Kirkstall Close is in Elstow, Bedford and in Bedford district. MK42 9FE is located in the Wixams & Wilstead electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Mid Bedfordshire. This postcode has been in use since 1998-06-01.
StreetScan combines information about Kirkstall Close, Elstow, Bedford, MK42 9FE and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: MK42 9FH, MK42 9FF, MK42 9FZ, MK42 9FG, MK42 9FX, MK42 9GA, MK42 9FW, MK42 9GF, MK42 9FY.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The local area around MK42 9FE 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 | 53.5% | 50.6% | -2.9% | 51.0% | -0.4% |
| Male | 46.5% | 49.4% | 2.9% | 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.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 28.5% | 32% | 3.5% | 37.9% | -5.9% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 58.7% | 50.6% | -8.1% | 44.2% | 6.4% |
| Married: Same sex | 0% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 0.3% | 0.9% |
| Civil partnership: Same sex | 0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Separated | 3.4% | 3.1% | -0.3% | 2.2% | 0.9% |
| Divorced | 6% | 8.7% | 2.7% | 9.1% | -0.4% |
| Widowed | 3.4% | 3.7% | 0.3% | 6.1% | -2.4% |
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 (91.4%) 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 | 59.3% | 59.2% | -0.1% | 48.4% | 10.8% |
| Good health | 33% | 32.2% | -0.8% | 33.6% | -1.4% |
| Fair health | 6.5% | 6.7% | 0.2% | 12.7% | -6.0% |
| Bad health | 1% | 1.7% | 0.7% | 4.0% | -2.3% |
| Very bad health | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 1.2% | -1.0% |
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 | 12.1% | 10.6% | -1.5% | 18.2% | -7.6% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 14.4% | 9.7% | -4.7% | 9.6% | 0.1% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 15.1% | 15.9% | 0.8% | 13.4% | 2.5% |
| Apprenticeship | 2.3% | 3.4% | 1.1% | 5.3% | -1.9% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 12.4% | 17.2% | 4.8% | 16.9% | 0.3% |
| Degree or Similar | 36.9% | 41.6% | 4.7% | 33.8% | 7.8% |
| Other | 6.7% | 1.6% | -5.1% | 2.8% | -1.2% |
In this area, the population is more ethnically diverse compared to the UK average. While 61.4% 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 | 0% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1.1% | -0.9% |
| Chinese | 0.5% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Indian | 22.4% | 16.9% | -5.5% | 3.1% | 13.8% |
| Pakistani | 0.2% | 1.2% | 1.0% | 2.7% | -1.5% |
| Other Asian | 2.7% | 2.2% | -0.5% | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Black African | 2.2% | 2.7% | 0.5% | 2.5% | 0.2% |
| Black Caribbean | 2.4% | 2.2% | -0.2% | 1.0% | 1.2% |
| Other Black | 1% | 0.5% | -0.5% | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 1.7% | 2% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Mixed White and African | 0.2% | 0% | -0.2% | 0.4% | -0.4% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 2.2% | 1% | -1.2% | 0.9% | 0.1% |
| Mixed Other | 0.2% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 0.8% | 0.9% |
| White | 63.6% | 61.4% | -2.2% | 81.4% | -20.0% |
| Gypsy or Irish Traveller | 0.5% | 0% | -0.5% | 0.1% | -0.1% |
| Other | 0.2% | 6% | 5.8% | 1.6% | 4.4% |
In this area, 78.2% 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 | 84.1% | 78.2% | -5.9% | 83.2% | -5.0% |
| European Union | 2.2% | 10.5% | 8.3% | 6.1% | 4.4% |
| Africa | 1.7% | 2.5% | 0.8% | 2.7% | -0.2% |
| Middle East and Asia | 10.4% | 8% | -2.4% | 5.6% | 2.4% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 1% | 0.8% | -0.2% | 1.3% | -0.5% |
| Oceania | 0.7% | 0% | -0.7% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 84.1% | 77% | -7.1% | 83.2% | -6.2% |
| 10+ Years | 0.2% | 18% | 17.8% | 9.8% | 8.2% |
| 5-10 Years | 1.4% | 2% | 0.6% | 2.9% | -0.9% |
| 2-5 Years | 1.7% | 1.7% | 0.0% | 2.2% | -0.5% |
| Less than 2 years | 12.5% | 1.2% | -11.3% | 1.9% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 83.9% | 76.7% | 7.2% |
| Ireland | 0.2% | 0.6% | -0.4% |
| Italy | 1.7% | 0.6% | 1.1% |
| Portugal | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| Poland | 1.5% | 1.3% | 0.2% |
| Romania | 4% | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Other EU countries | 1% | 1.5% | -0.5% |
| South and Eastern Africa | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Eastern Asia | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| Southern Asia | 0.5% | 1.2% | -0.7% |
| North America and the Caribbean | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| No passport held | 6% | 13.5% | -7.5% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 23.4% | 37.2% | -13.8% |
| Christian | 50% | 46.2% | 3.8% |
| Hindu | 2.7% | 1.7% | 1.0% |
| Muslim | 1.5% | 6.5% | -5.0% |
| Sikh | 17.4% | 0.9% | 16.5% |
| Other religion | 2.2% | 0.6% | 1.6% |
| Not answered | 2.7% | 6.0% | -3.3% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Kirkstall Close was 22.0 per 1,000 residents, which is 86.6% lower than the Cauldwell average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
Kirkstall Close has the 5th lowest crime rate of 82 local areas in Cauldwell and the 79th lowest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 14.6 crimes per 1,000 residents and have remained broadly unchanged year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -51.1%.

