Living in LU5, Central Bedfordshire
What the open data says about house prices, schools, crime and flood risk around LU5 in Central Bedfordshire. Built from the same sources as every property report on this site, not opinion or marketing copy.
- Homes on the streets around central LU5 sold at a median of £300,000 across 146 recorded sales, in line with the England average of £290,000 (HM Land Registry).
- Prices across Central Bedfordshire are up 1.2% on a year ago (UK House Price Index).
- Of the 41 schools within about 3 miles, 85% are rated Good or Outstanding, against 90% of state schools in England (Ofsted).
- The centre of LU5 is in flood zone 1 (low probability), on the Environment Agency flood map for planning.
- A Band D household in Central Bedfordshire pays £2,516 in council tax for 2026-27, every precept included (MHCLG).
- Police recorded 196 crimes within roughly a mile of the centre in August 2026, most commonly violent crime (Police.uk).
Figures gathered 12 October 2026, each from the source named in its section.
House prices
Average price in Central Bedfordshire: £356,758, up 1.2% on a year ago (July 2026). The wider East of England average is £337,518.
Check sold prices for a specific address in LU5 →
See where LU5 ranks across East of England →
Council tax at Band D in Central Bedfordshire: £2,516 a year (2026-27). Running costs by postcode: council tax, energy, tenure, and the estate charge no listing shows →
Compare LU5 with another district
Sold prices, the price trend, schools, flood zone, Band D council tax and crime for LU5 against any other district, each from the source the section below names.
What actually sold around LU5
146 recorded home sales on the streets around central LU5 in the last 2 years, with a median of £300,000 and a range from £115,000 to £582,500. Mostly terraced houses.
| Address | Type | Sold for | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Abacot Grove, LU5 6GE | Detached | £480,000 | 6 Aug 2026 |
| 14 Enfield Close, LU5 5PJ | Terraced | £316,000 | 3 Aug 2026 |
| 20 Orpington Rise, LU5 6FW | Semi-detached | £315,000 | 31 Jul 2026 |
| 75 Churchfield Road, LU5 5HN | Terraced | £298,000 | 31 Jul 2026 |
| 54 Churchfield Road, LU5 5HW | Terraced | £340,000 | 22 Jul 2026 |
| 96 Churchfield Road, LU5 5HW | Terraced | £290,500 | 13 Jul 2026 |
How to read this
Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Every sale of a registered property in England and Wales appears here once it completes, so the most recent weeks are always still filling in.
Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data
Schools nearby
41 schools within 3 miles , of which 85% are rated Outstanding or Good by Ofsted.
| Nearest well-rated schools | Stage | Ofsted | Distance | Admitted from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Vincent's Catholic Primary School | Primary | Good | 0.3 mi away | 0.82 mi 2026/27 |
| Lime Tree Primary Academy | Primary | Good | 0.4 mi away | no figure |
| Chalton Lower School | Primary | Good | 1.2 mi away | 1.8 mi 2026/27 |
| Chantry Primary Academy | Primary | Good | 1.2 mi away | no figure |
| Southfield Primary Academy | Primary | Good | 1.2 mi away | no figure |
| St Martin De Porres Catholic Primary School | Primary | Good | 1.4 mi away | no figure |
Schools in LU5 with a published admission distance
How far away the last child offered a place lived, as the council published it. Tightest first; each name opens the school's page and its postcode checker.
| School | Stage | Admitted from | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priory Academy | Secondary | 0.26 mi | 2026/27 |
| St Vincent's Catholic Primary School | Primary | 0.82 mi | 2026/27 |
| Houghton Regis Primary School | Primary | 1.06 mi | 2026/27 |
| Thornhill Primary School | Primary | 1.13 mi | 2026/27 |
| Harlington Lower School | Primary | 4.33 mi | 2026/27 |
Will an address here get a place? How far Central Bedfordshire schools admitted from, school by school →
28 state primary and 7 state secondary schools within range, and no fee-paying schools.
What people here do for work
The most common occupations among working residents, from the 2021 Census. This is occupation rather than industry: it says what people do, not which industries employ them.
| Occupation group | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Elementary occupations | 18.4% |
| Skilled trades | 12.7% |
| Professional occupations | 11.9% |
| Process, plant and machine operatives | 11.8% |
| Caring, leisure and other service | 9.9% |
Source: ONS Census 2021, table TS063, for this district's small area.
How LU5 has changed since 2011
The biggest move: degree-level adults, up 11.5 points since 2011, with England's change beside each line.
How to read this
The census neighbourhood at the centre of LU5 (E01017619, 2,232 residents in 2021, up 2.8% on 2011) on the 2011 and 2021 censuses, with England's own change over the same decade for scale. Each line is a share of the neighbourhood's households or residents, so a growing area and a shrinking one compare fairly. The biggest move here: degree-level adults, up 11.5 points.
| Measure | 2011 | 2021 | Change | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 53.5% | 52.6% | -0.9 pts | -2.0 pts |
| Households renting privately | 7.5% | 10.4% | +2.9 pts | +3.7 pts |
| Households renting socially | 37.4% | 36.3% | -1.1 pts | -0.6 pts |
| Residents under 15 | 25.9% | 23.9% | -2.0 pts | -0.3 pts |
| Residents 65 and over | 10.8% | 9.9% | -0.9 pts | +2.1 pts |
| Adults with a degree or equivalent | 12.3% | 23.8% | +11.5 pts | +6.5 pts |
| Residents born outside the UK | 11.6% | 21.7% | +10.1 pts | +3.6 pts |
| Residents in good or very good health | 80.8% | 83.7% | +2.9 pts | +0.8 pts |
| Residents in a white ethnic group | 87.0% | 78.6% | -8.4 pts | -4.4 pts |
Office for National Statistics, Census 2011 and Census 2021, Open Government Licence. A district holds many neighbourhoods; the full report for an address shows the one it sits in.
