Bedford: population and statistics
Bedford has a population of 196,398 (2025) across 476.4 km², or 412 people per km². It ranks 118 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +15.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 196,398 residents
- 476.4 km²
- 412 people/km²
- 57 m
Bedford in numbers
Population of Bedford over time
Bedford had 170,149 residents in 2015 and 196,398 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 182,346 |
| 2021 | 185,796 |
| 2022 | 187,805 |
| 2023 | 191,452 |
| 2024 | 194,881 |
| 2025 | 196,398 |
All indicators for Bedford
Value for the area, then the regional average and the UK median (for counts: regional and UK totals). The gauge places the area between the lowest and highest value in the UK.
Population
| Indicator | Bedford | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 17.4% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 269 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 19.7% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 49 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bedford | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 81,570 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 119 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 26.3% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 214 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 25.4% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 37 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 74,949 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 119 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 80.7% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 197 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 18.4% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 123 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 64.6% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 202 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 19.1% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 114 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 16.3% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 108 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £333,824 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 117 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.9% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 97 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bedford | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | ranked 150 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 72.6% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 216 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 10.2% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 77 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 4.0% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 99 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bedford | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 8,405 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 141 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 42.8 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 201 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 7,280 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 137 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £41,214 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 116 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Bedford | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 81.7% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 48 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 4.5% | 3.3% | 3.2% | ranked 64 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Bedford | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 18.2% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 164 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, Bedford ranks 6 by population.
Dwellings built since 2000: 25.4% in Bedford, compared with an average of 21.0% in East and 18.6% across the UK.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: 81.7% in Bedford, compared with an average of 78.4% in East and 75.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 16.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Its area is roughly equal to 66,725 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Central Bedfordshire, 12.2 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Central Bedfordshire (321,605 residents), 12 km away.
Business sectors: Bedford
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Wholesale and retail trade16.6% ×1.0
- Construction13.6% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical13.5% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services8.1% ×1.0
- Health and social work6.5% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services6.4% ×0.9
- Information and communication6.1% ×1.0
- Transport and storage4.9% ×1.2
Where is Bedford?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bedford?
Bedford has 196,398 residents (2025), ranking 118 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Bedford?
Bedford covers 476.4 km², with a density of 412 people per km².
Is the population of Bedford growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Bedford went from 170,149 to 196,398, a change of +15.4%.
Where is Bedford?
Bedford is in East (region). Latitude 52.134, longitude −0.463.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Bedford?
In Bedford, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 25.4% (2026), ranking 37 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: what is the figure for Bedford?
In Bedford, “Employment rate, aged 16-64” stands at 81.7% (2025-2026), ranking 48 of 347 local authorities; the UK median is 76.3%.
Which local authorities border Bedford?
The nearest to Bedford are Central Bedfordshire (12 km), North Hertfordshire (23 km), Milton Keynes (24 km), Luton (27 km), Stevenage (32 km).