Postcode MK40 1AR is located in an urban city, within the Greyfriars ward of Bedford in the East of England region, and forms part of the Castle & Kingsway area. It has very high deprivation and very high crime levels, with around 327.4 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, roughly 4.0× the East of England average of 82 per 1,000. The average income per household in Castle & Kingsway is £50,852 per year. The nearest station is Bedford St Johns, about 0.4 miles away. There are 8 primary and 1 secondary schools in the area. There is 1 park nearby, the closest medium park is St Mary's Gardens.
Castle & Kingsway has a very high level of deprivation, ranked at position 2,998 out of 32,844 areas in the United Kingdom, placing it within the top 9% most deprived areas in England.
Castle & Kingsway has a very high crime rate, with approximately 327.4 reported incidents per 1,000 population each year.
Approximately 12.9% of homes on this street are social housing provided by a local council or housing association. Across the surrounding area, around 17.3% of dwellings are socially rented.
The average income per household in Castle & Kingsway is £50,852 per year.
High noise level (70.0-74.9 dB) from road, approximately 91 ft away from MK40 1AR.
Castle & Kingsway near MK40 1AR has low flood risk (between 0.1% and 1% chance of a flood each year) from rivers and sea.
The nearest station is Bedford St Johns located about 0.4 miles away. There are 2 stations nearby.
| Distance | Name | Lines | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.4 mi | Bedford St Johns | N/A | Walking directions to Bedford St Johns |
| 0.5 mi | Bedford | N/A | Walking directions to Bedford |
| Distance | Name | Size | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 mi | St Mary's Gardens | Medium | Walking directions to St Mary's Gardens |
Based on 22 recent sales, the median property price is £175,000 (about £252 per square foot) in Greyfriars area, with individual transactions ranging from £75,000 up to £520,000.
| Type | Sales | Median | £/sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | 1 | £520,000 | £252 |
| Terraced | 3 | £219,100 | £255 |
| Flats | 18 | £165,000 | £248 |
Sale price
| Year | Flats | Terraced |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | £127,500 | £195,250 |
| 2017 | £219,000 | £188,000 |
| 2018 | £158,125 | £192,500 |
| 2019 | £154,000 | £190,000 |
| 2020 | £147,500 | £190,000 |
| 2021 | £138,000 | £211,500 |
| 2022 | £174,000 | £168,000 |
| 2023 | £167,000 | £220,000 |
| 2024 | £165,000 | £212,500 |
| 2025 | £160,000 | £212,000 |
| 2026 | £170,000 | £392,500 |
Price per sq ft
| Year | Flats | Terraced |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | £269 | £222 |
| 2017 | £376 | £205 |
| 2018 | £263 | £202 |
| 2019 | £243 | £207 |
| 2020 | £216 | £203 |
| 2021 | £244 | £198 |
| 2022 | £265 | £263 |
| 2023 | £255 | £304 |
| 2024 | £255 | £199 |
| 2025 | £248 | £268 |
| 2026 | £288 | £255 |
There were 24 recent sold properties in the last 18 months near MK40 1AR.
| Date | Address | Type | Tenure | Price | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Apr 2025 | 14, Merchant Place, Bedford, MK40 1AR | Flats | Leasehold | £140,000 | |
| 01 Oct 2025 | Flat 19, Pilgrims House, Horne Lane, Bedford, MK40 1AT | Flats | Leasehold | £76,500 | |
| 28 Nov 2025 | 41, Merchant Gate, Bedford, MK40 1AS | Flats | Leasehold | £192,500 | |
| 24 Oct 2025 | 20, Merchant Gate, Bedford, MK40 1AS | Flats | Leasehold | £300,000 | |
| 03 Mar 2026 | 32, Midland Road, Bedford, MK40 1RH | Other | Freehold | £800,000 |
In the MK40 1AR postcode area, located within Castle & Kingsway, there are 8 primary and 1 secondary schools in close proximity.
15 nearby supermarkets & convenience stores within mi of MK40 1AR
| Distance | Name | Address | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 mi | Price Check | Bedford, MK40 1PJ | Walking directions to Price Check |
| 0.1 mi | Tesco Express | 34,36,38,40 Midland Road, Bedford, MK40 1PS | Walking directions to Tesco Express |
| 0.1 mi | Liana International Market | Midland Road, Bedford, MK40 1PR | Walking directions to Liana International Market |
| 0.1 mi | Tesco Express | 63 High Street, Bedford, MK40 1RZ | Walking directions to Tesco Express |
| 0.2 mi | Ideal Supermarket | 2 Greyfriars, Bedford, MK40 1HP | Walking directions to Ideal Supermarket |
Annual council tax rates for Bedford district (2025-26).
Council tax bands are based on the value of your property. Most homes fall into bands A to D.
Elected local representatives for MK40 1AR, including ward councillors and the local member of parliament.
Ben Foley
Greyfriars - Elected 4 May 2023
Mohammad Yasin
Bedford - Elected 4 Jul 2024
The area around MK40 1AR records about 327 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, which is a very high crime rate for England: it scores 10 out of 10 on the Area360 crime scale, where 10 is the highest crime level. Across East of England as a whole the rate is about 82 per 1,000. The most common offences locally are violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order.
The median sale price around MK40 1AR in Castle & Kingsway is £175,000 (about £252 per square foot) based on 22 registered sales according to HM Land Registry data.
There are 17 schools close to MK40 1AR, including Bedford College, Bedford Free School (Outstanding) and Priory Primary School (Outstanding). Ratings are from the latest Ofsted inspections.
The closest station to MK40 1AR is Bedford St Johns, about 636 m away.
MK40 1AR scores 10 out of 10 on the deprivation scale, where 10 is the most deprived. Its neighbourhood ranks 2,998 of 32,844 in England on the official Index of Multiple Deprivation (rank 1 is the most deprived).
The Member of Parliament for Bedford covering MK40 1AR is Mohammad Yasin (Labour Party), elected at the 2024 general election. The area is represented by 1 local councillor: Ben Foley (Green Party).
All data is sourced from official UK government agencies and public datasets. Last updated: 16/07/2026. Read more about how our statistics are calculated.