Westminster Gardens is in Kempston, Bedford and in North Bedfordshire district. MK42 8TX is located in the Kempston North electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Bedford. This postcode has been in use since 1988-03-01.
StreetScan combines information about Westminster Gardens, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 8TX and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: MK42 8TW, MK42 8TS, MK42 8TR, MK42 8TT, MK42 8DG, MK42 8TN, MK42 8UZ, MK42 8UA, MK42 8TP.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The local area around MK42 8TX is generally consistent with those figures, having a male population of 48.6%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 52.2% | 51.4% | -0.8% | 51.0% | 0.4% |
| Male | 47.8% | 48.6% | 0.8% | 49.0% | -0.4% |
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 MK42 8TX, a significant portion of the population is single, making up 50% 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 | 52.3% | 50% | -2.3% | 37.9% | 12.1% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 28% | 34.7% | 6.7% | 44.2% | -9.5% |
| Married: Same sex | 0.8% | 0% | -0.8% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| Separated | 1.6% | 0.8% | -0.8% | 2.2% | -1.4% |
| Divorced | 15.6% | 13.4% | -2.2% | 9.1% | 4.3% |
| Widowed | 1.6% | 1.1% | -0.5% | 6.1% | -5.0% |
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 | 45.1% | 41.5% | -3.6% | 48.4% | -6.9% |
| Good health | 38.9% | 36.4% | -2.5% | 33.6% | 2.8% |
| Fair health | 11.1% | 17.3% | 6.2% | 12.7% | 4.6% |
| Bad health | 4.6% | 4.5% | -0.1% | 4.0% | 0.5% |
| Very bad health | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 1.2% | -0.9% |
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 low percentage of residents with higher education degree. The UK average is 33.8%, while in this area it is 21.7%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 24.7% | 20.9% | -3.8% | 18.2% | 2.7% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 25.9% | 17.9% | -8.0% | 9.6% | 8.3% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 16% | 16% | 0.0% | 13.4% | 2.6% |
| Apprenticeship | 2.9% | 3.8% | 0.9% | 5.3% | -1.5% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 10.3% | 14.8% | 4.5% | 16.9% | -2.1% |
| Degree or Similar | 15.6% | 21.7% | 6.1% | 33.8% | -12.1% |
| Other | 4.5% | 4.9% | 0.4% | 2.8% | 2.1% |
In this area, the population is more ethnically diverse compared to the UK average. While 67.1% 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 | 3.4% | 4.5% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 3.4% |
| Chinese | 0.6% | 0.9% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 0.2% |
| Indian | 4.6% | 4.5% | -0.1% | 3.1% | 1.4% |
| Pakistani | 0.3% | 0.9% | 0.6% | 2.7% | -1.8% |
| Other Asian | 0.3% | 0.6% | 0.3% | 1.6% | -1.0% |
| Black African | 3.7% | 4.8% | 1.1% | 2.5% | 2.3% |
| Black Caribbean | 3.1% | 3.6% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 2.6% |
| Other Black | 1.5% | 0.3% | -1.2% | 0.5% | -0.2% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 0.9% | 1.8% | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Mixed White and African | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.4% | -0.1% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 5.2% | 4.8% | -0.4% | 0.9% | 3.9% |
| Mixed Other | 0.6% | 3.3% | 2.7% | 0.8% | 2.5% |
| White | 74.1% | 67.1% | -7.0% | 81.4% | -14.3% |
| Roma | 0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Arab | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.6% | -0.3% |
| Other | 0.9% | 1.5% | 0.6% | 1.6% | -0.1% |
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 | 85.5% | 84.3% | -1.2% | 83.2% | 1.1% |
| European Union | 6.8% | 8.8% | 2.0% | 6.1% | 2.7% |
| Rest of Europe | 0.3% | 0% | -0.3% | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| Africa | 3.7% | 1.8% | -1.9% | 2.7% | -0.9% |
| Middle East and Asia | 3.4% | 4.8% | 1.4% | 5.6% | -0.8% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 0.3% | 0% | -0.3% | 1.3% | -1.3% |
| Oceania | 0% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 85.2% | 84.3% | -0.9% | 83.2% | 1.1% |
| 10+ Years | 1.5% | 10% | 8.5% | 9.8% | 0.2% |
| 5-10 Years | 1.9% | 3% | 1.1% | 2.9% | 0.1% |
| 2-5 Years | 4.9% | 1.5% | -3.4% | 2.2% | -0.7% |
| Less than 2 years | 6.5% | 1.2% | -5.3% | 1.9% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 71.3% | 76.7% | -5.4% |
| France | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Germany | 0.9% | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| Italy | 1.2% | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Lithuania | 2.4% | 0.3% | 2.1% |
| Poland | 3.3% | 1.3% | 2.0% |
| Romania | 1.5% | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| North Africa | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Southern Asia | 0.6% | 1.2% | -0.6% |
| South-East Asia | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Oceania | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| No passport held | 17.5% | 13.5% | 4.0% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 36.9% | 37.2% | -0.3% |
| Christian | 45.6% | 46.2% | -0.6% |
| Buddhist | 0.3% | 0.5% | -0.2% |
| Muslim | 9% | 6.5% | 2.5% |
| Sikh | 2.7% | 0.9% | 1.8% |
| Other religion | 3% | 0.6% | 2.4% |
| Not answered | 2.4% | 6.0% | -3.6% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Westminster Gardens was 99.1 per 1,000 residents, which is 24.4% lower than the Kempston Central & East average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
Westminster Gardens has the 19th highest crime rate of 59 local areas in Kempston Central & East and the 139th highest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 65.0 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -26.3%.

