Bedford in figures

A profile of Bedford from official statistics: 11 figures in 4 sections, each with its period, its change from a year earlier, its rank among similar places where a ranking exists, and its source.

Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

People

Population in Bedford was 196,398 in 2025, up 0.8% from 2024.

Population196,3982025Up 0.8% from 2024
Population aged 65 and over17.4%2025Up 0.2 percentage points from 2024
Foreign-born population share21.4%2021No 2020 figure to compare
Net domestic migration, July to June3112025Compared with 807 in 2024
150K160K170K180K190K200K201120142017202020252011: 157,840 persons2012: 160,344 persons2013: 163,672 persons2014: 166,856 persons2015: 170,149 persons2016: 173,703 persons2017: 175,537 persons2018: 178,288 persons2019: 180,651 persons2020: 182,346 persons2021: 185,796 persons2022: 187,805 persons2023: 191,452 persons2024: 194,881 persons2025: 196,398 persons
Population, 2011 to 2025. persons. Source: Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Population estimates, local authority based by single year of age: all ages, both sexes, mid-year (ONS, Nomis NM_2002_1).

Sources: Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Population estimates, local authority based by single year of age: all ages, both sexes, mid-year (ONS, Nomis NM_2002_1); Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Population estimates, local authority based by single year of age: aged 65 and over, both sexes, percent of all ages, mid-year (ONS, Nomis NM_2002_1); Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Census 2021, TS004 Country of birth: usual residents born outside the United Kingdom, percent, 100 minus the published share born in the United Kingdom (ONS, Nomis NM_2024_1); Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Mid-year population estimates, components of change for UK local authorities: net internal migration, mid-year to mid-year (ONS, MYEB3). Population and demography statistics and rankings

Economy

Gross domestic product (GDP) in Bedford (pounds sterling) was £6.52 billion (provisional) in 2024, up 6.7% from 2023.

Gross domestic product (GDP), pounds sterling£6.52 billion2024, provisionalUp 6.7% from 2023
GDP per head, pounds sterling£33,4432024, provisionalUp 4.8% from 2023
2,0003,0004,0005,0006,0007,00020002004200820122016202020242000: 2,513 GBP million2001: 2,643 GBP million2002: 2,734 GBP million2003: 2,898 GBP million2004: 2,981 GBP million2005: 3,207 GBP million2006: 3,318 GBP million2007: 3,428 GBP million2008: 3,581 GBP million2009: 3,463 GBP million2010: 3,463 GBP million2011: 3,474 GBP million2012: 3,581 GBP million2013: 3,692 GBP million2014: 3,956 GBP million2015: 4,146 GBP million2016: 4,315 GBP million2017: 4,613 GBP million2018: 4,670 GBP million2019: 4,956 GBP million2020: 4,487 GBP million2021: 5,075 GBP million2022: 5,683 GBP million2023: 6,111 GBP million2024: 6,521 GBP million
Gross domestic product (GDP), pounds sterling, 2000 to 2024. GBP million. Source: Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Regional gross domestic product: local authorities, GDP at current market prices, pounds million (ONS, Table 5).

Sources: Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Regional gross domestic product: local authorities, GDP at current market prices, pounds million (ONS, Table 5); Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Regional gross domestic product: local authorities, GDP per head at current market prices, pounds (ONS, Table 7). Economy statistics and rankings

Prices and housing

Average house price in Bedford (pounds sterling) was £333,824 (provisional) in July 2026, up 3.9% from July 2025.

Average house price, pounds sterling£333,824July 2026, provisionalUp 3.9% from July 2025
House price annual change, monthly3.9%July 2026, provisionalUp 0.8 percentage points from July 2025
Average monthly private rent, pounds sterling£1,173August 2026, provisionalUp 3% from August 2025
260K280K300K320K340K2021-072022-042023-012023-102024-072025-042026-072021-07: 276,742 GBP2021-08: 285,001 GBP2021-09: 287,992 GBP2021-10: 290,732 GBP2021-11: 288,577 GBP2021-12: 291,546 GBP2022-01: 293,899 GBP2022-02: 297,582 GBP2022-03: 300,396 GBP2022-04: 304,502 GBP2022-05: 302,705 GBP2022-06: 302,298 GBP2022-07: 306,184 GBP2022-08: 313,442 GBP2022-09: 317,328 GBP2022-10: 320,375 GBP2022-11: 320,717 GBP2022-12: 316,560 GBP2023-01: 314,176 GBP2023-02: 312,343 GBP2023-03: 316,379 GBP2023-04: 313,536 GBP2023-05: 311,897 GBP2023-06: 308,987 GBP2023-07: 312,228 GBP2023-08: 314,900 GBP2023-09: 315,485 GBP2023-10: 315,357 GBP2023-11: 313,947 GBP2023-12: 310,405 GBP2024-01: 309,118 GBP2024-02: 310,138 GBP2024-03: 313,562 GBP2024-04: 306,563 GBP2024-05: 303,818 GBP2024-06: 304,154 GBP2024-07: 311,579 GBP2024-08: 315,417 GBP2024-09: 316,776 GBP2024-10: 314,148 GBP2024-11: 313,548 GBP2024-12: 314,676 GBP2025-01: 312,533 GBP2025-02: 314,900 GBP2025-03: 312,633 GBP2025-04: 315,457 GBP2025-05: 311,863 GBP2025-06: 315,981 GBP2025-07: 321,327 GBP2025-08: 326,332 GBP2025-09: 326,611 GBP2025-10: 328,432 GBP2025-11: 327,595 GBP2025-12: 328,374 GBP2026-01: 322,542 GBP2026-02: 325,741 GBP2026-03: 327,908 GBP2026-04: 330,486 GBP2026-05: 335,169 GBP2026-06: 331,319 GBP2026-07: 333,824 GBP
Average house price, pounds sterling, July 2021 to July 2026. GBP. Source: HM Land Registry (United Kingdom), UK House Price Index: average price, all property types, not seasonally adjusted, pounds (HM Land Registry, Average price file).

