Southville Road is in Bedford and in North Bedfordshire district. MK42 9PS is located in the Cauldwell electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Bedford. This postcode has been in use since 1980-01-01.
StreetScan combines information about Southville Road, Bedford, MK42 9PS and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: MK42 9PT, MK42 9PR, MK42 9PX, MK42 9PU, MK42 9PL, MK42 9FL, MK42 9PP, MK42 9PB, MK42 9PH.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The local area around MK42 9PS is generally consistent with those figures, having a male population of 48.8%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 52.3% | 51.2% | -1.1% | 51.0% | 0.2% |
| Male | 47.7% | 48.8% | 1.1% | 49.0% | -0.2% |
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 9PS, a significant portion of the population is single, making up 45.8% 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 | 42.3% | 45.8% | 3.5% | 37.9% | 7.9% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 39.2% | 37.5% | -1.7% | 44.2% | -6.7% |
| Separated | 3.5% | 4.5% | 1.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% |
| Divorced | 8% | 8% | 0.0% | 9.1% | -1.1% |
| Widowed | 7% | 4.2% | -2.8% | 6.1% | -1.9% |
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% | 51.8% | -0.7% | 48.4% | 3.4% |
| Good health | 33.3% | 32.3% | -1.0% | 33.6% | -1.3% |
| Fair health | 9.6% | 10.5% | 0.9% | 12.7% | -2.2% |
| Bad health | 3.2% | 4.4% | 1.2% | 4.0% | 0.4% |
| Very bad health | 1.3% | 1% | -0.3% | 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.
In the area around MK42 9PS this area, 28.4% of residents have no qualifications. This is significantly higher than the UK average of 18.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 24.5% | 28.4% | 3.9% | 18.2% | 10.2% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 12.9% | 12.6% | -0.3% | 9.6% | 3.0% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 14.3% | 9.1% | -5.2% | 13.4% | -4.3% |
| Apprenticeship | 3.1% | 5.4% | 2.3% | 5.3% | 0.1% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 7% | 11.4% | 4.4% | 16.9% | -5.5% |
| Degree or Similar | 23.4% | 25.9% | 2.5% | 33.8% | -7.9% |
| Other | 14.7% | 7.3% | -7.4% | 2.8% | 4.5% |
In this area, the population is more ethnically diverse compared to the UK average. While 47.3% 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 | 3.7% | 6.2% | 2.5% | 1.1% | 5.1% |
| Indian | 16.8% | 14.8% | -2.0% | 3.1% | 11.7% |
| Pakistani | 3.5% | 6.9% | 3.4% | 2.7% | 4.2% |
| Other Asian | 1.9% | 2.7% | 0.8% | 1.6% | 1.1% |
| Black African | 5.1% | 4.2% | -0.9% | 2.5% | 1.7% |
| Black Caribbean | 1.6% | 0.5% | -1.1% | 1.0% | -0.5% |
| Other Black | 0.5% | 2% | 1.5% | 0.5% | 1.5% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 0.5% | 0.7% | 0.2% | 0.8% | -0.1% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 2.4% | 1.7% | -0.7% | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Mixed Other | 1.9% | 4.4% | 2.5% | 0.8% | 3.6% |
| White | 61.1% | 47.3% | -13.8% | 81.4% | -34.1% |
| Roma | 0% | 1% | 1.0% | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Arab | 0.8% | 1.5% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.9% |
| Other | 0.3% | 6.2% | 5.9% | 1.6% | 4.6% |
In this area, 51.5% 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 | 60.8% | 51.5% | -9.3% | 83.2% | -31.7% |
| European Union | 18.4% | 22.8% | 4.4% | 6.1% | 16.7% |
| Rest of Europe | 0.5% | 1.2% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.4% |
| Africa | 4.5% | 3.2% | -1.3% | 2.7% | 0.5% |
| Middle East and Asia | 13.9% | 19.1% | 5.2% | 5.6% | 13.5% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 1.9% | 2.2% | 0.3% | 1.3% | 0.9% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 60% | 51.3% | -8.7% | 83.2% | -31.9% |
| 10+ Years | 8% | 21% | 13.0% | 9.8% | 11.2% |
| 5-10 Years | 6.4% | 8.3% | 1.9% | 2.9% | 5.4% |
| 2-5 Years | 8.5% | 12% | 3.5% | 2.2% | 9.8% |
| Less than 2 years | 17.1% | 7.3% | -9.8% | 1.9% | 5.4% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 49.8% | 76.7% | -26.9% |
| Ireland | 0.5% | 0.6% | -0.1% |
| France | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| Italy | 4.2% | 0.6% | 3.6% |
| Portugal | 2% | 0.5% | 1.5% |
| Spain | 1% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Lithuania | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| Poland | 4.4% | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Romania | 10.5% | 0.9% | 9.6% |
| Other EU countries | 4.2% | 1.5% | 2.7% |
| Central and Western Africa | 1.2% | 0.3% | 0.9% |
| South and Eastern Africa | 1% | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Middle East | 1.2% | 0.1% | 1.1% |
| Southern Asia | 9.1% | 1.2% | 7.9% |
| South-East Asia | 0.7% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| North America and the Caribbean | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| No passport held | 9.1% | 13.5% | -4.4% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 14% | 37.2% | -23.2% |
| Christian | 51% | 46.2% | 4.8% |
| Hindu | 5.6% | 1.7% | 3.9% |
| Muslim | 15.2% | 6.5% | 8.7% |
| Sikh | 4.4% | 0.9% | 3.5% |
| Other religion | 1.7% | 0.6% | 1.1% |
| Not answered | 8.1% | 6.0% | 2.1% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Southville Road was 162.9 per 1,000 residents, which is 5.2% higher than the Cauldwell average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
Southville Road has the 19th highest crime rate of 82 local areas in Cauldwell and the 74th highest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 86.5 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -74.4%.