Crime
196 crimes recorded within roughly a mile of central LU5 in August 2026, most commonly violent crime.
Flood risk
Zone 1 (low probability). This is the Environment Agency's flood zone for the area's centre point, an individual property's own risk can differ, especially near a specific watercourse.
Deprivation
This area falls in decile 3 of 10 on the Index of Multiple Deprivation (most deprived nationally), based on Central Bedfordshire's figures.
Buses from the centre of LU5
Best-served stop: Hillborough Crescent Shops, with 4.3 buses an hour on weekday daytimes.
Evenings, Sundays and routes
The best-served stop within 800 m of the centre of LU5 is Hillborough Crescent Shops: 4.3 buses an hour on a weekday daytime, 2.0 in the evening and 2.0 on Sunday daytime; the service runs through the night. Routes there: Z, 600, 706, Jo. 5 stops with a scheduled service within that distance.
Departures a passenger can board, from the timetables operators publish to the Department for Transport's Bus Open Data Service, for Tuesday 8 Sep 2026 and Sunday 13 Sep 2026. Scheduled, not observed. Two stops on opposite sides of a road are two stops. The full report does this for the stops within 500 m of an address.
Source: operators' timetables on the Bus Open Data Service (Department for Transport)
GP practices and A&E
3 GP practices within 3.0 km of the centre of LU5. The nearest, Houghton Regis Medical Centre, has 13,696 registered patients and 2,140 patients per fully qualified GP, against an England median of 2,186.
| Practice | From the centre | Patients | Per qualified GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton Regis Medical Centre | 0.5 mi | 13,696 | 2,140 |
| Wheatfield Surgery | 0.9 mi | 11,898 | 1,729 |
| Dr Dv Shah's Practice | 1.4 mi | 5,968 | 2,238 |
Nearest A&E: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where 63.5% of type 1 attendances were seen within four hours in July 2026; then North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust at 60.7%.
How to read this
NHS England: patients registered at a GP practice (1 Aug 2026), the general practice workforce (July 2026), and A&E attendances by provider, monthly. Fully qualified GPs exclude trainees. Practices are matched by postcode.
Source: NHS England, monthly releases
Council tax and the council's finances
A Band D household in Central Bedfordshire pays £2,516 for 2026-27, all precepts included, a rise of 5.1% on the year before against an England median rise of 4.8%. Every band for Central Bedfordshire, and how it compares.
| Year | Band D bill | Rise |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | £2,093 | +4.9% |
| 2022-23 | £2,142 | +2.3% |
| 2023-24 | £2,170 | +1.3% |
| 2024-25 | £2,276 | +4.9% |
| 2025-26 | £2,394 | +5.2% |
| 2026-27 | £2,516 | +5.1% |
No exceptional financial support from government since 2020-21 and no section 114 notice on record for Central Bedfordshire, as at 7 Sep 2026.
How to read this
A home's own band is on its council tax bill, free to look up at gov.uk/council-tax-bands; the report shows every band's bill at the council beside the home's other checks.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, live council tax tables (Band D, area averages) and the Exceptional Financial Support lists published each year; section 114 notices as published by the councils.
Source: MHCLG live council tax tables and Exceptional Financial Support lists
Common questions about LU5
What is the average house price in LU5?
The average sold price in Central Bedfordshire is £356,758 as of July 2026, according to the UK House Price Index.
Are house prices rising in LU5?
Prices in Central Bedfordshire are up 1.2% on a year ago (UK House Price Index).
What do houses actually sell for in LU5?
The median of 146 recorded sales around central LU5 in the last 2 years is £300,000, ranging from £115,000 to £582,500 (HM Land Registry Price Paid Data).
Are the schools good in LU5?
41 schools sit within 3 miles of central LU5, and 85% are rated Outstanding or Good by Ofsted.
How much crime is there in LU5?
196 crimes were recorded within roughly a mile of central LU5 in August 2026, most commonly violent crime (Police.uk).
Is LU5 at risk of flooding?
Central LU5 sits in Zone 1 (low probability) for river and sea flooding (Environment Agency). Individual addresses vary, so check the full report for a specific property.
Is LU5 a good place to live?
That depends on what you need, so here is what the official data says rather than an opinion: 85% of nearby schools are rated Outstanding or Good by Ofsted; the median home sells for £300,000; the area sits in decile 3 of 10 on the Index of Multiple Deprivation; 196 crimes were recorded within about a mile. Every one of those figures names its source on this page.
Is LU5 safe?
196 crimes were recorded within roughly a mile of central LU5 in August 2026, according to Police.uk. The most common category was violent crime. Crime counts follow how many people are around, so a busy district records more than a quiet one of the same size.
Neighbouring districts
Want the full picture for a specific property?
This page covers LU5 as a whole. For sold price history, EPC rating, exact-address crime and flood risk, school catchment areas and 30+ other checks on one specific property, search its full postcode.