Sources: HM Land Registry (United Kingdom), UK House Price Index: average price, all property types, not seasonally adjusted, pounds (HM Land Registry, Average price file); HM Land Registry (United Kingdom), UK House Price Index: annual change in the average price, all property types, not seasonally adjusted, percent (HM Land Registry, Average price file); Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Price Index of Private Rents, UK: monthly price statistics, Table 1: rental price, all property types, pounds per month (ONS). Housing statistics and rankings

Business and tourism

Active enterprises in Bedford were 7,815 in 2024, down 0.2% from 2023.

Active enterprises7,8152024Down 0.2% from 2023
Enterprise births8852024Up 1.1% from 2023
7,6007,7007,8007,9008,0008,1002019202020212022202320242019: 7,675 count2020: 7,725 count2021: 8,065 count2022: 8,075 count2023: 7,830 count2024: 7,815 count
Active enterprises, 2019 to 2024. count. Source: Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Business demography, UK, Tables 3.1a to 3.1d: count of active enterprises by district, county and unitary authority within region and country.

Sources: Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Business demography, UK, Tables 3.1a to 3.1d: count of active enterprises by district, county and unitary authority within region and country; Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Business demography, UK, Tables 1.1a to 1.1d: count of births of new enterprises by district, county and unitary authority within region and country. Companies statistics and rankings

Sources and citations

Each figure comes from the table cited here. Cite the publisher; these citations include any notice the publisher requires.

  1. Office for National Statistics. Population estimates, local authority based by single year of age: all ages, both sexes, mid-year (ONS, Nomis NM_2002_1). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/api/v01/dataset/NM_2002_1.data.json?geography=TYPE480,TYPE424&gender=0&c_age=200&measures=20100&time=2011,latest. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
  2. Office for National Statistics. Population estimates, local authority based by single year of age: aged 65 and over, both sexes, percent of all ages, mid-year (ONS, Nomis NM_2002_1). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/api/v01/dataset/NM_2002_1.data.json?geography=TYPE480,TYPE424&gender=0&c_age=209&measures=20301&time=2011,latest. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  3. Office for National Statistics. Census 2021, TS004 Country of birth: usual residents born outside the United Kingdom, percent, 100 minus the published share born in the United Kingdom (ONS, Nomis NM_2024_1). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/api/v01/dataset/NM_2024_1.data.json?geography=TYPE480,TYPE424&c2021_cob_12=1&measures=20301&time=2021,latest. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  4. Office for National Statistics. Mid-year population estimates, components of change for UK local authorities: net internal migration, mid-year to mid-year (ONS, MYEB3). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland/mid2011tomid2025. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  5. Office for National Statistics. Regional gross domestic product: local authorities, GDP at current market prices, pounds million (ONS, Table 5). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/datasets/regionalgrossdomesticproductlocalauthorities/1998to2024. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
  6. Office for National Statistics. Regional gross domestic product: local authorities, GDP per head at current market prices, pounds (ONS, Table 7). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/datasets/regionalgrossdomesticproductlocalauthorities/1998to2024. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
  7. HM Land Registry. UK House Price Index: average price, all property types, not seasonally adjusted, pounds (HM Land Registry, Average price file). Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://publicdata.landregistry.gov.uk/market-trend-data/house-price-index-data/Average-prices-2026-07.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  8. HM Land Registry. UK House Price Index: annual change in the average price, all property types, not seasonally adjusted, percent (HM Land Registry, Average price file). Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://publicdata.landregistry.gov.uk/market-trend-data/house-price-index-data/Average-prices-2026-07.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  9. Office for National Statistics. Price Index of Private Rents, UK: monthly price statistics, Table 1: rental price, all property types, pounds per month (ONS). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/datasets/priceindexofprivaterentsukmonthlypricestatistics/16september2026. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  10. Office for National Statistics. Business demography, UK, Tables 3.1a to 3.1d: count of active enterprises by district, county and unitary authority within region and country. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/activitysizeandlocation/datasets/businessdemographyreferencetable. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  11. Office for National Statistics. Business demography, UK, Tables 1.1a to 1.1d: count of births of new enterprises by district, county and unitary authority within region and country. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/activitysizeandlocation/datasets/businessdemographyreferencetable. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Give me an overview of Bedford with the latest official figures and their sources.
get_place_profile {"place":"Bedford"}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/profile?place=gb-la-e06000055

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

All statistics for Bedford