Cardington’s story
28 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Cardington’s built-up area.
19% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
CardingtonBedfordshire
331 residents make their home in this village in Bedfordshire, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Ian Capper · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
331
Census 2021 · Bedford council
Median home
£403K
163 sales in 3 years
Median age
50.7
22% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
32%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Cardington a good place to live?
There are no grades for Cardington: with fewer than 1,000 residents, they wouldn’t be fair. The figures on this page are still real. On the way to work, 11% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. 28 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I.
What makes Cardington stand out
The 3 things Cardington does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
11% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Howard's House; 34.7 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Households renting privately
Housing
of households, against 21% across England’s towns
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Bedford Castle and 9 more in and around Cardington
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Cardington. Best known first.
CastleBedford Castle3.6 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumThe Higgins3.6 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumJohn Bunyan museum3.6 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumMoot Hall3.5 km outside town, to the west
Historic houseMoggerhanger House4.1 km outside town, to the east
MuseumPanacea Museum3.5 km outside town, to the northwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Bedford Castle: Matthew Paris, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- The Higgins: Simon Speed, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Bunyan museum: Simon Speed, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Moot Hall: Shritwod at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Moggerhanger House: John Brightley, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Panacea Museum: Paul Harrop, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Cardington.
Work & commute
More people aged 16 to 64 in Cardington claim unemployment benefits than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 4.5%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 42% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
At the census, 87% of commuters went by car. Work in town: 1% of resident commuters. Jobs per working resident: 1.8. 29% of commuters travelled under 5 km, below Bedfordshire’s towns (42%) and England’s towns (45%) alike.
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
On foot6%
Train3%
Bicycle2%
29%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
42%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£65K
mean household income, before tax
4.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Housing
Cardington is a renters’ town: 45% of households rent privately, more than in both Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
Owners make up just over two in five households, below Bedfordshire’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%) alike. Private rents average £1,173 a month across the Bedford council area. From September 2023 to August 2026, 163 homes sold inside Cardington’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £402,758.
£403Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Cardington£403K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £460,750 | 109 |
| Semi-detached | £358,625 | 43 |
| Terraced | £340,000 | 11 |
41%
of households own their home · England 61%
45%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,173
average private rent a month, Bedford council area
£2,525
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Safety
Cardington records more burglary and damage per resident than Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns, at 34.2 per 1,000 a year
Violence came to 46.3 per 1,000 residents a year, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (18.6) and England’s towns (22). The 12 months to August 2026 brought 30 recorded crimes inside Cardington’s built-up area, and 2 reports of anti-social behaviour.
46.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual17
Burglary4
Damage & arson3
Other theft3
Other crime2
Vehicle crime1
Shoplifting0
Public order0
Anti-social2
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.
46.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
34.2
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9.1
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
30
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Health
86% of people in Cardington say their health is good or very good, more than in both Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
3.9% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, below both Bedfordshire’s towns (4.3%) and England’s towns (5.2%). A disability affects 14% of people in Cardington. There is no GP practice in the town: the nearest is 2.1 miles off.
86%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Cardington | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.9% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
79.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.3
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Cardington is rich in listed buildings: 846 per 10,000 residents, more than in both Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Grade II* covers 1 of them. Of Cardington’s land, 42% lies in conservation areas, higher than both Bedfordshire’s towns (4%) and England’s towns (7%). Also worth knowing: homes from before 1919 make up nearly a fifth of the total.
28listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II27
Among them · Grade II*
- Howard's House Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
1
registered park and garden
19%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
846
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
Children make up only 13% of Cardington, fewer than in both Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
People aged 15 to 24 make up 9.9% of the town, below both Bedfordshire’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). 22% of residents have reached 65. Half of Cardington is older than 50.7, half younger.
50.7median age
CardingtonBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
22%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level32%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 89 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Cardington | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.9% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 36% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 22% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 8.2% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 32% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cardington
13pages on Cardington
The big questions
Safety46.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £403K · rent £1,173 a monthHousing28 sold in 12 months · busiest street Mason RoadSchoolsHealthLife expectancy 79.8 (men), 84.3 (women)Work & commute60% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Cardington’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ShortstownBedfordWilsteadWixamsKempstonGreat BarfordGreat DenhamCardington
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardington | 331 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Shortstown | 4,837 | 0.9 | C+ | B | C | C+ |
| Bedford | 97,226 | 2.5 | C− | B | D | C− |
| Wilstead | 2,404 | 3 | — | C | A− | C+ |
| Wixams | 6,044 | 3.2 | C− | C+ | C− | B |
| Kempston | 22,779 | 3.6 | C | B+ | C− | C− |
| Great Barford | 2,254 | 3.7 | — | C+ | B+ | B |
| Great Denham | 4,363 | 4.2 | B+ | B− | B− | A |
Wilstead and Great Barford have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Cardington
How many listed buildings are there in Cardington?
That is 34.7 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Cardington expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £402,758, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £340,000, semi-detached houses £358,625 and detached houses £460,750.
How much is council tax in Cardington?
Band D council tax in Cardington is £2,525 for 2026–27, more than in 70% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Cardington
Village in Bedfordshire, England
Cardington is a built-up area of 331 people, in the Bedford 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
- 331 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Bedford
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003653
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.