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.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32 Westminster Gardens, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £332,000 | 2025-08-28 | £332,629 |
| 1 Westminster Gardens, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £245,000 | 2025-07-25 | £251,422 |
| 16 Westminster Gardens, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £250,000 | 2025-01-31 | £262,935 |
| 2 Westminster Gardens, Bedford, Bedford Detached, an established residential building | £345,000 | 2024-10-28 | £364,724 |
| 13 Westminster Gardens, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £250,000 | 2023-09-22 | £263,197 |
MK42 8TX 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.
| Full-Time Employee | 90 |
| Part-Time Employee | 34 |
| Retired | 29 |
| Self-Employed | 22 |
| Looking after home or family | 20 |
| Other | 20 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 19 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 15 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 9 |
| Unemployed | 4 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 37 |
| Human health and social work activities | 25 |
| Construction | 18 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 12 |
| Manufacturing | 11 |
| Education | 9 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 8 |
| Transport and storage | 8 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 8 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 8 |
| Other | 7 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 4 |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 3 |
| Real estate activities | 3 |
| Information and communication | 2 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Pan Nursery School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 4out of 4 | 1,600 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Cherry Trees Nursery School Hawkins Road , MK42 9LS | 4out of 4 | 2,375 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Road Primary School Hillgrounds Road , Kempston MK42 8QH | 2out of 4 | 837 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Great Denham Primary School Greenkeepers Road , Great Denham MK40 4GG | 3out of 4 | 1,119 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Westfield Primary School Chester Road , MK40 4HW | 2out of 4 | 1,168 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Camestone School Jowitt Avenue , Kempston MK42 8NW | 3out of 4 | 1,173 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Joseph's and St Gregory's Catholic Primary School Chester Road , MK40 4HN | 3out of 4 | 1,182 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| 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 | 1,388 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Daubeney Academy Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7PS | 3out of 4 | 1,583 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Kempston Challenger Academy Hill Rise , Kempston MK42 7EB | 3out of 4 | 2,143 yd | Academy sponsor led | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Free School Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AD | 3out of 4 | 2,285 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Academy Mile Road , MK42 9TR | 3out of 4 | 3,253 yd | Academy sponsor led | 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 | 2,247 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grange Academy Halsey Road , Kempston MK42 8AU | 3out of 4 | 401 yd | Academy special converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| St John's School Austin Canons , Bedford Road MK42 8AA | 4out of 4 | 936 yd | Academy special converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Greys Education Centre Manor Drive , Kempston MK42 7AB | 3out of 4 | 1,049 yd | Academy alternative provision converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| E-Spired Centre of Excellence The Raleigh Centre , Ampthill Road MK42 9HE | - not rated | 2,009 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ridgeway School Hill Rise , Kempston MK42 7EB | 3out of 4 | 2,277 yd | Community special school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Pantry | 88 Bedford Road | 583 yd | |
| Tiger Lily Chinese Takeaway | 112 Bedford Road | 583 yd | |
| Blue Ginger | 116 Bedford Road | 583 yd | |
| The Elephant Restaurant | 118-120 Bedford Road | 587 yd | |
| Carmichael's Coffee | 166 Bedford Road | 638 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addison Howard Centre | Addison Howard Park, Bedford Road | 462 yd | |
| Kempston Park Indoor Bowls Club | 290 Hillgrounds Road | 494 yd | |
| AFC Kempston Rovers Football Club | Kempston Rovers Football Club, Hillgrounds Road | 531 yd | |
| Daleys Club | 86 Bedford Road | 591 yd | |
| The Smiths Arms Public House Ltd | The Smiths Arms, 15 Margetts Road | 680 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| KFC | 197-199 Bedford Road | 553 yd | |
| King Cod | 193 Bedford Road | 553 yd | |
| Subway | 209-211 Bedford Road | 553 yd | |
| Paul's Fish and Chips | 114 Bedford Road | 583 yd | |
| New Oriental Fusion | 76 Bedford Road | 591 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco | 203-207 Bedford Road | 553 yd | |
| J Sainsbury Plc (Main Store) | 252-274 Saxon Centre, Bedford Road | 879 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Grange Academy HALSEY ROAD | grass pitches, health and fitness suite | 332 yd |
| Addison Howard Park Bedford Road | grass pitches, tennis courts | 364 yd |
| Kempston Rovers Fc HILLGROUNDS ROAD | artificial grass pitch, grass pitches | 373 yd |
| Kempston Pool HILLGROUNDS ROAD | health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 413 yd |
| Hillgrounds Playing Fields ODELL CLOSE | grass pitches | 467 yd |
| Kempston Indoor Bowls Club HILLGROUNDS ROAD | indoor bowls | 495 yd |
| Kempston East Methodist Church 227 227 BEDFORD ROAD | 635 yd | |
| Robert Bruce Middle School (Closed) Bedford Road | grass pitches | 829 yd |
| Allen Park OLD FORD END ROAD | grass pitches, tennis courts | 908 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% |
| Median download speed | 100 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 101.3 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 350 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 350 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 10 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 12.4 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 35 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.