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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Kirkstall Close, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £290,000 | 2025-03-27 | £300,520 |
| 14 Kirkstall Close, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £302,500 | 2024-01-19 | £325,935 |
| 22 Kirkstall Close, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £265,000 | 2023-11-30 | £281,230 |
| 3 Kirkstall Close, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £345,000 | 2022-10-24 | £356,815 |
| 8 Kirkstall Close, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £288,000 | 2022-09-12 | £300,806 |
MK42 9FE 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 | 169 |
| Retired | 40 |
| Part-Time Employee | 37 |
| Self-Employed | 23 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 22 |
| Other | 11 |
| Looking after home or family | 11 |
| Unemployed | 6 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 1 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 1 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 48 |
| Education | 32 |
| Manufacturing | 19 |
| Human health and social work activities | 18 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 18 |
| Information and communication | 17 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 15 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 12 |
| Construction | 10 |
| Transport and storage | 9 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 8 |
| Other | 7 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 7 |
| Real estate activities | 2 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 2 |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 1 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Trees Nursery School Hawkins Road , MK42 9LS | 4out of 4 | 1,465 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Peter Pan Nursery School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 4out of 4 | 1,885 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elstow School Abbeyfields Road Abbeyfields , Elstow MK42 9GP | 3out of 4 | 104 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Shackleton Primary School Pearcey Road , MK42 9LZ | 3out of 4 | 1,457 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| King's Oak Primary School Oak Road , MK42 0HH | 2out of 4 | 1,536 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Springfield Primary School Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7LJ | 2out of 4 | 1,738 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Camestone School Jowitt Avenue , Kempston MK42 8NW | 3out of 4 | 1,795 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 | 1,077 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Daubeney Academy Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7PS | 3out of 4 | 1,671 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Free School Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AD | 3out of 4 | 2,468 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Wixams Academy Green Lane , Wixams MK42 6BA | - not rated | 3,046 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Kempston Challenger Academy Hill Rise , Kempston MK42 7EB | 3out of 4 | 3,456 yd | Academy sponsor led | 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 | 2,582 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-Spired Centre of Excellence The Raleigh Centre , Ampthill Road MK42 9HE | - not rated | 1,971 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St John's School Austin Canons , Bedford Road MK42 8AA | 4out of 4 | 2,268 yd | Academy special converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Girls' School Cardington Road , MK42 0BX | - not rated | 2,468 yd | Other independent school | No | Girls | More About School |
| Grange Academy Halsey Road , Kempston MK42 8AU | 3out of 4 | 2,576 yd | Academy special converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Greys Education Centre Manor Drive , Kempston MK42 7AB | 3out of 4 | 2,895 yd | Academy alternative provision converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensations | 24 Gostwick Road | 689 yd | |
| The Cottage | 206 High Street | 739 yd | |
| Mile Road Cafe | 91b Mile Road | 871 yd | |
| Red Lion (Sizzling Pub Co) | The Red Lion, High Street | 934 yd | |
| St Helena | St Helena, High Street | 934 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Village Peri-Peri | 20 Gostwick Road | 689 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco | 13 Beauvais Square | 481 yd | |
| Best Stop Convenience Store | Unit 2, Abbey Chase, Abbey Fields | 1,028 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Elstow Playing Field WILSTEAD ROAD | grass pitches | 390 yd |
| Abbey Middle School (Closed) Mowbray Road | grass pitches, swimming pool | 394 yd |
| Moor Lane Recreation Ground Moor Lane | grass pitches | 621 yd |
| Bedford Academy MILE ROAD | artificial grass pitch | 990 yd |
| Bedford Academy (Closed) Mile Road | artificial grass pitch, grass pitches | 1,036 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 | 200 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 217.5 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 600 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 600 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 20 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 19.4 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 40 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.