Central Bedfordshire

Key figures

16 of 16 measures have a published figure for Central Bedfordshire. Each figure is the publisher’s own, for the period named beside it.

Why the population is changing

The ONS breaks the year’s population change into its components (Year to mid-2025). These are its published figures for Central Bedfordshire, not our estimates.

• 3,376 births and 2,506 deaths: natural change added 870 people.
• Moves within the UK (net) added 4,230 people.
• International migration (net) added 469 people.
• The ONS’s balancing item (“Other”, mainly armed forces and prisoner adjustments) reduced the figure by 26.
• Altogether the population grew by 5,543 over the year (the sum of the components above — our addition of the ONS’s published figures).

Each component is a series in its own right: births, deaths, moves within the UK and international migration.

Population change, year by year

The same decomposition for every published year in Central Bedfordshire: births and deaths, net moves within the UK, net international migration, and the ONS’s balancing item.

Years to mid-2024 are the ONS’s rebased back series, made consistent with Census 2021 — its figures deliberately differ from the estimates published at the time. Every cell is a published figure; the total is the sum of net moves, natural change and other, which is our addition. A dash is a year the source does not publish for this area, never a zero.

Rates per 1,000 residents

The same population flows, adjusted for Central Bedfordshire’s size, so they can be compared with any other area’s: each year’s flow divided by the population that mid-year, times 1,000.

A Civometry calculation, not a published figure: ONS publishes these flows and the population, but not the rates. Net rates are signed — below zero means more left than arrived. Rates are crude, not age-standardised, so areas with very different age structures still differ for reasons size cannot remove. Each link shows the full recipe and every year.

Pay against housing costs

How pay in Central Bedfordshire moved over its latest published year, beside how the cost of buying and renting moved over theirs. The three series come from different publishers on different timetables, so each row covers its own year, named in the row.

average house price and average private rent rose faster than pay over these periods.

Levels are the publishers’ own (ONS ASHE median annual pay for full-time employees living in the area; HM Land Registry UK House Price Index; ONS Price Index of Private Rents). The percentage changes are Civometry arithmetic on the two published values in each row. Pay is a survey of employees and says nothing about a particular household; one year is weather, not climate.

Who runs the council

Independent minority administration (2026) — Other and independent 28, Conservative 20, Liberal Democrat 8, Labour 4, Reform UK 2, Green 1 of 63 seats.

Since 2016: Conservative (2016–2022); Other parties or independents (largest party, no overall majority) (2023–2024); Independent minority administration (2025–2026)

Not an official statistic. Compiled by Open Council Data UK, an independent project, not by any government department: no official body publishes council political control. Councils are matched to GSS codes by name here; county councils and districts abolished before the current boundaries are not included. This is the one dataset on the site that is not read from an official publication, and every page that shows it says so. Source: Open Council Data UK (CC0).

Between the censuses

How Central Bedfordshire’s religion, ethnic-group and country-of-birth make-up changed between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, category by category. The two censuses compared.

Crime

19,027 recorded offences in the 12 months to June 2026, 59.2 per 1,000 residents. Full crime profile, by category and month.

Published for this area

• Median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence2025 · up 1.5% on a year earlier · ONS, published 23 October 2025£43,645
• Births by local authorityYear to mid-2025 · ONS, published 29 July 20263,376people
• Census 2011 country of birthCensus 2011 · ONS, published 30 January 2013254,381people
• Census 2021 country of birthCensus 2021 · ONS, published 2 November 2022294,252people
• Census 2011 ethnic group (detailed)Census 2011 · ONS, published 2 September 2026254,381people
• Census 2021 ethnic group (detailed)Census 2021 · ONS, published 2 September 2026294,251people
• Census 2011 ethnic group (five broad groups)Census 2011 · ONS, published 2 September 2026254,381people
• Census 2021 ethnic group (five broad groups)Census 2021 · ONS, published 2 September 2026294,251people
• Census 2021 ethnic group by age bandCensus 2021 · ONS, published 2 September 2026294,241people
• Census 2011 usual residentsCensus 2011 · ONS, published 2 September 2026254,381people
• Census 2021 usual residentsCensus 2021 · ONS, published 2 September 2026294,252people
• Census 2011 religionCensus 2011 · ONS, published 2 September 2026254,381people
• Census 2021 religionCensus 2021 · ONS, published 2 September 2026294,252people
• People claiming unemployment-related benefitsJuly 2026 · up 3.2% on a year earlier · ONS, published 18 August 20265,110people
• Claimants as a proportion of residents aged 16 to 64July 2026 · up 0.1 points on a year earlier · ONS, published 18 August 20262.6%
• Band D council tax by billing authorityYear ending March 2027 · up 5.1% on a year earlier · MHCLG, published 25 March 2026£2,516
• Deaths by local authorityYear to mid-2025 · ONS, published 29 July 20262,506people
• Mean domestic electricity consumption per meter2024 · DESNZ, published 18 December 20253,561kWh a year
• Employment deprivation rate2025 · MHCLG, published 17 November 20258.7%
• Mean domestic gas consumption per meter2024 · DESNZ, published 5 May 202611,276kWh a year
• House price annual changeJune 2026 · down 2.7 points on a year earlier · HM Land Registry, published 20 August 20262.9%
• Average house priceJune 2026 · up 2.9% on a year earlier · HM Land Registry, published 20 August 2026£356,453
• Deprivation: IMD average score2025 · MHCLG, published 17 November 202513.1
• Deprivation: share of small areas in England's most deprived tenth2025 · MHCLG, published 17 November 20250%
• Income deprivation rate2025 · MHCLG, published 17 November 202515.3%
• Net internal migration by local authorityYear to mid-2025 · ONS, published 29 July 20264,230people
• International migration into a local authorityYear to mid-2025 · ONS, published 29 July 20262,169people
• Net international migration by local authorityYear to mid-2025 · ONS, published 29 July 2026469people
• International migration out of a local authorityYear to mid-2025 · ONS, published 29 July 20261,700people
• Births minus deaths by local authorityYear to mid-2025 · ONS, published 29 July 2026870people
• Other population change by local authorityYear to mid-2025 · ONS, published 29 July 2026-26people
• Population by local authorityMid-2024 · up 2.1% on a year earlier · ONS, published 26 September 2025315,877people
• Private rent annual changeJuly 2026 · down 0.8 points on a year earlier · ONS, published 19 August 20263.6%
• Average private rent a monthJuly 2026 · up 3.7% on a year earlier · ONS, published 19 August 2026£1,249
• Median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence2025 · up 4.8% on a year earlier · ONS, published 23 October 2025£869

