The Sidings is in Bedford and in Bedford district. MK42 9NF is located in the Kingsbrook electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Bedford. This postcode has been in use since 2002-12-01.
StreetScan combines information about The Sidings, Bedford, MK42 9NF and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: MK42 9NE, MK42 9NW, MK42 9NJ, MK42 9NQ, MK42 9LJ, MK42 9LF, MK42 9NN, MK42 9LB, MK42 9JZ.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The area surrounding MK42 9NF has a slightly higher male population, with 51.5% 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 | 46% | 48.5% | 2.5% | 51.0% | -2.5% |
| Male | 54% | 51.5% | -2.5% | 49.0% | 2.5% |
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 9NF, a significant portion of the population is single, making up 57.1% 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 | 54.6% | 57.1% | 2.5% | 37.9% | 19.2% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 26.2% | 25.7% | -0.5% | 44.2% | -18.5% |
| Married: Same sex | 0.8% | 0.3% | -0.5% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Separated | 6.8% | 4.7% | -2.1% | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Divorced | 10.3% | 12% | 1.7% | 9.1% | 2.9% |
| Widowed | 1.4% | 0.3% | -1.1% | 6.1% | -5.8% |
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 | 49.1% | 46.7% | -2.4% | 48.4% | -1.7% |
| Good health | 40.6% | 38% | -2.6% | 33.6% | 4.4% |
| Fair health | 7.8% | 11.7% | 3.9% | 12.7% | -1.0% |
| Bad health | 1.8% | 3% | 1.2% | 4.0% | -1.0% |
| Very bad health | 0.7% | 0.6% | -0.1% | 1.2% | -0.6% |
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 | 10.5% | 13.1% | 2.6% | 18.2% | -5.1% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 17.3% | 13.3% | -4.0% | 9.6% | 3.7% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 15.9% | 17% | 1.1% | 13.4% | 3.6% |
| Apprenticeship | 1.1% | 4.2% | 3.1% | 5.3% | -1.1% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 14.6% | 16.2% | 1.6% | 16.9% | -0.7% |
| Degree or Similar | 27.8% | 31.3% | 3.5% | 33.8% | -2.5% |
| Other | 12.7% | 5% | -7.7% | 2.8% | 2.2% |
In this area, the population is more ethnically diverse compared to the UK average. While 70.5% 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 | 2% | 2.4% | 0.4% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Chinese | 1.6% | 1.5% | -0.1% | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Indian | 7% | 6.7% | -0.3% | 3.1% | 3.6% |
| Pakistani | 0% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 2.7% | -2.3% |
| Other Asian | 1.1% | 0.9% | -0.2% | 1.6% | -0.7% |
| Black African | 5.8% | 6.5% | 0.7% | 2.5% | 4.0% |
| Black Caribbean | 0.9% | 2.2% | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.2% |
| Other Black | 0% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 0.5% | 1.2% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 0.7% | 0.2% | -0.5% | 0.8% | -0.6% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 0.9% | 2.6% | 1.7% | 0.9% | 1.7% |
| Mixed Other | 0.4% | 1.1% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| White | 78.3% | 70.5% | -7.8% | 81.4% | -10.9% |
| Gypsy or Irish Traveller | 0.7% | 0% | -0.7% | 0.1% | -0.1% |
| Roma | 0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Arab | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.6% | -0.4% |
| Other | 0.4% | 2.6% | 2.2% | 1.6% | 1.0% |
In this area, 52.7% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is lower than the UK average of 83.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 65.7% | 52.7% | -13.0% | 83.2% | -30.5% |
| European Union | 21.7% | 30.8% | 9.1% | 6.1% | 24.7% |
| Rest of Europe | 0.4% | 1.7% | 1.3% | 0.8% | 0.9% |
| Africa | 5.2% | 5.4% | 0.2% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Middle East and Asia | 6.1% | 8.2% | 2.1% | 5.6% | 2.6% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 0.7% | 1.1% | 0.4% | 1.3% | -0.2% |
| Oceania | 0.2% | 0% | -0.2% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 65% | 52.7% | -12.3% | 83.2% | -30.5% |
| 10+ Years | 1.8% | 19.7% | 17.9% | 9.8% | 9.9% |
| 5-10 Years | 10.5% | 12.4% | 1.9% | 2.9% | 9.5% |
| 2-5 Years | 17.9% | 8.2% | -9.7% | 2.2% | 6.0% |
| Less than 2 years | 4.7% | 6.9% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 5.0% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 47.5% | 76.7% | -29.2% |
| Ireland | 0.9% | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Germany | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Italy | 2.6% | 0.6% | 2.0% |
| Spain | 0.2% | 0.4% | -0.2% |
| Lithuania | 1.5% | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Poland | 18.4% | 1.3% | 17.1% |
| Romania | 7.6% | 0.9% | 6.7% |
| Other EU countries | 3.5% | 1.5% | 2.0% |
| Other Europe | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Central and Western Africa | 1.3% | 0.3% | 1.0% |
| South and Eastern Africa | 1.3% | 0.2% | 1.1% |
| Southern Asia | 4.5% | 1.2% | 3.3% |
| South-East Asia | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| North America and the Caribbean | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| No passport held | 9.7% | 13.5% | -3.8% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 29.2% | 37.2% | -8.0% |
| Christian | 54.9% | 46.2% | 8.7% |
| Buddhist | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Hindu | 2.1% | 1.7% | 0.4% |
| Muslim | 3.4% | 6.5% | -3.1% |
| Sikh | 1.1% | 0.9% | 0.2% |
| Other religion | 1.1% | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Not answered | 7.5% | 6.0% | 1.5% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around The Sidings was 114.4 per 1,000 residents, which is 30.1% lower than the Cauldwell average. The most reported crime type was Anti-social behaviour.