Households in this area have a similar level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 57% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have higher average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 Southville Road, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £260,000 | 2025-09-11 | £258,771 |
| 69 Southville Road, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £245,000 | 2025-08-04 | £245,000 |
| 32 Southville Road, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £260,000 | 2024-12-20 | £272,147 |
| 10 Southville Road, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £330,000 | 2024-01-15 | £354,220 |
| 6 Southville Road, Bedford, Bedford Terraced, an established residential building | £253,000 | 2023-04-28 | £269,372 |
MK42 9PS area has a low unemployment rate. According to Census 2021, 3% 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 | 134 |
| Part-Time Employee | 39 |
| Self-Employed | 29 |
| Retired | 28 |
| Looking after home or family | 22 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 22 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 15 |
| Other | 10 |
| Unemployed | 10 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 7 |
| Human health and social work activities | 38 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 32 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 27 |
| Construction | 15 |
| Education | 14 |
| Manufacturing | 13 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 13 |
| Transport and storage | 13 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 10 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 8 |
| Information and communication | 6 |
| Other | 3 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 3 |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 2 |
| Real estate activities | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Pan Nursery School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 4out of 4 | 586 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Cherry Trees Nursery School Hawkins Road , MK42 9LS | 4out of 4 | 658 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Southway Nursery School Ampthill Road , MK42 9HE | - not rated | 757 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cauldwell School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | 3out of 4 | 562 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Cauldwell School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | - not rated | 562 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Drake Lower School Edward Road , MK42 9DR | - not rated | 562 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Shackleton Primary School Pearcey Road , MK42 9LZ | 3out of 4 | 734 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Shackleton Primary School Pearcey Road , MK42 9LZ | - not rated | 734 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Free School Cauldwell Street , MK42 9AD | 4out of 4 | 1,339 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| John Bunyan School Mile Road , MK42 9TR | - not rated | 1,351 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Bedford Academy Mile Road , MK42 9TR | 3out of 4 | 1,406 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Daubeney Academy Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7PS | - not rated | 1,419 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Biddenham International School and Sports College Biddenham Turn , MK40 4AZ | 3out of 4 | 2,650 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Middle School Mowbray Road , MK42 9XA | - not rated | 1,022 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Daubeney Middle School Orchard Street , Kempston MK42 7PS | - not rated | 1,419 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Silver Jubilee Middle School Acacia Road , MK42 0HU | - not rated | 1,429 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Kingsbrook Middle School Oak Road , MK42 0HH | - not rated | 1,434 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Harrowden Middle School Oak Road , MK42 0HH | - not rated | 1,434 yd | Community 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 | 1,423 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh Education Centre Raleigh and Southway Centre , Ampthill Road MK42 9HE | - not rated | 757 yd | Pupil referral unit | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| E-Spired Centre of Excellence The Raleigh Centre , Ampthill Road MK42 9HE | - not rated | 796 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St John's School Austin Canons , Bedford Road MK42 8AA | - not rated | 1,037 yd | Foundation special school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| St John's School Austin Canons , Bedford Road MK42 8AA | 3out of 4 | 1,037 yd | Academy special converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Teaching Service for Excluded Pupils 2nd Floor, Riverside Suite , County Hall MK42 9AP | - not rated | 1,340 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DVCC Recovery Bar | Millfield House, Miller Road | 345 yd | |
| Joyes Boba Bedford Bubble Tea | 35A Elstow Road | 398 yd | |
| Red Lion (Sizzling Pub Co) | The Red Lion, High Street | 493 yd | |
| St Helena | St Helena, High Street | 493 yd | |
| Bedford Sweets & Snacks | 70 Elstow Road | 533 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meltis Sports and Social Club | Meltis Sports And Social Club, Miller Road | 419 yd | |
| Gardeners Arms | The Gardeners Arms, 12 Sandhurst Road | 478 yd | |
| T Bar | The Keep, Bedford Road | 887 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desi Grill | Unit 1, 124 Ampthill Road | 174 yd | |
| Pizzeria Chirico | 26-28 Mabel Road | 276 yd | |
| London Sweet Centre | London Sweet Centre, 86 Ampthill Road | 315 yd | |
| Joyes Chicken | 33 Elstow Road | 345 yd | |
| Jemz Caribbean Take Away | 76 Ampthill Road | 444 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aldi | Aldi, Westville Road | 276 yd | |
| SAS Supermarket | Unit 2, 82 Ampthill Road | 322 yd | |
| Morrisons Service Station Shop | Morrisons, Ampthill Road | 552 yd | |
| Wm Morrison Supermarkets Limited | Morrisons, Ampthill Road | 552 yd | |
| Tesco | 13 Beauvais Square | 935 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Meltis Sports And Social Club MILLER COURT | grass pitches | 108 yd |
| Abbey Middle School (Closed) Mowbray Road | grass pitches, swimming pool | 1,046 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 | 163.3 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 1000 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 1000 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 17.5 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 17.4 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 50 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.