Water Lane, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 7BJ

People

Gender

In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. However, the area surrounding MK42 7BJ, has a female population slightly higher than UK average, with 54.1% 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	55.7%	54.1%	-1.6%	51.0%	3.1%
Male	44.3%	45.9%	1.6%	49.0%	-3.1%

Partnership Status

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	34.4%	41.8%	7.4%	37.9%	3.9%
Married: Opposite sex	47%	35.1%	-11.9%	44.2%	-9.1%
Separated	3.6%	3.5%	-0.1%	2.2%	1.3%
Divorced	10.3%	14.2%	3.9%	9.1%	5.1%
Widowed	4.7%	5.3%	0.6%	6.1%	-0.8%

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.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
Very good health	46.3%	46.2%	-0.1%	48.4%	-2.2%
Good health	37%	35.5%	-1.5%	33.6%	1.9%
Fair health	12%	13.7%	1.7%	12.7%	1.0%
Bad health	4.7%	2.9%	-1.8%	4.0%	-1.1%
Very bad health	0%	1.7%	1.7%	1.2%	0.5%

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.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
No qualifications	15.8%	14.9%	-0.9%	18.2%	-3.3%
1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent	16.6%	13.2%	-3.4%	9.6%	3.6%
5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels	17%	14.2%	-2.8%	13.4%	0.8%
Apprenticeship	4%	8.5%	4.5%	5.3%	3.2%
HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels	13%	14.6%	1.6%	16.9%	-2.3%
Degree or Similar	27.7%	31.3%	3.6%	33.8%	-2.5%
Other	5.9%	3.2%	-2.7%	2.8%	0.4%

Culture

Ethnic Group

This area closely mirrors the overall ethnic composition of the UK, with 78.5% of the population identifying as white, with UK average of 81.4%.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
Bangladeshi	2.3%	4.9%	2.6%	1.1%	3.8%
Chinese	1.2%	0.3%	-0.9%	0.7%	-0.4%
Indian	2.9%	4.4%	1.5%	3.1%	1.3%
Pakistani	2.3%	2%	-0.3%	2.7%	-0.7%
Other Asian	3.2%	2.3%	-0.9%	1.6%	0.7%
Black African	0.9%	2.3%	1.4%	2.5%	-0.2%
Black Caribbean	2.1%	2.3%	0.2%	1.0%	1.3%
Other Black	0.6%	0%	-0.6%	0.5%	-0.5%
Mixed White and Asian	0.9%	0.9%	0.0%	0.8%	0.1%
Mixed White and African	0.3%	0.3%	0.0%	0.4%	-0.1%
Mixed White and Caribbean	2.3%	0.6%	-1.7%	0.9%	-0.3%
Mixed Other	0.3%	1.2%	0.9%	0.8%	0.4%
White	80.4%	78.5%	-1.9%	81.4%	-2.9%
Arab	0.3%	0%	-0.3%	0.6%	-0.6%

Country of Birth

In this area, 84.3% 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	87.1%	84.3%	-2.8%	83.2%	1.1%
European Union	3.5%	6.4%	2.9%	6.1%	0.3%
Rest of Europe	1.2%	1.5%	0.3%	0.8%	0.7%
Africa	1.5%	2.3%	0.8%	2.7%	-0.4%
Middle East and Asia	5.6%	5.5%	-0.1%	5.6%	-0.1%
The Americas and the Caribbean	1.2%	0%	-1.2%	1.3%	-1.3%

Length of Residence

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
Born in the UK	85.3%	84.3%	-1.0%	83.2%	1.1%
10+ Years	1.2%	11.3%	10.1%	9.8%	1.5%
5-10 Years	3.5%	2.3%	-1.2%	2.9%	-0.6%
2-5 Years	1.5%	0.3%	-1.2%	2.2%	-1.9%
Less than 2 years	8.5%	1.7%	-6.8%	1.9%	-0.2%

Passport Held

	2021	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
United Kingdom	79.5%	76.7%	2.8%
Ireland	2.9%	0.6%	2.3%
Italy	0.3%	0.6%	-0.3%
Portugal	0.6%	0.5%	0.1%
Poland	2.9%	1.3%	1.6%
Romania	0.9%	0.9%	0.0%
Other EU countries	0.3%	1.5%	-1.2%
Southern Asia	1.2%	1.2%	0.0%
South-East Asia	0.3%	0.2%	0.1%
No passport held	11.3%	13.5%	-2.2%

Religion

	2021	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
No religion	41.8%	37.2%	4.6%
Christian	42.1%	46.2%	-4.1%
Hindu	0.9%	1.7%	-0.8%
Muslim	9.4%	6.5%	2.9%
Sikh	1.8%	0.9%	0.9%
Other religion	1.2%	0.6%	0.6%
Not answered	2.9%	6.0%	-3.1%

Safety

Is Water Lane Street dangerous?

Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Water Lane was 103.7 per 1,000 residents, which is 18.0% lower than the Kempston Central & East average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.

Water Lane has the 22nd highest crime rate of 59 local areas in Kempston Central & East and the 136th highest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .

Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 67.1 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -68.2%.

🔎 See full breakdown of local crime, hotspots & trends

Affluence

Household Income

Households in this area have a similar level level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 52% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

Average Household Income
£45,500

Income Rank
6/10

Household Income in MK42 7BJ, Local Authority and Region

Deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) - 4/10 (below average )
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 - 4/10 (below 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 - 3/10 (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 - 7/10 (above average )
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 - 4/10 (below average )
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 - 7/10 (above 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 - 3/10 (low )
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 - 6/10 (average )
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) - 4/10 (below average )
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 Water Lane are based on 14 property sales since the beginning of 1995. Estimated property prices are calculated by adjusting the last sale price by current House Price Index for Bedford.
StreetScan downloads house price data directly from the HM Land Registry and uses it to create these statistics.

House Prices for Water Lane, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 7BJ

Estimated Average Property Prices for MK42 7BJ

Average Price
£296,428

Semi-Detached
£296,428

Terraced
no sales

Detached
no sales

Flats/Maisonettes
no sales

Other
no sales

Estimated Average Property Prices for Water Lane

Average Price
£417,823

Semi-Detached
£307,592

Terraced
no sales

Detached
£447,886

Flats/Maisonettes
no sales

Other
no sales

Property Prices Comparison

Latest Property Sales on Water LaneStreet

Address	Sale Price	Sale Date	Price Estimate 2025
39 Water Lane, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building	£145,000	2023-11-15	£152,395
38 Water Lane, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building	£190,000	2022-11-21	£195,775
40 Water Lane, Bedford, Bedford Semi-Detached, an established residential building	£357,000	2015-06-19	£578,131

View All Property Sales and Other Statistics for MK42 7BJ

Employment

MK42 7BJ 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.

Economic Activity

Full-Time Employee	115
Retired	46
Part-Time Employee	32
Self-Employed	31
Student (economically inactive)	17
Long-Term Sick or disabled	12
Looking after home or family	10
Other	6
Unemployed	6
Full-Time Student (with or without job)	4

Employment Industry

Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles	33
Human health and social work activities	23
Education	20
Manufacturing	15
Accommodation and food service activities	12
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security	12
Administrative and support service activities	11
Construction	11
Professional, scientific and technical activities	9
Transport and storage	8
Other	7
Information and communication	5
Financial and insurance activities	4
Real estate activities	2

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	2,883 yd	Local authority nursery school	Yes	Mixed	More About School
Southway Nursery School Ampthill Road , MK42 9HE	- not rated	3,330 yd	Local authority nursery school	Yes	Mixed	More About School
Cherry Trees Nursery School Hawkins Road , MK42 9LS	4out of 4	3,504 yd	Local authority nursery school	Yes	Mixed	More About School

Primary

	Ofsted Overall Effectiveness	Distance	Establishment Type	Has Nursery Classes	Gender	More Info
Balliol Primary School Balliol Road , Kempston MK42 7ER	3out of 4	484 yd	Community school	Yes	Mixed	More About School
Kempston Rural Primary School Martell Drive , MK42 7FJ	3out of 4	646 yd	Community school	Yes	Mixed	More About School
Bedford Road Primary Academy Hillgrounds Road , Kempston MK42 8QH	2out of 4	953 yd	Academy sponsor led	No	Mixed	More About School
Bedford Road Primary School Hillgrounds Road , Kempston MK42 8QH	- not rated	962 yd	Community school	No	Mixed	More About School
Springfield Primary School Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7LJ	- not rated	1,645 yd	Community school	No	Mixed	More About School

