Great Denham’s story
No listed buildings inside Great Denham’s built-up area
0% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Great DenhamBedfordshire
TownGrade
B+
#10 of 33 in Bedfordshire
Over-65s are only 4% of the population. 4,363 residents make their home in this town in Bedfordshire, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: N Chadwick · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
4,363
Census 2021 · Bedford council
Median home
£342K
231 sales in 3 years
Median age
31.7
4% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
48%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
15%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Great Denham a good place to live?
Mostly strong, with a single weak spot. Residents are healthier than most (A): life expectancy is 85.4 for men and 86.8 for women. Households here earn well: the mean household earns £81,713 a year. Buying the median home, at £342,000, takes 5.7 years of household income in the Bedford council area. The drawback is schools — primary results beat nearly a fifth of towns in England; secondary results beat 31% of towns in England. Put together, the subjects come to a B+ overall, better than 72% of UK towns. It ranks #10 of 33 in Bedfordshire. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for safety and B for walkability.
Figures: life expectancy and income, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · commuting, Census 2021.
How Great Denham grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Great Denham is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
HealthGraded on how healthy residents areAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 19% of towns in England; secondary results beat 31% of towns in EnglandC−Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work beat most townsA−Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB+Open →WalkabilityAbout average among the towns comparedBOpen →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesB−Open →SafetyNear typical for the towns comparedB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History0 listed buildingsD−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 14.7 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsAOpen →Civic life0.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryD−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Great Denham stand out
The 3 things Great Denham does most differently from other towns.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
Only 4% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
15% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
44% of commuters travel under 5 km.
Life expectancy, against UK towns
Health
86.8 and 85.4 years
Life expectancy at birth, women and men: longer than in 96% of UK towns
OHID Fingertips, 2019–23.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Great Denham.
History
No listed buildings in Great Denham
0listed buildingsD−History Grade
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
The national list protects one ancient monument in Great Denham. Historic England’s list has no building inside the town’s built-up area.
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
1
scheduled monument
0
registered parks and gardens
0%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
0
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
SchoolsC−
On exam results, Great Denham’s schools trail 80% of towns in England
C−School Grade
55% of pupils at the 17 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Below is its only school. Attainment 8 at the 4 secondary schools within 3 km averages 42.7, and 41% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Denham Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 677 | B+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Health
90% of people in Great Denham say their health is good or very good, more than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns
90%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
Of the 56 towns in Bedfordshire, Great Denham has the smallest share in bad or very bad health: 2.1%. At the census, 10% of people here had a disability, lower than both Bedfordshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (17%). Women here live to 86.8 on average and men to 85.4 (2019–23). One GP practice serves the town.
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 90%Fair 7%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2021 | Great Denham | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 90% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.1% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 10% | 15% | 17% |
85.4
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
86.8
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Read these answers with age in mind: they aren’t adjusted, so younger places do better. The Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Fewer commuters in Great Denham walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 15%
15%walk, cycle or ride
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 40% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
3.1% of 16 to 64s claimed unemployment benefits in 2026, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (2.3%) and England’s towns (2.3%). Driving is how just over four in five commuters got to work at the census. Work in town: 2% of resident commuters. Home was the main workplace for 40% of workers at the census.
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving82%
On foot5%
Train4%
Bicycle3%
Bus2%
40%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£82K
mean household income, before tax
3.1%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B
Walkability: more walkable than 56% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
HousingCost of living grade B−
Private renting is less common in Great Denham than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 15%
£342Kmedian sale
14% live in social housing, lower than both Bedfordshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%). Private rents average £1,173 a month across the Bedford council area. The owner-occupied share of households is 65%.
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Great Denham£342K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £454,995 | 51 |
| Semi-detached | £350,000 | 57 |
| Terraced | £345,000 | 65 |
| Flat or maisonette | £227,000 | 58 |
65%
of households own their home · England 61%
15%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,173
average private rent a month, Bedford council area
£2,456
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
A town of families: 27% of people in Great Denham are under 15, more than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns
31.7median age
People aged 15 to 24 are nearly a tenth of the population. 3.9% of residents are 65 or over, below Bedfordshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Half of Great Denham is older than 31.7, half younger. Among adults, 48% have a degree.
Great DenhamBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
10%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications7%
Apprenticeship3%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level48%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Great Denham | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 27% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.5% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 43% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 16% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 3.9% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 7.3% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 48% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Safety
Homes in Great Denham see more burglary and damage than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 12.2 per 1,000 a year
20.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
The 12 months to August 2026 brought 178 recorded crimes inside Great Denham’s built-up area, and 63 reports of anti-social behaviour. 44% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 11.8 reports per 1,000, above Bedfordshire’s towns (10.2) and England’s towns (7.8) alike.
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 52% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual78
Vehicle crime27
Other theft21
Public order20
Damage & arson11
Shoplifting5
Burglary4
Drugs3
Anti-social63
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.
20.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
12.2
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
11.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
178
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.
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Great Denham
14pages on Great Denham
The big questions
SafetyB−20.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB−Median home £342K · rent £1,173 a monthHousing72 sold in 12 months · busiest street Greenkeepers RoadSchoolsC−1 state schoolHealthALife expectancy 85.4 (men), 86.8 (women)Work & commuteA−50% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB+0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Bedford Castle and 5 more in and around Great Denham
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Great Denham. Best known first.
CastleBedford Castle2.5 km outside town, to the east
MuseumThe Higgins2.5 km outside town, to the east
MuseumJohn Bunyan museum2.5 km outside town, to the east
MuseumMoot Hall2.7 km outside town, to the southeast
MuseumPanacea Museum2.6 km outside town, to the eastTheme parkTheme parkUniversal United Kingdom Resort3.7 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 (5)
- 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
- Panacea Museum: Paul Harrop, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
About Great Denham
Town in Bedfordshire, England
Great Denham is a built-up area of 4,363 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
- 4,363 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Bedford
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003633
Great Denham’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
KempstonBromhamWoottonBedfordClaphamOakleyWixamsGreat Denham
Questions about Great Denham
Who lives in Great Denham?
A young town. At the 2021 Census, 27% of residents were under 15 and 43% were 25 to 44, against 18% and 27% across England’s towns; only 3.9% were 65 or over.
Are schools in Great Denham good?
GCSE results trail 69% of towns in England, and primary results trail 81% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Bedford council.
Does Great Denham flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
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.