Podington’s story
24 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Podington’s built-up area.
32% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
PodingtonBedfordshire
A village of 384 in Bedfordshire, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: David Hawgood · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
384
Census 2021 · Bedford council
Median age
48.5
23% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
44%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Podington a good place to live?
Podington has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Podington stand out
The 3 things Podington does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
8% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Parish Church of St Mary; 25.6 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Households renting privately
Housing
of households, against 21% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Podington.
Work & commute
Walking, cycling and public transport carry fewer commuters in Podington than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 8%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 40% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The car took 88% of commuters, above Bedfordshire’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (70%) alike. 14% of commuters travelled under 5 km to work. Of the commuters living in Podington, 4% work in the town itself. The 2026 claimant rate among 16 to 64s was 2.9%.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot8%
14%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
40%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£66K
mean household income, before tax
2.9%
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
Schools
The schools around Podington
Key Stage 2 results at the 3 primary schools within 3 km: 65% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Below is its only school. Attainment 8 at the one secondary school within 3 km averages 44, and nearly two in five pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Reeves CofE VA Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 70 | C− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Housing
More households rent privately in Podington than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 30%
Social renters account for 2% of households. Owners make up 68% of households, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%). Private rents average £1,173 a month across the Bedford council area.
£0Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Podington£0K
Typical UK town£277K
68%
of households own their home · England 61%
30%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,173
average private rent a month, Bedford council area
£2,507
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
Burglary and damage hit Podington harder than Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 19.1 per 1,000 residents a year
Over the year to August 2026, 15 offences were reported in Podington, along with 3 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Violence came to 10.4 per 1,000 residents a year, below Bedfordshire’s towns (18.6) and England’s towns (22) alike.
10.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Burglary5
Vehicle crime5
Violence & sexual3
Shoplifting1
Other theft1
Damage & arson0
Public order0
Drugs0
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.
10.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
19.1
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.1
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
15
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Health
Most people in Podington (84%) report good or very good health
Podington has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.2 miles away. 14% of residents in Podington live with a disability. The nearest A&E to Podington is Bedford Hospital, 10.7 miles away.
84%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Podington | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.2% | 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 answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
History
More buildings in Podington are listed than in Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 625 per 10,000 residents
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 nearly a third of the total, above Bedfordshire’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (16%) alike. Podington’s listed buildings include the Parish Church of St Mary, Grade I. It counts 24 listed buildings on the national list (Historic England): 1 Grade I.
24listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II23
Among them · Grade I
- Parish Church of St Mary Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
32%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
625
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
Children make up only 15% of Podington, fewer than in Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
People 65 and over make up 23% of the town. The 15-to-24 age group: 8.4%, below Bedfordshire’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. At 48.5, the median resident of Podington sits in the middle of the age range. Degrees are held by 44% of adults.
48.5median age
PodingtonBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
23%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications10%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level44%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Podington | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.4% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 33% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 23% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 10% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 44% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Colworth House and 5 more in and around Podington
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Podington. Best known first.
Historic houseColworth House4.4 km outside town, to the southeast
MuseumIrchester Railway Museum4.6 km outside town, to the northwestHeritage railwayHeritage railwayRushden, Higham and Wellingborough Railway4.5 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumRushden Hall and Museum3.6 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumRushden Historical Transport Society4.4 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumWollaston Museum3 km outside town, to the westPlaces: © 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
- Irchester Railway Museum: Mick from Northamptonshire, England, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Podington
13pages on Podington
The big questions
Podington’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
WymingtonWollastonIrchesterRushdenBozeatHarroldSharnbrookPodington
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Podington | 384 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wymington | 1,000 | 1.5 | — | B+ | D− | A− |
| Wollaston | 3,564 | 2 | C+ | C | B | B− |
| Irchester | 4,543 | 2 | C+ | B− | B | C+ |
| Rushden | 31,689 | 2.6 | C− | B− | C− | C |
| Bozeat | 2,166 | 3 | — | C+ | A | B− |
| Harrold | 1,668 | 3.6 | — | B− | B+ | A− |
| Sharnbrook | 1,744 | 3.6 | — | C+ | B+ | A |
Wymington, Bozeat, Harrold and Sharnbrook have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Podington
How many listed buildings are there in Podington?
That is 25.6 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Parish Church of St Mary.
How much is council tax in Podington?
Band D council tax in Podington is £2,507 for 2026–27, more than in 66% 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 Podington
Village in Bedfordshire, England
Podington is a built-up area of 384 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
- 384 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Bedford
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003354
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.