Secondary

	Ofsted Overall Effectiveness	Distance	Establishment Type	Has Nursery Classes	Gender	More Info
Kempston Academy Hill Rise , Kempston MK42 7EB	3out of 4	641 yd	Academy sponsor led	No	Mixed	More About School
Hastingsbury Business & Enterprise College Hill Rise , Kempston MK42 7EB	- not rated	641 yd	Foundation school	No	Mixed	More About School
Daubeney Academy Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7PS	- not rated	1,704 yd	Academy converter	No	Mixed	More About School
Biddenham International School and Sports College Biddenham Turn , MK40 4AZ	3out of 4	2,747 yd	Foundation school	No	Mixed	More About School
Wootton Upper School Hall End Road , Wootton MK43 9HT	- not rated	3,437 yd	Academy converter	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School

Middle deemed secondary

	Ofsted Overall Effectiveness	Distance	Establishment Type	Has Nursery Classes	Gender	More Info
Robert Bruce Middle School Bedford Road , Kempston MK42 8PU	- not rated	784 yd	Academy sponsor led	No	Mixed	More About School
Robert Bruce Middle School Bedford Road , Kempston MK42 8PU	- not rated	784 yd	Foundation school	No	Mixed	More About School
Daubeney Middle School Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7PS	- not rated	1,704 yd	Foundation school	No	Mixed	More About School
St Gregory's Catholic Middle School Biddenham Turn , MK40 4AT	- not rated	3,068 yd	Voluntary aided school	No	Mixed	More About School
Abbey Middle School Mowbray Road , MK42 9XA	- not rated	3,400 yd	Community 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	3,707 yd	Further education	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College Green Lane , Stewartby MK43 9LY	- not rated	5,245 yd	Free schools 16 to 19	No	Mixed	More About School

Not applicable

	Ofsted Overall Effectiveness	Distance	Establishment Type	Has Nursery Classes	Gender	More Info
Greys House Residential School Manor Drive , Kempston MK42 7AB	- not rated	512 yd	Miscellaneous	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
Greys House Manor Drive , Kempston MK42 7AB	- not rated	512 yd	Pupil referral unit	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
The Student Support Centre Greys House , Manor Drive MK42 7AB	- not rated	512 yd	Pupil referral unit	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
The Manor Education Centre Greys House , Manor Drive MK42 7AB	- not rated	512 yd	Pupil referral unit	Not Applicable	Girls	More About School
Greys Education Centre Manor Drive , Kempston MK42 7AB	- not rated	599 yd	Pupil referral unit	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School

School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.

Food and Drink

Restaurants, Cafes, Canteens

Business Name	Address	Distance
D Gelato	71 High Street	500 yd
DG Grill	71 High Street	500 yd
Costa Coffee	Unit 2, Riley Way	891 yd
ESS @ Bedfordshire Police	Bedfordshire Police Headquarters, Woburn Road	994 yd
Costa Coffee	234 Saxon Centre, Bedford Road	1,020 yd

Pubs, Bars, Nightclubs

Business Name	Address	Distance
Kempston Hammers Sports & Social Club	134 High Street	64 yd
King William IV	King William Iv, 56 High Street	357 yd
Royal Oak	The Royal Oak, 91 Woburn Road	838 yd
The Duke Inn	The Duke Inn, 10 Woburn Road	868 yd

Takeaway, Sandwich Shops

Business Name	Address	Distance
Luci & Lina's Fish Bar	70 High Street	222 yd
Papa Johns	28-30 High Street	222 yd
Food Top Chinese	81 Williamson Road	514 yd
G's Takeaway	10 St Johns Street	629 yd
Oriental Chef	10b St Johns Street	629 yd

Supermarkets, Hypermarkets

Business Name	Address	Distance
Co-operative	12-14 St Johns Street	629 yd
Marks & Spencer Simply Foods	Unit 3, Riley Way	891 yd
J Sainsbury Plc (Main Store)	252-274 Saxon Centre, Bedford Road	1,020 yd

Sport

Facility Name	Sport Objects	Distance
Kempston Hammers Sports And Social Club HIGH STREET	grass pitches, health and fitness suite	94 yd
Balliol Lower School BALLIOL ROAD	grass pitches, swimming pool	487 yd
Kempston Challenger Academy HILL RISE	grass pitches, health and fitness suite	644 yd
Cryselco Sports Field ST. JOHNS AVENUE	grass pitches	741 yd
Robert Bruce Middle School (Closed) Bedford Road	grass pitches	791 yd
Great Denham Country Park GREAT DENHAM SPORTS PAVILION GREAT DENHAM SPORTS PAVILION QUEEN ELEANOR DRIVE	grass pitches	972 yd
Bedfordshire Police Hq (Closed) Woburn Road	grass pitches	1,003 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	25.0%
Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (300Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband	25.0%
Percentage of premises that have coverage from a Gigabit capable service from fixed broadband	25.0%

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%

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