Stirling Road is in Shortstown, Bedford and in Bedford district. MK42 0TX is located in the Shortstown electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of North East Bedfordshire. This postcode has been in use since 1980-01-01.
StreetScan combines information about Stirling Road, Shortstown, Bedford, MK42 0TX and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: MK42 0SZ, MK42 0UU, MK42 0TS, MK42 0UL, MK42 0FS, MK42 0UX, MK42 0UY, MK42 0UN, MK42 0XA.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The area surrounding MK42 0TX has a slightly higher male population, with 52% 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 | 52.5% | 48% | -4.5% | 51.0% | -3.0% |
| Male | 47.5% | 52% | 4.5% | 49.0% | 3.0% |
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 | 28.9% | 36.3% | 7.4% | 37.9% | -1.6% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 55% | 46.3% | -8.7% | 44.2% | 2.1% |
| Separated | 2.9% | 1.2% | -1.7% | 2.2% | -1.0% |
| Divorced | 11.9% | 11.9% | 0.0% | 9.1% | 2.8% |
| Widowed | 1.3% | 4.3% | 3.0% | 6.1% | -1.8% |
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 | 52.5% | 46.6% | -5.9% | 48.4% | -1.8% |
| Good health | 33.1% | 37.9% | 4.8% | 33.6% | 4.3% |
| Fair health | 9.7% | 10.1% | 0.4% | 12.7% | -2.6% |
| Bad health | 3.5% | 4.4% | 0.9% | 4.0% | 0.4% |
| Very bad health | 1.2% | 1% | -0.2% | 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.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 14.5% | 12.5% | -2.0% | 18.2% | -5.7% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 19% | 13.5% | -5.5% | 9.6% | 3.9% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 18.3% | 12.2% | -6.1% | 13.4% | -1.2% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.2% | 5.5% | 1.3% | 5.3% | 0.2% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 12.5% | 19.9% | 7.4% | 16.9% | 3.0% |
| Degree or Similar | 26.7% | 33.6% | 6.9% | 33.8% | -0.2% |
| Other | 4.8% | 2.8% | -2.0% | 2.8% | 0.0% |
This area closely mirrors the overall ethnic composition of the UK, with 87.3% of the population identifying as white, with UK average of 81.4%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladeshi | 0% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 0.1% |
| Indian | 2.4% | 0.5% | -1.9% | 3.1% | -2.6% |
| Pakistani | 1.9% | 3.5% | 1.6% | 2.7% | 0.8% |
| Other Asian | 0.2% | 0% | -0.2% | 1.6% | -1.6% |
| Black African | 1.7% | 2.5% | 0.8% | 2.5% | 0.0% |
| Black Caribbean | 2.8% | 2% | -0.8% | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Other Black | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.5% | -0.3% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.8% | -0.3% |
| Mixed White and African | 0.5% | 0.2% | -0.3% | 0.4% | -0.2% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 3.1% | 2% | -1.1% | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| Mixed Other | 0.5% | 0% | -0.5% | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| White | 85.8% | 87.3% | 1.5% | 81.4% | 5.9% |
| Gypsy or Irish Traveller | 0.2% | 0% | -0.2% | 0.1% | -0.1% |
| Arab | 0.2% | 0% | -0.2% | 0.6% | -0.6% |
In this area, 82.8% 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 | 85.3% | 82.8% | -2.5% | 83.2% | -0.4% |
| European Union | 6.6% | 8.4% | 1.8% | 6.1% | 2.3% |
| Rest of Europe | 0.5% | 1.5% | 1.0% | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| Africa | 3.1% | 5.7% | 2.6% | 2.7% | 3.0% |
| Middle East and Asia | 2.1% | 1% | -1.1% | 5.6% | -4.6% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 1.7% | 0.7% | -1.0% | 1.3% | -0.6% |
| Oceania | 0.2% | 0% | -0.2% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| British Overseas | 0.5% | 0% | -0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 84.9% | 82.4% | -2.5% | 83.2% | -0.8% |
| 10+ Years | 0.9% | 14% | 13.1% | 9.8% | 4.2% |
| 5-10 Years | 1.7% | 0.7% | -1.0% | 2.9% | -2.2% |
| 2-5 Years | 6.6% | 1.2% | -5.4% | 2.2% | -1.0% |
| Less than 2 years | 5.9% | 1.7% | -4.2% | 1.9% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 78.3% | 76.7% | 1.6% |
| France | 1% | 0.3% | 0.7% |
| Germany | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Italy | 0.2% | 0.6% | -0.4% |
| Spain | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Lithuania | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| Poland | 3.7% | 1.3% | 2.4% |
| Other EU countries | 1.2% | 1.5% | -0.3% |
| Other Europe | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| South and Eastern Africa | 1.5% | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Southern Asia | 0.2% | 1.2% | -1.0% |
| No passport held | 12.6% | 13.5% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 43.8% | 37.2% | 6.6% |
| Christian | 46.1% | 46.2% | -0.1% |
| Jewish | 0.2% | 0.5% | -0.3% |
| Muslim | 5.4% | 6.5% | -1.1% |
| Other religion | 1% | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Not answered | 3.4% | 6.0% | -2.6% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Stirling Road was 52.5 per 1,000 residents, which is 39.2% lower than the Shortstown average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
Stirling Road has the 11th highest crime rate of 28 local areas in Shortstown and the 254th lowest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 21.7 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -40.8%.

