Wilstead’s story
16 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Wilstead’s built-up area.
6% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
WilsteadBedfordshire
A village of 2,404 in Bedfordshire, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: G1MFG at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,404
Census 2021 · Bedford council
Median home
£430K
78 sales in 3 years
Median age
53.2
32% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
32%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Wilstead a good place to live?
Wilstead does especially well on safety: police record 15.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 6.8 home and vehicle crimes. Jobs & income is a strength too (B+) — mean household income £65,428; 2.4% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Its weakest subject is schools (C−) — primary results beat 15% of towns in England; secondary results beat 41% of towns in England. The median home sold for £430,000, 7.2 times what households in the Bedford council area earn in a year. Walkability is weaker too: nearly one in ten commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport.
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Wilstead has subject grades but no overall one.
What makes Wilstead stand out
The 3 things Wilstead does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Parish Church of All Saints; 2.7 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
32% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Wilstead grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Wilstead is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
With fewer than 2,500 residents, Wilstead has subject grades but no overall one.
Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 15% of towns in England; secondary results beat 41% of towns in EnglandC−Open →SafetyAbove the middle of the towns comparedA−Open →Cost of livingRent £1,173 a monthCOpen →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentB+Open →HealthLife expectancy 79.8 for men, 84.3 for womenC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryLess recorded history than most townsC+Open →Outdoors88% live within 400 m of a park; 1.7 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC−Open →Civic life2.1 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryCOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Wilstead.
Who lives here
An older town: 32% of people in Wilstead are 65 or over, more than in Bedfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
14% are under 15, below both Bedfordshire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (18%). Young adults of 15 to 24 are 7.2% of the population. The middle age in Wilstead is 53.2.
53.2median age
WilsteadBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
32%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications19%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level32%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 88 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Wilstead | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.2% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 32% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 19% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.4% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 32% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsC−
Exam results at Wilstead’s schools trail 76% of towns in England
Its only school is listed below. GCSE results at the one secondary school within 3 km: 44% of pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 43.9. 53% of pupils at the 4 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
C−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilstead Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | – | C− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Commuters in Wilstead travel far: only 19% go under 5 km, fewer than in Bedfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
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.
3% of commuters who live in Wilstead also work there. At the census, 9% went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport, lower than both Bedfordshire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (27%). Jobs per working resident: 0.2.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot3%
Bicycle3%
Bus2%
Train2%
19%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
34%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£65K
mean household income, before tax
2.4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 20% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Safety
Wilstead records less crime per resident than 76% of UK towns
Wilstead logged 71 reported offences in a year (to August 2026), plus 11 complaints of anti-social conduct. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 4 reports per 1,000, below both Bedfordshire’s towns (10.3) and England’s towns (7.8). Violence and sexual offences made up 48% of the total.
15.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 59% 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 & sexual34
Public order13
Burglary7
Damage & arson6
Other theft5
Vehicle crime4
Drugs1
Other crime1
Anti-social11
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.
15.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
71
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
Few households rent privately in Wilstead: 8%, fewer than in Bedfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The social rented sector houses 9% of households. 81% of households own their home, higher than both Bedfordshire’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%). Half of the 78 standard sales inside Wilstead’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £430,000.
£430Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Wilstead£430K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £480,000 | 55 |
| Semi-detached | £328,750 | 16 |
| Terraced | £297,500 | 6 |
81%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,173
average private rent a month, Bedford council area
£2,490
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
Wilstead’s heritage list runs to 16 buildings
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Grade II* covers 1 of them. Homes from before 1919 make up 6% of the total, below Bedfordshire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (16%) alike. Per 10,000 residents, Wilstead counts 67 listed buildings.
16listed buildingsC+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II15
Among them · Grade II*
- Parish Church of All Saints Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
6%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
67
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
81% of people in Wilstead rate their health good or very good
There is no GP practice in Wilstead: the nearest is 3.1 miles off. The nearest A&E to Wilstead is Bedford Hospital, 3.6 miles away. A disability affects 17% of people in the town.
81%good or very good healthC+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 81%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Wilstead | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 81% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 17% | 15% | 17% |
79.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.3
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Self-reported health favours young towns, since these answers ignore age; the Health Grade leans on age-adjusted measures such as life expectancy and early deaths.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Houghton House and 4 more in and around Wilstead
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Wilstead. Best known first.
Historic house · English HeritageHoughton House4.1 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumMoot Hall3.9 km outside town, to the northwestTheme parkTheme parkUniversal United Kingdom Resort3.3 km outside town, to the westAttractionAttractionSummerfields' Miniature Railways2.1 km outside town, to the eastZooZooEnglish School of Falconry800 m outside town, to the northeastPlaces: © 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
- Moot Hall: Shritwod at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wilstead
14pages on Wilstead
The big questions
SafetyA−15.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £430K · rent £1,173 a monthHousing22 sold in 12 months · busiest street Howard CloseSchoolsC−1 state schoolHealthC+Life expectancy 79.8 (men), 84.3 (women)Work & commuteB+47% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Wilstead’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
WixamsHoughton ConquestShortstownStewartbyKempstonMauldenClophillWilstead
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilstead | 2,404 | — | — | C | A− | C+ |
| Wixams | 6,044 | 1.2 | C− | C+ | C− | B |
| Houghton Conquest | 1,867 | 1.7 | — | B+ | B+ | B+ |
| Shortstown | 4,837 | 2.3 | C+ | B | C | C+ |
| Stewartby | 2,546 | 2.7 | B− | B− | B− | B− |
| Kempston | 22,779 | 3.4 | C | B+ | C− | C− |
| Maulden | 2,486 | 3.5 | — | B− | B+ | B+ |
| Clophill | 2,515 | 3.6 | A− | C+ | B+ | A− |
Houghton Conquest and Maulden have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Wilstead
How many listed buildings are there in Wilstead?
That is 2.7 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Wilstead expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £430,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £297,500, semi-detached houses £328,750 and detached houses £480,000.
Are schools in Wilstead good?
GCSE results trail 59% of towns in England, and primary results trail 85% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Bedford council.
About Wilstead
Village in Bedfordshire, England
Wilstead is a built-up area of 2,404 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
- 2,404 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Bedford
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003762
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.