Lidlington’s story
4 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Lidlington’s built-up area.
17% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
LidlingtonBedfordshire
1,300 people call this village in Bedfordshire, East of England home.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Peter S · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,300
Census 2021 · Central Bedfordshire council
Median home
£350K
54 sales in 3 years
Median age
42.1
16% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
37%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Lidlington a good place to live?
Recorded crime is low: 19.5 violent and sexual offences and 3.3 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year. Housing is within reach (B+): a typical home costs £350,000 and rent runs £1,250 a month. Its lowest grade is for walkability — 8% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. Natural hazards weigh less here than in most UK towns (A).
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · commuting, Census 2021 · flood risk, Environment Agency. Lidlington 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 Lidlington stand out
The 2 things Lidlington does most differently from other towns.
How Lidlington grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Lidlington is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Lidlington is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
WalkabilityNear the bottom of the towns comparedDOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SafetyGraded on crime per residentA−Open →Cost of livingMedian sale £350,000, 5.3 years of area incomeB+Open →Jobs & income2.6% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB+Open →HealthLife expectancy 79.3 for men, 84.5 for womenBOpen →
SchoolsNot graded yet–
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryLess recorded history than most townsCOpen →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 1.9 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsBOpen →Civic life3.1 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 Lidlington.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Under 5 km to work: 17% in Lidlington, fewer than in both Bedfordshire’s towns and 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.
Driving is how 90% of commuters got to work at the census. 38% of workers worked mainly from home, higher than both Bedfordshire’s towns (30%) and England’s towns (31%). A household here earns £72K a year before tax, on average. Work in town: 3% of resident commuters.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving90%
Train4%
On foot2%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
17%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
38%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£72K
mean household income, before tax
2.6%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 10% 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 Lidlington
Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lidlington Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 92 | – |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Lidlington records less crime per resident than 76% of UK towns
There were 3.6 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below both Bedfordshire’s towns (10.3) and England’s towns (7.8). Reported offences in Lidlington came to 30 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 3. 50% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
19.5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 58% 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 & sexual15
Public order6
Vehicle crime3
Damage & arson2
Other crime2
Other theft1
Drugs1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social3
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.
19.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.6
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
30
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 B+
Few households rent privately in Lidlington: 7%, fewer than in both Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
Owners make up 77% of households. Behind the median of £350,000: 54 standard sales inside Lidlington’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026. 14% of households rent from a council or housing body.
£350Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Lidlington£350K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £517,500 | 18 |
| Semi-detached | £347,500 | 16 |
| Terraced | £315,000 | 19 |
77%
of households own their home · England 61%
7%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,250
average private rent a month, Central Bedfordshire council area
£2,414
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
All 4 of Lidlington’s listed buildings are Grade II
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 17% of the total, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (16%). Per 10,000 residents, Lidlington counts 31 listed buildings.
4listed buildingsCHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II4
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
17%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
31
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
Bad health is less common in Lidlington than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 3.3% of residents
85% of Lidlington’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, near Bedfordshire’s towns (84%) and higher than England’s towns (82%). This Bedfordshire town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 1.7 miles away. The nearest A&E to Lidlington is Bedford Hospital, 7.2 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 | Lidlington | 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% |
79.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Because the census answers ignore age, a younger population lifts them; that is why the Health Grade is built on age-adjusted measures like life expectancy and early deaths.
Who lives here
Children make up 21% of Lidlington, above Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
The share aged 15 to 24 is 8.5%. Lidlington has a median age of 42.1. Degrees are held by 37% of adults, higher than both Bedfordshire’s towns (32%) and England’s towns (34%).
42.1median age
LidlingtonBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
16%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications13%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level37%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Lidlington | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 21% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.5% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 16% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 13% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.6% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 37% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Houghton House and 2 more in and around Lidlington
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Lidlington. Best known first.
Historic house · English HeritageHoughton House4.5 km outside town, to the east
Wildlife parkWoburn Safari Park4.3 km outside town, to the southwestWater parkWater parkSubtropical Swimming Paradise1.7 km outside town, to the southeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Houghton House: APB-CMX at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Woburn Safari Park: Karen Abeyasekere, U.S. Air Force, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lidlington
14pages on Lidlington
The big questions
SafetyA−19.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £350K · rent £1,250 a monthHousing20 sold in 12 months · busiest street Church StreetSchools1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 79.3 (men), 84.5 (women)Work & commuteB+55% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Lidlington’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Marston MoretaineAmpthillCranfieldStewartbyFlitwickHoughton ConquestAspley GuiseLidlington
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lidlington | 1,300 | — | — | B+ | A− | B |
| Marston Moretaine | 6,350 | 1.7 | B | B+ | B | B |
| Ampthill | 8,825 | 2.8 | A | B− | B+ | A |
| Cranfield | 7,053 | 3 | A− | B+ | A− | A |
| Stewartby | 2,546 | 3.1 | B− | B− | B− | B− |
| Flitwick | 13,668 | 3.5 | A− | B+ | B | B− |
| Houghton Conquest | 1,867 | 3.9 | — | B+ | B+ | B+ |
| Aspley Guise | 2,114 | 3.9 | — | C+ | B+ | A− |
Houghton Conquest and Aspley Guise have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Lidlington
Is Lidlington safe?
About the middle for its size: 42% 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−.
Is Lidlington expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £350,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £315,000, semi-detached houses £347,500 and detached houses £517,500. Household incomes are higher than in 92% of UK towns, so cost of living still grades B+.
Does Lidlington flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Lidlington
Village in Bedfordshire, England
Lidlington is a built-up area of 1,300 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
- 1,300 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Central Bedfordshire
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003846
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.