Wixams’s story
No listed buildings inside Wixams’s built-up area
1% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
WixamsBedfordshire
Population 6,044: a town in Bedfordshire, East of England. Only 8% of residents are 65 or over.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Simon Speed · CC0
Population
6,044
Census 2021 · Bedford council
Median home
£375K
619 sales in 3 years
Median age
31.2
8% are 65+ · Bedfordshire 15%
Degree level
40%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
C−
#31 of 33 in Bedfordshire
Is Wixams a good place to live?
Schools are its weak spot: primary results beat 14% of towns in England; secondary results beat 30% of towns in England. Crime runs high: 35 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 12.4 home and vehicle crimes. Among UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people, it has less crime per resident than 21%. It lags on hazard risk as well: 7.2% of homes face a high or medium risk of river or sea flooding. The median home sold for £375,200, 6.2 times what households in the Bedford council area earn in a year. Jobs & income is its strong suit (B+) — households earn a mean £72,755 a year, and 3.4% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. All told, that adds up to a C− overall and a rank of #31 of 33 in Bedfordshire. Nationally, it does better than 23% of UK towns.
Figures: income, ONS · claimants, DWP · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · flood risk, Environment Agency · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years.
What makes Wixams stand out
The 3 things Wixams 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%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
Only 8% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Flood risk, against UK towns
Flood risk
7% of homes at risk
High or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea: more than in 93% of UK towns
Environment Agency flood maps, defences counted.
How Wixams grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Wixams is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Hazard riskAmong the most exposed to natural hazardsDOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 14% of towns in England; secondary results beat 30% of towns in EnglandC−Open →WalkabilityAmong the weakest of the towns comparedC−Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentC−Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work beat most townsB+Open →Cost of livingWeaker than most of the towns comparedC+Open →HealthLife expectancy 80.5 for men, 82.5 for womenBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History0 listed buildingsD−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 5.3 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsBOpen →Civic life0.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryD−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Wixams.
History
Wixams has fewer old homes than Bedfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 1% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Historic England’s list has no building inside Wixams’s built-up area.
0listed buildingsD−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
1%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
0
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
SchoolsC−
School results in Wixams are weaker than in 84% of towns in England
Below are two of its 4 schools, each with why it was picked. 53% of pupils at the town’s 2 primary schools met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Secondary results at the 4 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 43.1, with 39% at grade 5 or above in English and maths.
C−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wixams Tree Primary AcademyLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 559 | C− |
| Wixams AcademyLargest secondary schoolSecondary | Secondary | 903 | C+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 4 schools →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Only 9% of commuters in Wixams go to work without a car, fewer than in both Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 36% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The car carried 89% of commuters at the census, and on top of that 36% of workers worked mainly from home, above both Bedfordshire’s towns (30%) and England’s towns (31%). For just over a fifth of commuters, work was under 5 km away. About 4% of its commuters stay in Wixams for work.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving89%
On foot4%
Train3%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
22%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
36%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£73K
mean household income, before tax
3.4%
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
More crimes per resident in Wixams than in 76% of UK towns
434 crimes and 144 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Wixams’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. There were 16.5 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), higher than both Bedfordshire’s towns (10.2) and England’s towns (7.8). For its size, Wixams records more crime per resident than nearly four fifths of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people. Nearly three fifths of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
35violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 21% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual255
Public order40
Damage & arson36
Other theft24
Vehicle crime22
Burglary14
Other crime14
Drugs12
Anti-social144
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.
35
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
12.4
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
16.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
434
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+
Private renting is less common in Wixams than in Bedfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 6%
Owners make up 69% of households. Private rents average £1,188 a month across the Bedford council area. The £375,200 median rests on 619 standard sales inside the built-up area (September 2023 to August 2026).
£375Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Wixams£375K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £469,100 | 261 |
| Semi-detached | £360,000 | 187 |
| Terraced | £327,500 | 101 |
| Flat or maisonette | £238,500 | 70 |
69%
of households own their home · England 61%
6%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,188
average private rent a month, Bedford council area
£2,468
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Health
90% of people in Wixams say their health is good or very good, more than in both Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
Just over one in ten residents have a disability, below Bedfordshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (17%) alike. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 2.4% of the town. There is no GP practice in Wixams: the nearest is 2.3 miles off.
90%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 90%Fair 8%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2021 | Wixams | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 90% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.4% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 11% | 15% | 17% |
80.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · The census answers take no account of age, so a young town looks healthier; the Health Grade relies on age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
Who lives here
Children make up 30% of Wixams, above Bedfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
Young adults of 15 to 24 account for nearly a tenth of the town. People 65 and over make up 8% of the town, lower than both Bedfordshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%). At 31.2, the median resident of Wixams sits in the middle of the age range. Graduates make up 40% of adults.
31.2median age
WixamsBedfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
8%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications11%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar20%
Degree level40%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Wixams | Bedfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 30% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.5% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 40% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 14% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 8% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 11% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 20% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 40% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Bedfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Bedford Castle and 8 more in and around Wixams
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Wixams. Best known first.
CastleBedford Castle4 km outside town, to the north
Historic house · English HeritageHoughton House3.8 km outside town, to the south
MuseumThe Higgins4.1 km outside town, to the north
MuseumJohn Bunyan museum4.1 km outside town, to the north
MuseumMoot Hall1.8 km outside town, to the north
MuseumPanacea Museum4.1 km outside town, to the northPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Bedford Castle: Matthew Paris, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Houghton House: APB-CMX at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- The Higgins: Simon Speed, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Bunyan museum: Simon Speed, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Moot Hall: Shritwod at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Panacea Museum: Paul Harrop, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wixams
14pages on Wixams
The big questions
SafetyC−35 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £375K · rent £1,188 a monthHousing142 sold in 12 months · busiest street Crane LaneSchoolsC−4 state schoolsHealthBLife expectancy 80.5 (men), 82.5 (women)Work & commuteB+50% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD7.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Wixams’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
WilsteadHoughton ConquestStewartbyKempstonShortstownWoottonGreat DenhamWixams
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wixams | 6,044 | — | C− | C+ | C− | B |
| Wilstead | 2,404 | 1.2 | — | C | A− | C+ |
| Houghton Conquest | 1,867 | 1.6 | — | B+ | B+ | B+ |
| Stewartby | 2,546 | 1.9 | B− | B− | B− | B− |
| Kempston | 22,779 | 2.4 | C | B+ | C− | C− |
| Shortstown | 4,837 | 2.4 | C+ | B | C | C+ |
| Wootton | 7,567 | 2.5 | B | C+ | A− | B− |
| Great Denham | 4,363 | 3.3 | B+ | B− | B− | A |
Wilstead and Houghton Conquest have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Wixams
Does Wixams flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
Are schools in Wixams good?
GCSE results trail 71% of towns in England, and primary results trail 86% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2).
About Wixams
Town in Bedfordshire, England
Wixams is a built-up area of 6,044 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
- 6,044 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Bedford (mostly)
- County
- Bedfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi (3.1 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003738
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.