National figures that apply here

These are not measured for Central Bedfordshire; they are the figure for the nation or the UK, shown because they apply to everyone in it.

• Average Band D council tax (England average)Year ending March 2027 · up 4.9%£2,392
• Unemployment rate (UK)2026 Q2 · up 0.2 points4.9%
• Universal Credit caseload (Great Britain)Year ending March 2025 · up 16.3%5,473,000households
• Persistent absence (England)2024/25 academic year · down 1.8 points18.1%
• Average annual electricity bill (UK)2025 · down 1.3%£1,069

Then and now

The first and last years published for Central Bedfordshire, and the difference between the two. Both figures are published for this area; the difference is those two numbers subtracted, which you can check by hand.

• £1,996Year ending March 2021→£2,516Year ending March 2027

  Band D council tax by billing authority

  In Central Bedfordshire, band D council tax by billing authority rose from £1,996 in the year ending March 2021 to £2,516 in the year ending March 2027, a change of £520 or 26.0%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (MHCLG).

  How this figure was worked out

  £2,516 in the year ending March 2027 − £1,996 in the year ending March 2021 = £520, which is 26.0% of the figure for the year ending March 2021.

  The two ends are rounded for display. The published figures are 2,516.16 and 1,996.19, and 2,516.16 − 1,996.19 = 519.97.

  7 published years spanning 6 years, from MHCLG. Years before the current series come from Band D council tax by billing authority, 2020-21 to 2024-25, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure. Cash terms: these are the amounts as published, not adjusted for inflation.

  In Central Bedfordshire, band D council tax by billing authority rose from £1,996 in the year ending March 2021 to £2,516 in the year ending March 2027, a change of £520 or 26.0%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (MHCLG).

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• £28,3862008→£43,6452025

  Median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence

  In Central Bedfordshire, median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £28,386 in 2008 to £43,645 in 2025, a change of £15,259 or 53.8%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  £43,645 in 2025 − £28,386 in 2008 = £15,259, which is 53.8% of the figure for 2008.

  18 published years spanning 17 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence, 2002 to 2023, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure. Cash terms: these are the amounts as published, not adjusted for inflation.

  In Central Bedfordshire, median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £28,386 in 2008 to £43,645 in 2025, a change of £15,259 or 53.8%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

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• £5462008→£8692025

  Median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence

  In Central Bedfordshire, median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £546 in 2008 to £869 in 2025, a change of £323 or 59.1%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  £869 in 2025 − £546 in 2008 = £323, which is 59.1% of the figure for 2008.

  The two ends are rounded for display. The published figures are 868.70 and 546.10, and 868.70 − 546.10 = 322.60.

  18 published years spanning 17 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence, 2002 to 2023, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure. Cash terms: these are the amounts as published, not adjusted for inflation.

  In Central Bedfordshire, median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £546 in 2008 to £869 in 2025, a change of £323 or 59.1%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

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• 2,374Year to mid-2012→4,230Year to mid-2025

  Net internal migration by local authority

  In Central Bedfordshire, net internal migration by local authority rose from 2,374 in Year to mid-2012 to 4,230 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 1,856 or 78.2% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  4,230 in Year to mid-2025 − 2,374 in Year to mid-2012 = 1,856, which is 78.2% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  14 published years spanning 13 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Internal migration net by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Central Bedfordshire, net internal migration by local authority rose from 2,374 in Year to mid-2012 to 4,230 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 1,856 or 78.2% (ONS).

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• 1,697Year to mid-2012→2,169Year to mid-2025

  International migration into a local authority

  In Central Bedfordshire, international migration into a local authority rose from 1,697 in Year to mid-2012 to 2,169 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 472 or 27.8% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  2,169 in Year to mid-2025 − 1,697 in Year to mid-2012 = 472, which is 27.8% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  14 published years spanning 13 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from International migration in by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Central Bedfordshire, international migration into a local authority rose from 1,697 in Year to mid-2012 to 2,169 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 472 or 27.8% (ONS).

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• 1,191Year to mid-2012→1,700Year to mid-2025

  International migration out of a local authority

  In Central Bedfordshire, international migration out of a local authority rose from 1,191 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,700 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 509 or 42.7% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  1,700 in Year to mid-2025 − 1,191 in Year to mid-2012 = 509, which is 42.7% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  14 published years spanning 13 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from International migration out by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Central Bedfordshire, international migration out of a local authority rose from 1,191 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,700 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 509 or 42.7% (ONS).

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• 506Year to mid-2012→469Year to mid-2025

  Net international migration by local authority

  In Central Bedfordshire, net international migration by local authority fell from 506 in Year to mid-2012 to 469 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 37 or 7.3% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  469 in Year to mid-2025 − 506 in Year to mid-2012 = −37, which is 7.3% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  14 published years spanning 13 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from International migration net by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Central Bedfordshire, net international migration by local authority fell from 506 in Year to mid-2012 to 469 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 37 or 7.3% (ONS).

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• 3,275Year to mid-2012→3,376Year to mid-2025

  Births by local authority

  In Central Bedfordshire, births by local authority rose from 3,275 in Year to mid-2012 to 3,376 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 101 or 3.1% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  3,376 in Year to mid-2025 − 3,275 in Year to mid-2012 = 101, which is 3.1% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  14 published years spanning 13 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Births by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Central Bedfordshire, births by local authority rose from 3,275 in Year to mid-2012 to 3,376 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 101 or 3.1% (ONS).

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• 1,893Year to mid-2012→2,506Year to mid-2025

  Deaths by local authority

  In Central Bedfordshire, deaths by local authority rose from 1,893 in Year to mid-2012 to 2,506 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 613 or 32.4% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  2,506 in Year to mid-2025 − 1,893 in Year to mid-2012 = 613, which is 32.4% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  14 published years spanning 13 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Deaths by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Central Bedfordshire, deaths by local authority rose from 1,893 in Year to mid-2012 to 2,506 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 613 or 32.4% (ONS).

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• 1,382Year to mid-2012→870Year to mid-2025

  Births minus deaths by local authority

  In Central Bedfordshire, births minus deaths by local authority fell from 1,382 in Year to mid-2012 to 870 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 512 or 37.0% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  870 in Year to mid-2025 − 1,382 in Year to mid-2012 = −512, which is 37.0% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  14 published years spanning 13 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Natural change by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Central Bedfordshire, births minus deaths by local authority fell from 1,382 in Year to mid-2012 to 870 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 512 or 37.0% (ONS).

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• -382Year to mid-2012→-26Year to mid-2025

  Other population change by local authority

  In Central Bedfordshire, other population change by local authority rose from -382 in Year to mid-2012 to -26 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 356 or 93.2% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  -26 in Year to mid-2025 − -382 in Year to mid-2012 = 356, which is 93.2% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  14 published years spanning 13 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Other population change by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Central Bedfordshire, other population change by local authority rose from -382 in Year to mid-2012 to -26 in Year to mid-2025, a change of 356 or 93.2% (ONS).

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Compare Central Bedfordshire with another place

Every figure both areas publish, side by side, from its own publisher with the period named:

• Central Bedfordshire and Birmingham
• Central Bedfordshire and Leeds
• Central Bedfordshire and North Yorkshire
• Central Bedfordshire and Somerset
• Central Bedfordshire and Cornwall
• Central Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire

Or open any two areas as /compare/places/<area>/<area> — the address carries the whole comparison.

Nearby areas

The closest other local authorities, each with its own report card and a side-by-side comparison:

• Bedford · compare
• Buckinghamshire · compare
• Dacorum · compare
• Huntingdonshire · compare
• Luton · compare
• Milton Keynes · compare

Areas like Central Bedfordshire

The local authorities whose published rents, pay, house prices, council tax and claimant count sit closest to Central Bedfordshire’s, wherever they are in the UK. Computed from the figures, not curated.

• West Berkshire · compare
• Cherwell · compare
• City of Edinburgh · compare
• Bromsgrove · compare
• Stratford-on-Avon · compare
• Tonbridge and Malling · compare

Since you moved here

Pick the year you arrived, and see what every series published for Central Bedfordshire said then and says now, with the periods named. Central Bedfordshire since you moved here, or read the whole run year by year.

Where these figures come from

Every figure above is published by the body named here, for the release named here. Figures marked as a Civometry calculation are arithmetic on those published figures and are not official statistics.

Not yet published here

Income, employment, benefits by area, health, education and religion for Central Bedfordshire are on the way where an open official source exists; where one does not, the data gaps register says why. Local claimant counts are behind a login.