The Sidings has the 30th highest crime rate of 82 local areas in Cauldwell and the 115th highest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 32.3 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been falling year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has risen by about 3.5%.

Households in this area have a similar level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 58% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have higher average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 The Sidings, Bedford, Bedford Flats/Maisonettes, an established residential building | £150,000 | 2024-11-07 | £154,095 |
| 36 The Sidings, Bedford, Bedford Flats/Maisonettes, an established residential building | £160,000 | 2022-10-07 | £159,373 |
| 6 The Sidings, Bedford, Bedford Flats/Maisonettes, an established residential building | £140,000 | 2022-09-02 | £140,553 |
| 40 The Sidings, Bedford, Bedford Flats/Maisonettes, an established residential building | £145,000 | 2022-05-31 | £151,097 |
| 28 The Sidings, Bedford, Bedford Flats/Maisonettes, an established residential building | £140,000 | 2022-03-17 | £146,337 |
| Full-Time Employee | 203 |
| Part-Time Employee | 38 |
| Self-Employed | 29 |
| Looking after home or family | 24 |
| Unemployed | 23 |
| Retired | 18 |
| Other | 17 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 12 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 12 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 7 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 67 |
| Human health and social work activities | 42 |
| Manufacturing | 28 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 23 |
| Construction | 20 |
| Transport and storage | 20 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 17 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 17 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 14 |
| Education | 12 |
| Other | 10 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 10 |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 10 |
| Information and communication | 8 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 2 |
| Real estate activities | 1 |
| 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 | 326 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Peter Pan Nursery School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 4out of 4 | 636 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shackleton Primary School Pearcey Road , MK42 9LZ | 3out of 4 | 382 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Cauldwell School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 3out of 4 | 659 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| King's Oak Primary School Oak Road , MK42 0HH | 2out of 4 | 1,188 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Priory Primary School Greyfriars , MK40 1JD | 4out of 4 | 1,528 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Elstow School Abbeyfields Road Abbeyfields , Elstow MK42 9GP | 3out of 4 | 1,718 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Free School Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AD | 3out of 4 | 702 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Academy Mile Road , MK42 9TR | 3out of 4 | 1,344 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Daubeney Academy Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7PS | 3out of 4 | 2,156 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Castle Newnham School Polhill Avenue , MK41 9DT | 3out of 4 | 2,541 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Biddenham International School and Sports College Biddenham Turn , MK40 4AZ | 3out of 4 | 2,655 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 | 821 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 | 299 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Girls' School Cardington Road , MK42 0BX | - not rated | 768 yd | Other independent school | No | Girls | More About School |
| St John's School Austin Canons , Bedford Road MK42 8AA | 4out of 4 | 1,303 yd | Academy special converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford School De Parys Avenue , MK40 2TU | - not rated | 1,793 yd | Other independent school | No | Boys | More About School |
| Polam School 45 Lansdowne Road , MK40 2BU | - not rated | 1,900 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Peri Peri Grill | 34c London Road | 258 yd | |
| Bedford Sweets & Snacks | 70 Elstow Road | 302 yd | |
| Caffe Pausa at Dunelm | 4 London Road | 383 yd | |
| Greek Bites | 2 Althorpe Street | 401 yd | |
| Starbucks Coffee Company | 66 St Johns Street | 432 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meltis Sports and Social Club | Meltis Sports And Social Club, Miller Road | 368 yd | |
| Gardeners Arms | The Gardeners Arms, 12 Sandhurst Road | 497 yd | |
| Kings Arms PH | The Kings Arms, 24 St Marys Street | 884 yd | |
| Bedford Rowing Club | Bedford Rowing Club, Duckmill Lane | 895 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Fish Bar | 26 London Road | 258 yd | |
| Pizza Hut | 24 London Road | 258 yd | |
| Zest Pizza | 32 London Road | 258 yd | |
| Subway | Pod A, London Road | 383 yd | |
| S&D Fish 'n' Chips | 34 Ampthill Road | 506 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morrisons Service Station Shop | Morrisons, Ampthill Road | 598 yd | |
| Wm Morrison Supermarkets Limited | Morrisons, Ampthill Road | 598 yd | |
| SAS Supermarket | Unit 2, 82 Ampthill Road | 637 yd | |
| Farmfoods | Farm Foods, 4-6 Kingsway | 678 yd | |
| Aldi | Aldi, Westville Road | 782 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| The Gym (Bedford) London Road | health and fitness suite | 389 yd |
| Bedford Free School CAULDWELL HOUSE CAULDWELL HOUSE CAULDWELL STREET | 775 yd | |
| Bedford Girls School CARDINGTON ROAD | artificial grass pitch, grass pitches, health and fitness suite, swimming pool | 787 yd |
| Meltis Sports And Social Club MILLER COURT | grass pitches | 792 yd |
| Bedford College CAULDWELL STREET | health and fitness suite | 924 yd |
| Pace Health Club (Bedford) (Closed) St. Marys Street | health and fitness suite | 939 yd |
| Harrowden Middle School (Closed) Oak Road | grass pitches | 982 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 | 95.2% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (300Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 23.8% |
| Percentage of premises that have coverage from a Gigabit capable service from fixed broadband | 23.8% |
| 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 | 60.8 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 66.6 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 153.7 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 153.7 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 16.4 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 14.6 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 20.6 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.