Bedford, #1 on this list · Photo: M J Richardson · CC BY-SA 2.0

Bedfordshire rankings · Walkability

Most walkable towns in Bedfordshire

Bedford ranks first on walkability among Bedfordshire’s 33 towns of 2,500+; 5 of the 33 grade A− or better against UK towns.

The Walkability Grade: the share of commuters who walked, cycled or took public transport to work at the 2021 Census (taken in lockdown). The rank across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland sits beside each letter. How grades work

Bedford

97,226 people

Better than 92% of UK towns·#270 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Luton

233,524 people

Better than 90% of UK towns·#327 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Kempston

22,779 people

A⁻

Better than 83% of UK towns·#589 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

All 33 towns, ranked

Walkability grade, best first; ranks are the county ranks on each town’s page (T = tied). Military garrison towns and university campuses keep their grades but aren’t ranked. Each rank across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland links to the national list.

Every town in Bedfordshire →

Find a town

33 towns.

#TownGrade · UK rankCompared with UK towns

1Bedford97,226 peopleA#270 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 92% of UK towns

2Luton233,524 peopleA#327 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 90% of UK towns

3Kempston22,779 peopleA⁻#589 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 83% of UK towns

4Dunstable34,498 peopleA⁻#772 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 77% of UK towns

5Leighton Buzzard42,736 peopleA⁻#783 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 77% of UK towns

6Biggleswade21,945 peopleB⁺#882 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 74% of UK towns

7Sandy11,375 peopleB⁺#978 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 71% of UK towns

8Flitwick13,668 peopleB⁺#1,098 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 67% of UK towns

9Ampthill8,825 peopleB#1,254 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 63% of UK towns

10Houghton Regis18,814 peopleB#1,268 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 62% of UK towns

11Great Denham4,363 peopleB#1,442 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 56% of UK towns

12Lower Stondon3,966 peopleB⁻#1,703 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 47% of UK towns

13Clapham4,502 peopleC⁺#1,771 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 44% of UK towns

14Stotfold12,313 peopleC⁺#1,775 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 44% of UK towns

15Arlesey6,027 peopleC⁺#1,815 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 42% of UK towns

16Oakley2,507 peopleC⁺#1,818 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 42% of UK towns

17Cranfield7,053 peopleC⁺#1,822 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 42% of UK towns

18Shefford7,317 peopleC⁺#1,928 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 38% of UK towns

19Toddington4,509 peopleC#2,047 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 33% of UK towns

20Bromham4,652 peopleC#2,070 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 32% of UK towns

21Clifton2,769 peopleC#2,114 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 30% of UK towns

22Potton5,229 peopleC#2,132 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 29% of UK towns

23Silsoe3,419 peopleC#2,162 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 27% of UK towns

24Shortstown4,837 peopleC⁻#2,209 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 25% of UK towns

25Barton-le-Clay4,941 peopleC⁻#2,226 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 24% of UK towns

26Caddington3,288 peopleC⁻#2,235 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 23% of UK towns

27Wootton7,567 peopleC⁻#2,274 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 21% of UK towns

28Wixams6,044 peopleC⁻#2,287 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 20% of UK towns

29Clophill2,515 peopleD#2,378 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 14% of UK towns

30Marston Moretaine6,350 peopleD#2,398 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 13% of UK towns

31Langford3,712 peopleD#2,401 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 12% of UK towns

32Eaton Bray and Edlesborough4,201 peopleD#2,419 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 11% of UK towns

33Stewartby2,546 peopleD#2,435 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 10% of UK towns

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the most walkable town in Bedfordshire?

Bedford ranks first on walkability among 33 towns, with an A: better than 92% of UK towns. Luton and Kempston follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Walkability Grade: the share of commuters who walked, cycled or took public transport to work at the 2021 Census (taken in lockdown). The letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

Garrison towns and university campuses aren’t ranked, and towns without the figures this grade needs are counted above. The list covers Bedfordshire’s towns of 2,500+ with the figure. Smaller places show it on their own pages; every town in Bedfordshire is on the county page.

Go deeper

More Bedfordshire lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Bedfordshire rankings →

Best places to live33 towns · #1 Silsoe Best small towns23 towns · #1 Silsoe Most affordable towns33 towns · #1 Sandy Safest towns33 towns · #1 Bromham Towns with the best schools31 towns · #1 Luton Healthiest towns33 towns · #1 Bromham Best towns for jobs & income33 towns · #1 Ampthill Towns with the lowest flood risk33 towns · #1 Ampthill and 8 more Best towns for the outdoors33 towns · #1 Silsoe Most historic towns33 towns · #1 Ampthill Towns with the most civic life33 towns · #1 Toddington Towns with the highest household incomes33 towns · #1 Bromham and Great DenhamDescribed, no letters Towns with the lowest council tax33 towns · #1 ClophillDescribed, no letters Towns with the mildest winters33 towns · #1 ArleseyDescribed, no letters Towns with the warmest summers33 towns · #1 ShortstownDescribed, no letters Towns with the coolest summers33 towns · #1 ToddingtonDescribed, no letters Towns with the fewest frosts33 towns · #1 Arlesey and StotfoldDescribed, no letters Driest towns33 towns · #1 ShortstownDescribed, no letters Wettest towns33 towns · #1 CaddingtonDescribed, no letters

Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · 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.