Henlow’s story
11 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Henlow’s built-up area.
16% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
HenlowBedfordshire
Population 2,446: a village in Bedfordshire, East of England. Primary school results beat 93% of towns in England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Matthew Sheasby · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,446
Census 2021 · Central Bedfordshire council
Median home
£440K
109 sales in 3 years
Median age
46
21% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
34%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
14%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Henlow a good place to live?
Henlow’s strongest is jobs & income (A−): households earn a mean £61,975 a year, and 1.8% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Add safety to its strengths — 14.7 violent and sexual offences and 7.8 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year. The median home sold for £440,000, 6.7 times what households in the Central Bedfordshire council area earn in a year. Hazard risk is higher than most (D): 3.6% of homes face a high or medium risk of river or sea flooding. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B for health and B− for walkability.
Figures: income and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · flood risk, Environment Agency · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · commuting, Census 2021. Henlow is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
What makes Henlow stand out
The 3 things Henlow does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
14% leave the car
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.6 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Primary results, towns in England
Schools
Primary results beat 93%
of towns in England, on Key Stage 2 reading, writing and maths
Secondary results beat 44%. Department for Education.
How Henlow grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Henlow is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Henlow is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
Hazard riskNear the bottom of the towns comparedDOpen →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workA−Open →SafetyLess crime than in most townsA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 93% of towns in England; secondary results beat 44% of towns in EnglandB+Open →HealthLife expectancy 80.8 for men, 82.8 for womenBOpen →WalkabilityClose to the middle of the towns comparedB−Open →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryNear typical for the towns comparedB−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 2.4 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsBOpen →Civic life2 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryCOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Henlow.
Safety
Henlow has less crime per resident than 76% of UK towns
In the 12 months to August 2026, police logged 65 crimes and 32 reports of anti-social behaviour inside Henlow’s built-up area. 37% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. There were 10.5 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), near Bedfordshire’s towns (10.2) and higher than England’s towns (7.8).
14.7violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 59% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual24
Vehicle crime11
Damage & arson8
Other theft6
Public order5
Burglary3
Shoplifting2
Drugs2
Anti-social32
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.
14.7
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
65
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.
SchoolsB+
Results at Henlow’s schools beat 73% of towns in England
Secondary results at the 3 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 45.1, with 43% at grade 5 or above in English and maths. Below are its three schools. Some 1,264 pupils attend Henlow’s two primaries and one secondary.
B+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derwent Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 419 | B+ |
| Henlow Church of England AcademyLargest secondary schoolSecondary | Secondary | 599 | C− |
| Raynsford Church of England AcademyTop results in townPrimary | Primary | 246 | A− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 3 schools →
Health
Bad health is less common in Henlow than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 3.3% of residents
The nearest A&E to Henlow is Lister Hospital, 8 miles away. Self-reported good health: 85% of the town’s residents. The town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 1.6 miles away.
85%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Henlow | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.3% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
80.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.8
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · The census answers take no account of age, so a young town looks healthier; the Health Grade relies on age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
The car carries 84% of commuters in Henlow, more than in Bedfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 38% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
27% of commuters travelled under 5 km to work. At the census, 14% went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport, below Bedfordshire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (27%) alike. Home was the main workplace for 38% of workers at the census. Work in town: nearly a tenth of resident commuters.
14%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving84%
On foot8%
Train4%
Bicycle2%
Bus1%
27%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
38%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£62K
mean household income, before tax
1.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 53% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Listed buildings in Henlow: 11, with 1 at Grade I
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Henlow’s listed buildings include the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Grade I. Conservation areas cover 17% of the town’s land, higher than both Bedfordshire’s towns (4%) and England’s towns (7%). Homes from before 1919 make up 16% of the total.
11listed buildingsB−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*1
Grade II9
Among them · Grade I
- Church of St Mary the Virgin Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
16%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
45
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
HousingCost of living grade B−
Private renting is less common in Henlow than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 10%
Owners make up 70% of households, higher than both Bedfordshire’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%). Private rents average £1,250 a month across the Central Bedfordshire council area. From September 2023 to August 2026, 109 homes sold inside Henlow’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £440,000.
£440Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Henlow£440K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £590,000 | 45 |
| Semi-detached | £452,500 | 24 |
| Terraced | £327,500 | 37 |
70%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,250
average private rent a month, Central Bedfordshire council area
£2,472
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
Older residents shape Henlow: 21% are 65 or over, above Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
Children under 15 make up 18%, lower than Bedfordshire’s towns (20%) and near England’s towns (18%). Young adults of 15 to 24 account for 9.6% of the town. Residents of Henlow have a median age of 46.
46median age
HenlowBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
21%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications15%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level34%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 91 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Henlow | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.6% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 21% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 15% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.3% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 34% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →RAF Henlow and 2 more in and around Henlow
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Henlow. Best known first.
MuseumRAF Henlow1.4 km outside town, to the southwestCastleCastleMeppershall Castel4.5 km outside town, to the southwestHistoric siteHistoric siteHawker Hunter WT6121.9 km outside town, to the southwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- RAF Henlow: M J Richardson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Henlow
15pages on Henlow
The big questions
SafetyA−14.7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB−Median home £440K · rent £1,250 a monthHousing30 sold in 12 months · busiest street High StreetSchoolsB+3 state schoolsHealthBLife expectancy 80.8 (men), 82.8 (women)Work & commuteA−59% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD3.6% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Henlow
3 notable people were born in Henlow.
Henlow’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
CliftonArleseyLangfordLower StondonSheffordMeppershallStotfoldHenlow
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henlow | 2,446 | — | — | B− | A− | B |
| Clifton | 2,769 | 0.8 | B | B | C+ | B+ |
| Arlesey | 6,027 | 1.5 | B | A− | B− | B− |
| Langford | 3,712 | 1.8 | B | B− | B | B |
| Lower Stondon | 3,966 | 2 | B+ | B | B | A− |
| Shefford | 7,317 | 2.1 | B | B+ | C | A− |
| Meppershall | 2,044 | 2.4 | — | C+ | B+ | B+ |
| Stotfold | 12,313 | 2.5 | B+ | B− | B+ | A− |
Meppershall has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Henlow
Does Henlow flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
Is Henlow expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £440,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £327,500, semi-detached houses £452,500 and detached houses £590,000. Household incomes are higher than in 73% of UK towns, so cost of living still grades B−.
Is Henlow safe?
About the middle for its size: 41% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people report less crime per resident. Against all UK towns, it grades A−.
About Henlow
Village in Bedfordshire, England
Henlow is a built-up area of 2,446 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
- 2,446 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Central Bedfordshire
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003857
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.