Holywell’s story
No listed buildings inside Holywell’s built-up area
11% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
HolywellBedfordshire
The village has 599 residents and lies in Bedfordshire, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Robin Hall · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
599
Census 2021 · Central Bedfordshire council
Median home
£840K
31 sales in 3 years
Median age
57.3
34% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
44%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
3%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Holywell a good place to live?
Towns under 1,000 residents aren’t graded, so Holywell has no grades; its figures are still real. 3% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. Homes sell for a median £840,000. 34% of residents are 65 or over.
What makes Holywell stand out
The 3 things Holywell does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
3% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
3 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
34% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Whipsnade Zoo and 12 more in and around Holywell
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Holywell. Best known first.
ZooWhipsnade Zoo1.3 km outside town, to the west
Historic houseAshridge5 km outside town, to the southwest
Abbey or prioryDunstable Priory4.2 km outside town, to the north
Historic houseBeechwood Park3.4 km outside town, to the southeastGardenGarden · National TrustWhipsnade Tree Cathedral1.1 km outside town, to the northwestPark or estatePark or estate · National TrustDunstable Downs2.5 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 (4)
- Whipsnade Zoo: Mike Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ashridge: myself, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dunstable Priory: Mike Stuchbery Mikestuchbery, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Beechwood Park: Wanderingyid, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Holywell.
Who lives here
Fewer children live in Holywell than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 11% are under 15
People aged 15 to 24 make up 6.3% of the town. Half the people of Holywell are older than 57.3. Degrees are held by 44% of adults, above Bedfordshire’s towns (32%) and England’s towns (34%) alike.
57.3median age
HolywellBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
34%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications13%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar14%
Degree level44%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Holywell | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.3% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 11% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 37% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 34% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 13% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.1% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 44% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Work & commute
Fewer commuters in Holywell work nearby than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 16% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 50% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
By car: that was how 94% of commuters travelled at the census. Unemployment benefit claims came to 1% of 16 to 64s in 2026, lower than both Bedfordshire’s towns (2.3%) and England’s towns (2.3%). Working from home was the norm for 50% of workers at the census.
3%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving94%
On foot2%
Train2%
16%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
50%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£61K
mean household income, before tax
1%
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
Few households rent privately in Holywell: 2%, fewer than in both Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
97% of households own their home, above Bedfordshire’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%) alike. Council and housing-body homes hold 1% of households. Private rents average £1,250 a month across the Central Bedfordshire council area.
£840Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Holywell£840K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £850,000 | 29 |
97%
of households own their home · England 61%
2%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,250
average private rent a month, Central Bedfordshire council area
£2,396
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 Holywell: 5.6 per 1,000 residents a year, under Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
There were 1.7 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), lower than both Bedfordshire’s towns (10.2) and England’s towns (7.8). Burglary and damage come to 3.9 per 1,000 residents a year. In the 12 months to August 2026, police logged 6 crimes and 1 reports of anti-social behaviour inside Holywell’s built-up area. Also worth knowing: 17% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
5.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual1
Damage & arson1
Burglary1
Vehicle crime1
Weapons1
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Public order0
Anti-social1
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.
5.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
6
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
83% of residents say their health is good or very good
Holywell has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.7 miles away. 15% of residents have a disability, close to Bedfordshire’s towns (15%) and below England’s towns (17%). At the census, 4.3% of people here described their health as bad or very bad.
83%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Holywell | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.3% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
81.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.1
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.
History
No listed buildings in Holywell
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 11% of the total, below Bedfordshire’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (16%) alike. Historic England’s list has no building inside Holywell’s built-up area.
0listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
11%
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
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Holywell
13pages on Holywell
The big questions
Safety5.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £840K · rent £1,250 a monthHousing9 sold in 12 months · busiest street Holywell RoadSchoolsHealthLife expectancy 81.3 (men), 85.1 (women)Work & commute63% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Holywell’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
KensworthMarkyateDunstableCaddingtonTotternhoeEaton Bray and EdlesboroughSlip EndHolywell
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holywell | 599 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kensworth | 1,517 | 1 | — | C+ | C+ | B |
| Markyate | 3,174 | 2.6 | C+ | C | C+ | A− |
| Dunstable | 34,498 | 2.8 | B− | A− | C | C+ |
| Caddington | 3,288 | 3 | B+ | B− | B+ | B− |
| Totternhoe | 1,017 | 3.3 | — | B− | B− | B |
| Eaton Bray and Edlesborough | 4,201 | 3.3 | B | C | B+ | A− |
| Slip End | 1,410 | 3.8 | — | B | B | C+ |
Kensworth, Totternhoe and Slip End have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Holywell
How much is council tax in Holywell?
Band D council tax in Holywell is £2,396 for 2026–27, less than in 59% 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 Holywell
Village in Bedfordshire, England
Holywell is a built-up area of 599 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
- 599 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Central Bedfordshire
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004273
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.