Carlton’s story
27 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Carlton’s built-up area.
31% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
CarltonBedfordshire
924 people call this village in Bedfordshire, East of England home.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Unknown author · Public domain
Population
924
Census 2021 · Bedford council
Median home
£425K
33 sales in 3 years
Median age
50.1
25% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
45%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Carlton a good place to live?
There are no grades for Carlton: with fewer than 1,000 residents, they wouldn’t be fair. The figures on this page are still real. On the way to work, 9% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. 27 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I.
What makes Carlton stand out
The 3 things Carlton does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 12 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.5 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Carlton.
Work & commute
The car carries 82% of commuters in Carlton, more than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 41% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The average household earns £66K a year before tax. Working mainly from home: just over two in five workers, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (30%) and England’s towns (31%). Unemployment benefit claims reached 1.7% of 16 to 64s in 2026. Of the commuters living in Carlton, 5% work in the town itself.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving82%
On foot7%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
9%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
41%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£66K
mean household income, before tax
1.7%
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
Schools
The schools around Carlton
Below is its only school. At the 3 primary schools within 3 km, 64% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). The town’s primary school has 87 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlton CofE Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 87 | C+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Housing
Most households in Carlton own their home: 79%, more than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns
Council and housing-body homes hold 5% of households. 13% rent privately, below both Bedfordshire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (21%). The median sale, £425,000, comes from 33 standard sales inside Carlton’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026.
£425Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Carlton£425K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £621,250 | 18 |
| Semi-detached | £338,750 | 12 |
79%
of households own their home · England 61%
13%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,173
average private rent a month, Bedford council area
£2,490
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
Violent crime runs low in Carlton: 6.9 per 1,000 residents a year, under Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
Police figures for Carlton’s built-up area: 16 crimes and 6 anti-social behaviour reports in the 12 months to August 2026. Each year, 4 burglaries and acts of damage are recorded per 1,000 residents. Violence and sexual offences accounted for half of recorded crime. There were 4.3 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), lower than both Bedfordshire’s towns (10.2) and England’s towns (7.8).
6.9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual8
Public order4
Burglary3
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Damage & arson0
Other theft0
Drugs0
Anti-social6
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.
6.9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
16
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.
Health
84% of people in Carlton rate their health good or very good
Carlton has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 0.9 miles away. The nearest A&E to Carlton is Bedford Hospital, 7 miles away. 18% of residents in Carlton live with a disability.
84%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Carlton | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.9% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 18% | 15% | 17% |
82
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.7
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Young towns look healthier on these answers, which aren’t adjusted for age; the Health Grade uses measures that are, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
History
More buildings in Carlton are listed than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 292 per 10,000 residents
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Homes from before 1919 make up 31% of the total, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (16%). Of Carlton’s land, 35% lies in conservation areas, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (4%) and England’s towns (7%).
27listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II27
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
31%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
292
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
Degrees are more common in Carlton than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 45% of adults
Retirement age and beyond: 25% of residents are 65 or older. Children under 15 make up 15%, below Bedfordshire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Those aged 15 to 24 account for one in ten residents. Half the people of Carlton are older than 50.1.
50.1median age
CarltonBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
25%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications10%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level45%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Carlton | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 17% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 33% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 25% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 10% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 3.9% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 45% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Colworth House and 3 more in and around Carlton
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Carlton. Best known first.
Historic houseColworth House4.8 km outside town, to the northeast
CastleLavendon Castle3.4 km outside town, to the west
Historic houseTurvey House2.7 km outside town, to the southwest
Abbey or prioryTurvey Abbey2.8 km outside town, to the southPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Colworth House: Lecomte99 at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Lavendon Castle: Nigel Stickells, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Turvey House: James Yardley, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Turvey Abbey: Stephen Craven, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Carlton
14pages on Carlton
The big questions
Safety6.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £425K · rent £1,173 a monthHousing5 sold in 12 months · busiest street John Bunyan CourtSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 82 (men), 87.7 (women)Work & commute58% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Carlton’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HarroldLavendonSharnbrookBozeatOakleyBromhamClaphamCarlton
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlton | 924 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Harrold | 1,668 | 0.9 | — | B− | B+ | A− |
| Lavendon | 1,469 | 2.7 | — | C | B+ | A− |
| Sharnbrook | 1,744 | 3.5 | — | C+ | B+ | A |
| Bozeat | 2,166 | 3.6 | — | C+ | A | B− |
| Oakley | 2,507 | 3.7 | A | C+ | A | B+ |
| Bromham | 4,652 | 4.2 | A− | C | A+ | A+ |
| Clapham | 4,502 | 4.7 | B | B+ | B | B |
Harrold, Lavendon, Sharnbrook and Bozeat have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Carlton
How many listed buildings are there in Carlton?
That is 12 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Carlton expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £425,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £338,750 and detached houses £621,250. Private rents in the Bedford council area averaged £1,173 a month in August 2026.
How much is council tax in Carlton?
Band D council tax in Carlton is £2,490 for 2026–27, more than in 62% 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 Carlton
Village in Bedfordshire, England
Carlton is a built-up area of 924 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
- 924 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Bedford
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003492
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.