 2/10 (very low )
The Employment Deprivation Domain measures the proportion of the working-age population in an area involuntarily excluded from the labour market. This includes people who would like to work but are unable to do so due to unemployment, sickness or disability, or caring responsibilities.
Education, Skills and Training Domain - 3/10 (low )
The Education, Skills, and Training Deprivation Domain measures the lack of education and skills in a local area. It has two parts: one for children and young people, and one for adults. The part for children and young people looks at their school achievements ('flow'), while the part for adults looks at the number of adults without qualifications ('stock').
Health Deprivation and Disability Domain - 1/10 (very low )
The Health Deprivation and Disability Domain measures the risk of early death and poor quality of life due to bad physical or mental health. It looks at illness, disability, and early death, but not at behaviors or environments that might affect future health.
Crime Domain - 5/10 (average )
The Crime Domain measures the risk of people and property being victims of crime in a local area.
Barriers to Housing and Services Domain - 9/10 (very high )
The Barriers to Housing and Services Domain measures how easy or hard it is to access housing and local services. It has two parts: one looks at how close local services are, and the other looks at issues like how affordable housing is.
Living Environment Deprivation Domain - 2/10 (very low )
The Living Environment Deprivation Domain measures the quality of the local environment. It has two parts: the "indoors" part looks at housing quality, and the "outdoors" part looks at air quality and road traffic accidents.
Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) - 6/10 (average )
The Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) measures how many children aged 0 to 15 live in low-income families. It is part of the Income Deprivation Domain, which looks at how many people in an area have low incomes. This includes both those who are unemployed and those who work but earn very little (and who satisfy the respective means tests).
Income Deprivation Affecting Older People Index (IDAOPI) - 1/10 (very low )
The Income Deprivation Affecting Older People Index (IDAOPI) measures the percentage of people aged 60 or older who have low income. It is part of the Income Deprivation Domain, which looks at how many people in an area have low income, including both unemployed people and those with low-paying jobs (and who satisfy the respective means tests).

Property Prices

Average property prices on Vicars Close are based on 6 property sales since the beginning of 1995. Estimated property prices are calculated by adjusting the last sale price by current House Price Index for North Bedfordshire.
StreetScan downloads house price data directly from the HM Land Registry and uses it to create these statistics.

House Prices for Vicars Close, Biddenham, Bedford, MK40 4BG

Estimated Average Property Prices for MK40 4BG

Average Price
£1,136,211

Semi-Detached
no sales

Terraced
no sales

Detached
£1,136,211

Flats/Maisonettes
no sales

Other
no sales

Estimated Average Property Prices for Vicars Close

Average Price
£1,068,861

Semi-Detached
no sales

Terraced
no sales

Detached
£1,068,861

Flats/Maisonettes
no sales

Other
no sales

Property Prices Comparison

Latest Property Sales on Vicars CloseStreet

Address	Sale Price	Sale Date	Price Estimate 2025
12A Vicars Close, Bedford, Bedford Detached, an established residential building	£1,600,000	2025-02-27	£1,644,711
8 Vicars Close, Bedford, Bedford Detached, an established residential building	£1,065,000	2017-08-31	£1,315,288
2 Vicars Close, Bedford, Bedford Detached, an established residential building	£875,000	2016-03-24	£1,244,820
Beakers, 14 Vicars Close, Bedford, Bedford Detached, an established residential building	£700,000	2014-03-07	£1,245,250
Wyncroft Vicars Close, Bedford, Bedford Detached, an established residential building	£605,000	2013-09-27	£1,093,246

View All Property Sales and Other Statistics for MK40 4BG

Employment

MK40 4BG area has a high level of entrepreneurship. Only 24% of streets have higher percent of entrepreneur residents. 12% of population in this area is self-employed, while the average in the UK is 9.7%. High number of entrepreneurs usually leads to relatively high economic growth, higher paid jobs and better quality of life in the area.

MK40 4BG area has a low unemployment rate. According to Census 2021, 1% 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.

The percentage of retired residents living in MK40 4BG area is much higher than the country's average. According to Census 2011, 33% residents of this area were retired, while the average in the UK was 14%.

