Bedford vs Central Bedfordshire
A side-by-side comparison of the Bedford and Central Bedfordshirelocal authority areas — population, density, deprivation and age profile, from ONS Census 2021 and each nation’s Indices of Deprivation.
In short: Central Bedfordshire is the more populous; council tax is lower in Bedford; Bedford has the higher share of Good/Outstanding schools.
| Bedford | Central Bedfordshire | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 185,227 | 294,252 |
| Density | 389/km² | 411/km² |
| Deprivation | 4% in most-deprived 10% | 0% in most-deprived 10% |
| Council tax (Band D) | £2,472 | £2,516 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 92% | 88% |
| Aged under 16 | 20% | 20% |
| Aged 16–64 | 63% | 62% |
| Aged 65+ | 17% | 18% |