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MK42 postcode

Broadband in MK42 9YU

Elstow, Bedford

Standard broadband is the main option at this postcode.

Best speedBasic only
StandardSuperfastGigabit
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Free, independent comparison · Ofcom verified data · Updated 8 March 2026

Flood Risk

Medium

Fibre (FTTP)

No

Best speed

Basic only

Reviewed by Sage MitchellData last verified: 8 March 2026

Speed Calculator

Adjust the options below to see how much broadband speed your household needs.

2
18

HD uses ~5 Mbps per person. 4K uses ~25 Mbps.

Each person on calls needs around 10 Mbps.

Competitive gaming needs low latency as much as raw speed.

Cameras, thermostats, speakers and similar devices each use a few Mbps.

Estimated speed needed14 Mbps

Your household needs approximately 14 Mbps. We don't have speed data for MK42 9YU yet.

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Speed Test

Check your current download speed and see how it compares to what is available at MK42 9YU.

The test downloads a 2 MB file from our server and measures how long it takes.

This test measures download speed only. Results vary depending on network conditions.

Broadband availability

Source: Ofcom Connected Nations 2025 (Jul 2025)

Living near MK42 9YU

MK42 9YU is in Elstow, Bedford. This guide pulls together data from Ofcom, Land Registry, Police.uk, and more. Every figure is specific to this postcode or its local area. We cover broadband, real-world speeds, house prices, and crime. Plus schools, flood risk, air quality, transport, and GP access. Use it to compare against other postcodes you're considering.

Broadband at MK42 9YU is below average. Superfast covers just 0% of premises. The UK average sits at 93%. Big gap here. Video calls may drop. Streaming will buffer. Check if 4G or 5G home broadband is an option. Some providers offer mobile broadband alternatives. No gigabit connections available yet. Top speeds listed as Basic only.

Ofcom data covers availability. