Blunham’s story
17 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Blunham’s built-up area.
19% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BlunhamBedfordshire
Home to 1,391 people, this village lies in Bedfordshire, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: My another account · CC0
Population
1,391
Census 2021 · Central Bedfordshire council
Median home
£435K
73 sales in 3 years
Median age
44.7
23% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
33%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Blunham a good place to live?
Blunham’s strongest is health (B): life expectancy 82.2 for men, 84.6 for women. Crime runs high (D−): police record 114.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 29.5 home and vehicle crimes. Only 0% of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people have more crime per resident. The median home sold for £435,000, 6.6 times what households in the Central Bedfordshire council area earn in a year. It also trails on schools: primary results beat 6% of towns in England; secondary results beat 18% of towns in England. Getting around depends on the car: on the way to work, 8% walk, cycle or take a bus or train.
Figures: life expectancy and incomes, ONS · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · commuting, Census 2021. An overall grade needs 2,500 residents, so Blunham is graded subject by subject only.
What makes Blunham stand out
The 3 things Blunham does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
8% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Parish Church of St Edmund or St James; 5 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.6 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
How Blunham grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Blunham is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedD−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 6% of towns in England; secondary results beat 18% of towns in EnglandDOpen →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesDOpen →Hazard risk1% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaCOpen →HealthResidents are healthier than in most townsBOpen →Jobs & income2.5% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB−Open →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History19% of homes built before 1919B+Open →Outdoors77% live within 400 m of a park; 2.2 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsCOpen →Civic life3.6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Blunham.
Safety
Blunham has more crime per resident than 100% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Over the year to August 2026, 239 offences were reported in Blunham, along with 27 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 15.8 reports per 1,000, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (10.2) and England’s towns (7.8). Violence and sexual offences accounted for 76% of recorded crime.
114.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearD−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 0% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual181
Damage & arson23
Public order13
Other theft7
Vehicle crime5
Burglary4
Drugs3
Weapons1
Anti-social27
Not gradedAnti-social behaviour, shoplifting and other theft are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence and crimes against homes and vehicles per resident.
114.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
29.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
15.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
239
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.
SchoolsD
Blunham’s schools fall behind 92% of towns in England on results
Below is its only school. Attainment 8 at the one secondary school within 3 km averages 41.4, and 36% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths. 49% of pupils at the 8 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
DSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Donne Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 119 | D |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Only 12% of Blunham’s commuters work within 5 km, fewer than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 39% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Just over nine in ten commuters drove, above Bedfordshire’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (70%) alike. Home was the main workplace for nearly two in five workers at the census. Work in town: 2% of resident commuters. Households take home £68K a year before tax, on average.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving91%
On foot4%
Train2%
Bicycle1%
Bus1%
12%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
39%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£68K
mean household income, before tax
2.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 13% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Blunham is rich in listed buildings: 122 per 10,000 residents, more than Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
The top grade, Grade I, goes to 1 of them. Blunham’s listed buildings include the Parish Church of St Edmund or St James, Grade I. It counts 17 listed buildings on the national list (Historic England): 1 Grade I. Conservation areas cover just over a fifth of the town’s land, above Bedfordshire’s towns (4%) and England’s towns (7%) alike.
17listed buildingsB+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II16
Among them · Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
19%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
122
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
Just 3.5% of people in Blunham say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
Asked at the census, 86% of residents of Blunham said they were in good or very good health. There is no GP practice in the town: the nearest is 1.4 miles off. Men in Blunham can expect to live to 82.2, women to 84.6 (2019–23). The nearest A&E to Blunham is Bedford Hospital, 6.4 miles away.
86%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Blunham | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.5% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 17% | 15% | 17% |
82.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.6
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Because the census answers ignore age, a younger population lifts them; that is why the Health Grade is built on age-adjusted measures like life expectancy and early deaths.
HousingCost of living grade B−
Few households rent privately in Blunham: 5%, fewer than in Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
72% of households own their home, higher than both Bedfordshire’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%). Social renters account for a fifth of households. Private rents average £1,250 a month across the Central Bedfordshire council area.
£435Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Blunham£435K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £512,500 | 42 |
| Semi-detached | £398,000 | 23 |
| Terraced | £295,000 | 7 |
72%
of households own their home · England 61%
5%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,250
average private rent a month, Central Bedfordshire council area
£2,450
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Who lives here
An older town: 23% of people in Blunham are 65 or over, more than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns
People aged 15 to 24 make up 9.4% of the town, below both Bedfordshire’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). Blunham has a median age of 44.7. The under-15s are 18% of the population here.
44.7median age
BlunhamBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
23%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications17%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level33%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 90 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Blunham | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.4% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 23% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 17% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 33% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Moggerhanger House and 3 more in and around Blunham
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Blunham. Best known first.
Historic houseMoggerhanger House2.2 km outside town, to the southwestHistoric siteHistoric site · National TrustWillington Dovecote4 km outside town, to the westHistoric siteHistoric site · National TrustWillington Stables4.1 km outside town, to the westZooZooKnotts of Tempsford2.3 km outside town, to the northeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Moggerhanger House: John Brightley, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Blunham
15pages on Blunham
The big questions
SafetyD−114.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB−Median home £435K · rent £1,250 a monthHousing17 sold in 12 months · busiest street High StreetSchoolsD1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 82.2 (men), 84.6 (women)Work & commuteB−55% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Blunham’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Great BarfordSandyUpper CaldecotePottonBiggleswadeShortstownGamlingayBlunham
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blunham | 1,391 | — | — | B− | D− | B |
| Great Barford | 2,254 | 1.4 | — | C+ | B+ | B |
| Sandy | 11,375 | 1.7 | C+ | A− | C | C |
| Upper Caldecote | 1,333 | 3.6 | — | B− | B | B |
| Potton | 5,229 | 4.7 | B | B+ | B+ | A− |
| Biggleswade | 21,945 | 4.9 | B− | B+ | B− | C+ |
| Shortstown | 4,837 | 5.1 | C+ | B | C | C+ |
| Gamlingay | 2,920 | 5.6 | B+ | A− | B+ | A |
Great Barford and Upper Caldecote have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Blunham
How many listed buildings are there in Blunham?
That is 5 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Parish Church of St Edmund or St James.
Are schools in Blunham good?
GCSE results trail 82% of towns in England, and primary results trail 94% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Central Bedfordshire council.
Is Blunham expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £435,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £295,000, semi-detached houses £398,000 and detached houses £512,500. Household incomes are higher than in 86% of UK towns, so cost of living still grades B−.
About Blunham
Village in Bedfordshire, England
Blunham is a built-up area of 1,391 people, in the Central Bedfordshire council area. TownRatings uses ONS’s 2022 built-up areas as towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a council district, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from ONS geography and Census 2021
- Population
- 1,391 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Central Bedfordshire
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003576
Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · HM Land Registry Price Paid (standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026) · ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026, by council) · MHCLG and Welsh Government council tax, Band D 2026–27 (with parish precepts in England) · data.police.uk street-level crime, 36 months to August 2026, points inside the built-up-area boundary · ONS small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, 2019 to 2023 (England and Wales), OHID Fingertips small-area indicators (England) and Census 2021 health, adjusted for age · ONS small-area income estimates (financial year ending 2023) · DWP claimant count via Nomis (January to August 2026) · Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.