Kensworth’s story
5 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Kensworth’s built-up area.
14% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
KensworthBedfordshire
1,517 residents make their home in this village in Bedfordshire, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: David Hillas · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,517
Census 2021 · Central Bedfordshire council
Median home
£515K
50 sales in 3 years
Median age
46
21% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
34%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Kensworth a good place to live?
Hazard risk is its strong suit (B+). Few people walk, cycle or take the bus to work: 6% of commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. It also trails on schools: primary results beat just over two in five towns in England; secondary results beat 16% of towns in England. At a median £515,000, a home costs 7.9 times the yearly income of households in the Central Bedfordshire council area. Its other grades sit near the middle: B for health and C+ for jobs & income.
Figures: flood risk, Environment Agency · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · incomes and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP. An overall grade needs 2,500 residents, so Kensworth is graded subject by subject only.
How Kensworth grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Kensworth is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carD−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 42% of towns in England; secondary results beat 16% of towns in EnglandC−Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB+Open →SafetyWeaker than most of the towns comparedC+Open →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnC+Open →Jobs & income2.9% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsC+Open →HealthLife expectancy 81.3 for men, 85.1 for womenBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryLess recorded history than most townsCOpen →Outdoors79% live within 400 m of a park; 59% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeBOpen →Civic life2 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryC−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Kensworth stand out
The 2 things Kensworth does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Kensworth.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
More commuters in Kensworth drive than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 92%
6%walk, cycle or ride
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 34% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
For every resident in work, Kensworth has 0.5 jobs. Nearly a quarter of commuters travelled under 5 km, lower than both Bedfordshire’s towns (42%) and England’s towns (45%). Also worth knowing: average household income comes to £61K a year before tax. Of the commuters living in the town, 4% work in the town itself.
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
On foot3%
Train2%
Bus1%
23%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
34%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£61K
mean household income, before tax
2.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D−
Walkability: more walkable than 3% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
SchoolsC−
School results in Kensworth are weaker than in 76% of towns in England
C−School Grade
At the 6 primary schools within 3 km, three in five pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Its only school is listed below. GCSE results at the 2 secondary schools within 3 km: 37% of pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 40.2.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kensworth Church of England AcademyLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 90 | D− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
History
All 5 of Kensworth’s listed buildings are Grade II
5listed buildingsCHistory Grade
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
The pre-1919 share of homes is 14%. For its size, Kensworth has 33 listed buildings per 10,000 residents, below Bedfordshire’s towns (41) and England’s towns (39) alike.
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II5
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
14%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
33
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Burglary and damage hit Kensworth harder than Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 16.9 per 1,000 residents a year
21.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC+Safety Grade
Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Kensworth has more crime per resident than 81% of them. The 12 months to August 2026 brought 74 recorded crimes inside the town’s built-up area, and 7 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 43% of recorded crime.
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 19% 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 & sexual32
Damage & arson18
Public order5
Drugs5
Vehicle crime4
Other theft3
Burglary3
Weapons2
Anti-social7
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.
21.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
16.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
74
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.
HousingCost of living grade C+
Private renting is less common in Kensworth than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 7%
£515Kmedian sale
72% of households are owner-occupiers. Social housing holds a fifth of households, higher than both Bedfordshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%). Private rents average £1,250 a month across the Central Bedfordshire council area.
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Kensworth£515K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £570,000 | 27 |
| Semi-detached | £450,000 | 17 |
| Terraced | £337,500 | 6 |
72%
of households own their home · England 61%
7%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,250
average private rent a month, Central Bedfordshire council area
£2,484
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Health
Most people in Kensworth (83%) report good or very good health
83%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
Seeing a GP means leaving Kensworth: the nearest practice is 2.1 miles away. The nearest A&E to Kensworth is Luton and Dunstable Hospital, 3.2 miles away. Women here live to 85.1 on average and men to 81.3 (2019–23).
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Kensworth | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 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 · These shares come straight from the census, without allowing for age, and young towns benefit; the Health Grade instead weighs age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
Who lives here
Few people in Kensworth are 15 to 24: 9%, fewer than in both Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
46median age
Kensworth has a median age of 46. People 65 and over make up 21% of the town, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%). Children are 17% of the town.
KensworthBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
21%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications18%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar15%
Degree level34%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 94 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Kensworth | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 21% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 18% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.7% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 34% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kensworth
15pages on Kensworth
The big questions
SafetyC+21.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £515K · rent £1,250 a monthHousing18 sold in 12 months · busiest street Common RoadSchoolsC−1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 81.3 (men), 85.1 (women)Work & commuteC+54% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB+0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Whipsnade Zoo and 12 more in and around Kensworth
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Kensworth. Best known first.
ZooWhipsnade Zoo1.8 km outside town, to the west
Abbey or prioryDunstable Priory3.3 km outside town, to the north
Historic houseBeechwood Park3.3 km outside town, to the south
MuseumStockwood Discovery Centre5 km outside town, to the eastGardenGarden · National TrustWhipsnade Tree Cathedral1 km outside town, to the westPark or estatePark or estate · National TrustDunstable Downs1.7 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
- Dunstable Priory: Mike Stuchbery Mikestuchbery, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Beechwood Park: Wanderingyid, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stockwood Discovery Centre: GualdimG, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
About Kensworth
Village in Bedfordshire, England
Kensworth is a built-up area of 1,517 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
- 1,517 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Central Bedfordshire
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004257
Kensworth’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
MarkyateCaddingtonDunstableSlip EndTotternhoeFlamsteadEaton Bray and EdlesboroughKensworth
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kensworth | 1,517 | — | — | C+ | C+ | B |
| Markyate | 3,174 | 2 | C+ | C | C+ | A− |
| Caddington | 3,288 | 2 | B+ | B− | B+ | B− |
| Dunstable | 34,498 | 2.5 | B− | A− | C | C+ |
| Slip End | 1,410 | 2.9 | — | B | B | C+ |
| Totternhoe | 1,017 | 3.5 | — | B− | B− | B |
| Flamstead | 1,055 | 3.6 | — | D | A | A− |
| Eaton Bray and Edlesborough | 4,201 | 3.8 | B | C | B+ | A− |
Slip End, Totternhoe and Flamstead have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Kensworth
Is Kensworth expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £515,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £337,500, semi-detached houses £450,000 and detached houses £570,000.
Are schools in Kensworth good?
GCSE results trail 84% of towns in England, and primary results trail 58% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Central Bedfordshire council.
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.