Pavenham’s story
39 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Pavenham’s built-up area.
28% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
PavenhamBedfordshire
The village, home to 505 people, lies in Bedfordshire, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: M J Richardson · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
505
Census 2021 · Bedford council
Median home
£680K
15 sales in 3 years
Median age
55.6
32% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
52%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Pavenham a good place to live?
There are no grades for Pavenham: with fewer than 1,000 residents, they wouldn’t be fair. The figures on this page are still real. 39 buildings are listed here, 1 at Grade I. Homes sell for a median £680,000.
What makes Pavenham stand out
The 3 things Pavenham does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Parish Church of St Peter; 31.7 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2.5 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
11% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Pavenham.
Work & commute
Commuters in Pavenham travel far: only 11% go under 5 km, fewer than in both Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 60% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Household income averages £66K a year before tax. 87% of commuters drove, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (70%). Unemployment benefit claims reached 1.5% of 16 to 64s in 2026.
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
Train7%
On foot3%
Bicycle1%
11%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
60%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£66K
mean household income, before tax
1.5%
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 Pavenham: 10%, fewer than in both Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
82% of households own their home, above Bedfordshire’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%) alike. The social rented sector houses 7% of households. Private rents average £1,173 a month across the Bedford council area.
£680Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Pavenham£680K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £705,000 | 13 |
82%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,173
average private rent a month, Bedford 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
Safety
Pavenham records less burglary and damage per resident than Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns, at 2 per 1,000 a year
Violent crime comes to 5.3 per 1,000 residents a year. In the 12 months to August 2026, police logged 7 crimes and 1 reports of anti-social behaviour inside Pavenham’s built-up area. There were 1.3 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), lower than both Bedfordshire’s towns (10.2) and England’s towns (7.8). Of all the crimes, 43% were violence and sexual offences.
5.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual3
Weapons2
Other theft1
Theft from person1
Shoplifting0
Damage & arson0
Public order0
Burglary0
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.
5.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
7
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
Bad health is less common in Pavenham than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 2.8% of residents
There is no GP practice in Pavenham: the nearest is 2.3 miles off. 85% of the town’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, higher than both Bedfordshire’s towns (84%) and England’s towns (82%). The nearest A&E to Pavenham is Bedford Hospital, 5.4 miles away.
85%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Pavenham | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.8% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
82
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.7
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.
History
More buildings in Pavenham are listed than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 772 per 10,000 residents
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
28% of homes date from before 1919. Pavenham’s listed buildings include the Parish Church of St Peter, Grade I. Conservation areas cover 41% of the town’s land, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (4%) and England’s towns (7%). The top grade, Grade I, goes to 1 of them.
39listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II38
Among them · Grade I
- Parish Church of St Peter Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
28%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
772
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
Degrees are more common in Pavenham than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 52% of adults
32% of residents are 65 or over, above Bedfordshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. One measure of family life: 12% of residents are under 15. Half of Pavenham is older than 55.6, half younger. Those aged 15 to 24 account for nearly one in ten residents.
55.6median age
PavenhamBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
32%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications11%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar13%
Degree level52%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Pavenham | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 12% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.7% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 10% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 37% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 32% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 11% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.1% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 13% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 52% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Colworth House and 6 more in and around Pavenham
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Pavenham. Best known first.
Historic houseColworth House4.2 km outside town, to the north
Abbey or prioryTurvey Abbey4.8 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseum1940's Re-enactors4 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumFire Museum3.8 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumMT Museum4 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumMuseums and YMCA Canteen4 km outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Colworth House: Lecomte99 at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Turvey Abbey: Stephen Craven, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pavenham
13pages on Pavenham
The big questions
Safety5.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £680K · rent £1,173 a monthHousing4 sold in 12 months · busiest street The BurySchoolsHealthLife expectancy 82 (men), 87.7 (women)Work & commute67% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Pavenham’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
OakleyHarroldSharnbrookClaphamBromhamGreat DenhamLavendonPavenham
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pavenham | 505 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oakley | 2,507 | 1.8 | A | C+ | A | B+ |
| Harrold | 1,668 | 2.5 | — | B− | B+ | A− |
| Sharnbrook | 1,744 | 2.7 | — | C+ | B+ | A |
| Clapham | 4,502 | 2.8 | B | B+ | B | B |
| Bromham | 4,652 | 3 | A− | C | A+ | A+ |
| Great Denham | 4,363 | 4.7 | B+ | B− | B− | A |
| Lavendon | 1,469 | 4.7 | — | C | B+ | A− |
Harrold, Sharnbrook and Lavendon have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Pavenham
How many listed buildings are there in Pavenham?
That is 31.7 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Parish Church of St Peter.
How much is council tax in Pavenham?
Band D council tax in Pavenham is £2,484 for 2026–27, more than in 60% 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 Pavenham
Village in Bedfordshire, England
Pavenham is a built-up area of 505 people, in the Bedford 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
- 505 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Bedford
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003485
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.