Economic Activity

Retired	95
Full-Time Employee	90
Self-Employed	34
Part-Time Employee	27
Student (economically inactive)	12
Looking after home or family	11
Long-Term Sick or disabled	7
Other	6
Full-Time Student (with or without job)	3
Unemployed	2

Employment Industry

Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles	37
Professional, scientific and technical activities	32
Education	30
Manufacturing	20
Human health and social work activities	18
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security	17
Other	17
Information and communication	16
Administrative and support service activities	16
Construction	15
Transport and storage	12
Financial and insurance activities	11
Accommodation and food service activities	6
Real estate activities	4

Schools

Nursery

	Ofsted Overall Effectiveness	Distance	Establishment Type	Has Nursery Classes	Gender	More Info
Peter Pan Nursery School Edward Road , MK42 9DR	4out of 4	3,008 yd	Local authority nursery school	Yes	Mixed	More About School
Southway Nursery School Ampthill Road , MK42 9HE	- not rated	3,320 yd	Local authority nursery school	Yes	Mixed	More About School
Cherry Trees Nursery School Hawkins Road , MK42 9LS	4out of 4	3,811 yd	Local authority nursery school	Yes	Mixed	More About School

Primary

	Ofsted Overall Effectiveness	Distance	Establishment Type	Has Nursery Classes	Gender	More Info
St James' Church of England VA Primary School Main Road , Biddenham MK40 4BD	- not rated	219 yd	Voluntary aided school	No	Mixed	More About School
St James' CofE Academy Main Road , Biddenham MK40 4BD	3out of 4	219 yd	Academy converter	No	Mixed	More About School
Great Denham Primary School Greenkeepers Road , Great Denham MK40 4GG	4out of 4	769 yd	Foundation school	Yes	Mixed	More About School
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School Biddenham Turn , MK40 4AT	3out of 4	1,223 yd	Academy converter	No	Mixed	More About School
Westfield Primary School Chester Road , MK40 4HW	3out of 4	1,301 yd	Community school	Yes	Mixed	More About School

Secondary

	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	973 yd	Foundation school	No	Mixed	More About School
Bedford Free School Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AD	4out of 4	3,272 yd	Free schools	No	Mixed	More About School
Kempston Academy Hill Rise , Kempston MK42 7EB	3out of 4	3,316 yd	Academy sponsor led	No	Mixed	More About School
Hastingsbury Business & Enterprise College Hill Rise , Kempston MK42 7EB	- not rated	3,316 yd	Foundation school	No	Mixed	More About School
Daubeney Academy Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7PS	- not rated	3,386 yd	Academy converter	No	Mixed	More About School

Middle deemed secondary

	Ofsted Overall Effectiveness	Distance	Establishment Type	Has Nursery Classes	Gender	More Info
St Gregory's Catholic Middle School Biddenham Turn , MK40 4AT	- not rated	1,251 yd	Voluntary aided school	No	Mixed	More About School
Robert Bruce Middle School Bedford Road , Kempston MK42 8PU	- not rated	2,308 yd	Academy sponsor led	No	Mixed	More About School
Robert Bruce Middle School Bedford Road , Kempston MK42 8PU	- not rated	2,308 yd	Foundation school	No	Mixed	More About School
St Bede's RC Middle School 112 Bromham Road , MK40 2QR	- not rated	2,421 yd	Voluntary aided school	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
Daubeney Middle School Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7PS	- not rated	3,386 yd	Foundation school	No	Mixed	More About School

16 plus

	Ofsted Overall Effectiveness	Distance	Establishment Type	Has Nursery Classes	Gender	More Info
Bedford College Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AH	- not rated	3,169 yd	Further education	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School

Not applicable

	Ofsted Overall Effectiveness	Distance	Establishment Type	Has Nursery Classes	Gender	More Info
Grange School Halsey Road , Kempston MK42 8AU	- not rated	2,199 yd	Foundation special school	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
Grange Academy Halsey Road , Kempston MK42 8AU	3out of 4	2,199 yd	Academy special converter	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
Rivertree Free School Hillgrounds Road , Kempston MK42 8QP	- not rated	2,235 yd	Free schools special	Yes	Mixed	More About School
St John's School Austin Canons , Bedford Road MK42 8AA	- not rated	2,416 yd	Foundation special school	Yes	Mixed	More About School
St John's School Austin Canons , Bedford Road MK42 8AA	3out of 4	2,416 yd	Academy special converter	Yes	Mixed	More About School

School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.

Food and Drink

Pubs, Bars, Nightclubs

Business Name	Address	Food hygiene rating	Distance
The Three Tuns	The Three Tuns, 57 Main Road		219 yd

Sport

Facility Name	Sport Objects	Distance
Biddenham Pavilion Deep Spinney	grass pitches, tennis courts	431 yd
The Bedford Golf Club CARNOUSTIE DRIVE	golf	839 yd
Biddenham Tennis Club Biddenham Turn	tennis courts	955 yd
Biddenham International School And Sports College BIDDENHAM TURN	grass pitches, health and fitness suite	973 yd

Broadband

Technology Aviability

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%

Speed Aviability

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%

Download Speed

Median download speed	32.9 Mbit/s
Average download speed	32.9 Mbit/s
Minimum download speed	41.09 Mbit/s
Maximum download speed	41.09 Mbit/s

Upload Speed

Median upload speed	7.2 Mbit/s
Average upload speed	6.2 Mbit/s
Maximum upload speed	8.56 Mbit/s

Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.