Hockliffe’s story
16 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Hockliffe’s built-up area.
20% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
HockliffeBedfordshire
It is a village of 1,068 residents in Bedfordshire, East of England. Just 13% of residents are 65 or older.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Rob Farrow · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,068
Census 2021 · Central Bedfordshire council
Median home
£314K
60 sales in 3 years
Median age
38.4
13% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
30%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
7%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Hockliffe a good place to live?
Hockliffe does especially well on cost of living — a typical home costs £314,499 and rent runs £1,250 a month. Jobs and pay hold up well: households earn a mean £68,649 a year, and 1.8% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Most journeys need a car (D): on the way to work, 7% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. Safety is weaker too: police record 20.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 17.8 home and vehicle crimes. Against UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, it has more crime per resident than 80%.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021 · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Hockliffe is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
No state school with published KS2 or GCSE results is in or within 3 km of this town, so it has no School Grade.
What makes Hockliffe stand out
The 3 things Hockliffe does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
7% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
16 listed buildings
0 Grade II*; 6.1 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
Only 13% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Hockliffe grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Hockliffe is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Hockliffe is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carDOpen →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the strongest comparedA−Open →Cost of livingMedian sale £314,499, 4.8 years of area incomeA−Open →Hazard risk1.2% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaCOpen →SafetyBelow the middle of the towns comparedC+Open →HealthLife expectancy 81.2 for men, 83.1 for womenB−Open →
SchoolsNot graded yet–
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageB+Open →Outdoors49% live within 400 m of a park; 1.2 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsD−Open →Civic life4.7 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 Hockliffe.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Under 5 km to work: 13% in Hockliffe, fewer than in Bedfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 32% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
About 6% of its commuters stay in Hockliffe for work. At the census, 92% of commuters went by car. There are 0.6 jobs in Hockliffe for each resident in work.
7%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
On foot5%
13%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
32%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£69K
mean household income, before tax
1.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 5% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Schools
The schools around Hockliffe
There is one school here; it is shown below. 67 pupils attend Hockliffe’s one primary school.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hockliffe Lower SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 67 | – |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade A−
Most households in Hockliffe own their home: 71%, more than in Bedfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The social rented sector houses one in ten households. Private renters make up 17% of households, lower than both Bedfordshire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (21%). Also worth knowing: the £314,499 median rests on 60 standard sales inside the built-up area (September 2023 to August 2026).
£314Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Hockliffe£314K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £410,000 | 13 |
| Semi-detached | £335,000 | 13 |
| Terraced | £280,000 | 27 |
| Flat or maisonette | £155,000 | 7 |
71%
of households own their home · England 61%
17%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,250
average private rent a month, Central Bedfordshire council area
£2,516
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
History
Hockliffe is rich in listed buildings: 150 per 10,000 residents, more than in Bedfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
20% of its homes were built before 1919, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (16%).
16listed buildingsB+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II16
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
20%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
150
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Per resident, Hockliffe sees more crime than 62% of UK towns
The 12 months to August 2026 brought 59 recorded crimes inside Hockliffe’s built-up area, and 15 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences made up a quarter of the total. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 12.8 reports per 1,000, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (10.2) and England’s towns (7.8).
20.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 20% 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 & sexual15
Vehicle crime13
Other theft12
Public order7
Drugs4
Damage & arson3
Other crime3
Burglary1
Anti-social15
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.
20.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
17.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
12.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
59
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
Most people in Hockliffe (84%) report good or very good health
The nearest A&E to Hockliffe is Luton and Dunstable Hospital, 5.4 miles away. There is no GP practice in the town: the nearest is 2.6 miles off. A disability affects 16% of people in the town.
84%good or very good healthB−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Hockliffe | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.3% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 15% | 17% |
81.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.1
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · No age adjustment applies to these census answers, which flatter younger towns; the Health Grade’s measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them, do allow for age.
Who lives here
Few people in Hockliffe are 15 to 24: 8.9%, fewer than in Bedfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
18% are under 15, below Bedfordshire’s towns (20%) and close to England’s towns (18%). People 65 and over make up 13% of the town. At 38.4, the median resident of Hockliffe sits in the middle of the age range. Graduates make up 30% of adults.
38.4median age
HockliffeBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
9%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar23%
Degree level30%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 96 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Hockliffe | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.9% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 33% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 13% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.3% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 23% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 30% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Leighton Buzzard Light Railway and 2 more in and around Hockliffe
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Hockliffe. Best known first.
Heritage railwayLeighton Buzzard Light Railway4.9 km outside town, to the southwestAttractionAttractionMead Open Farm3.9 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumLeighton Buzzard Railway Museum5 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)
- Leighton Buzzard Light Railway: G-Man at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hockliffe
15pages on Hockliffe
The big questions
SafetyC+20.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £314K · rent £1,250 a monthHousing18 sold in 12 months · busiest street Watling StreetSchools1 state schoolHealthB−Life expectancy 81.2 (men), 83.1 (women)Work & commuteA−54% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC1.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Hockliffe’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ToddingtonHeath and ReachLeighton BuzzardHoughton RegisTotternhoeEaton Bray and EdlesboroughDunstableHockliffe
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hockliffe | 1,068 | — | — | A− | C+ | B− |
| Toddington | 4,509 | 2.4 | B+ | B | B+ | B− |
| Heath and Reach | 1,451 | 3.1 | — | B | A | B− |
| Leighton Buzzard | 42,736 | 3.2 | B+ | B+ | C+ | B− |
| Houghton Regis | 18,814 | 3.4 | C− | B+ | D | C− |
| Totternhoe | 1,017 | 3.4 | — | B− | B− | B |
| Eaton Bray and Edlesborough | 4,201 | 4.1 | B | C | B+ | A− |
| Dunstable | 34,498 | 4.2 | B− | A− | C | C+ |
Heath and Reach and Totternhoe have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Hockliffe
How many listed buildings are there in Hockliffe?
That is 6.1 times the typical UK town for its size.
Who lives in Hockliffe?
A young village. At the 2021 Census, 18% of residents were under 15 and 33% were 25 to 44, against 18% and 27% across England’s towns; only 13% were 65 or over.
Is Hockliffe safe?
Burglary was rare, with 1 report in the year.
Does Hockliffe flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Hockliffe
Village in Bedfordshire, England
Hockliffe is a built-up area of 1,068 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
- 1,068 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Central Bedfordshire
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004081
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.