Households in this area have a higher level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 80% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Stirling Road, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £328,000 | 2025-01-24 | £345,419 |
| 9 Stirling Road, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £290,000 | 2024-03-19 | £305,095 |
| 13 Stirling Road, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £235,000 | 2018-03-12 | £300,468 |
| 9 Stirling Road, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £240,000 | 2017-05-31 | £315,695 |
| 3 Stirling Road, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £195,000 | 2015-12-22 | £296,592 |
| Full-Time Employee | 148 |
| Retired | 48 |
| Part-Time Employee | 45 |
| Self-Employed | 22 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 13 |
| Unemployed | 12 |
| Looking after home or family | 12 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 11 |
| Other | 10 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 6 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 39 |
| Education | 28 |
| Manufacturing | 18 |
| Human health and social work activities | 18 |
| Transport and storage | 18 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 16 |
| Construction | 14 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 12 |
| Other | 11 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 9 |
| Information and communication | 8 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 7 |
| Real estate activities | 7 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 6 |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 3 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Trees Nursery School Hawkins Road , MK42 9LS | 4out of 4 | 2,680 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Southway Nursery School Ampthill Road , MK42 9HE | - not rated | 3,224 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Peter Pan Nursery School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 4out of 4 | 3,439 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shortstown Primary School Beauvais Square , Shortstown MK42 0GS | - not rated | 430 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Shortstown Primary School Beauvais Square , Shortstown MK42 0GS | 3out of 4 | 430 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| King's Oak Primary School Oak Road , MK42 0HH | 3out of 4 | 1,886 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Elstow School Abbey Fields , Elstow MK42 9GP | 3out of 4 | 2,117 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Elstow School Abbeyfields Road Abbeyfields , Elstow MK42 9GP | - not rated | 2,117 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Academy Mile Road , MK42 9TR | 3out of 4 | 1,643 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| John Bunyan School Mile Road , MK42 9TR | - not rated | 1,686 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Free School Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AD | 4out of 4 | 3,564 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Wixams Academy Green Lane , Wixams MK42 6BA | 2out of 4 | 3,652 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Daubeney Academy Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7PS | - not rated | 3,687 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsbrook Middle School Oak Road , MK42 0HH | - not rated | 1,942 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Harrowden Middle School Oak Road , MK42 0HH | - not rated | 1,942 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Abbey Middle School Mowbray Road , MK42 9XA | - not rated | 2,059 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Silver Jubilee Middle School Acacia Road , MK42 0HU | - not rated | 2,279 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Daubeney Middle School Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7PS | - not rated | 3,687 yd | Foundation school | 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 | 3,699 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KWS School 51 Brunel Road , Bedford MK41 9TJ | - not rated | 3,147 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Raleigh Education Centre Raleigh and Southway Centre , Ampthill Road MK42 9HE | - not rated | 3,224 yd | Pupil referral unit | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| E-Spired Centre of Excellence The Raleigh Centre , Ampthill Road MK42 9HE | - not rated | 3,277 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Girls' School Cardington Road , MK42 0BX | - not rated | 3,326 yd | Other independent school | No | Girls | More About School |
| Teaching Service for Excluded Pupils 2nd Floor, Riverside Suite , County Hall MK42 9AP | - not rated | 3,764 yd | Miscellaneous | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shake Rattle N roll | Hanger 2, Cardington Airfield | 1,077 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shortstown Food Bar | Unit 2A, Beauvais Square | 506 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Greycote - Shortstown Village Hall Playing Fields SHORTSTOWN COMMUNITY CENTRE SHORTSTOWN COMMUNITY CENTRE SOUTHCOTE | grass pitches | 420 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 | 77.8% |
| Percentage of premises that have coverage from a Gigabit capable service from fixed broadband | 55.6% |
| 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 | 125.9 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 350 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 350 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 20 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 19.1 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 49.42 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.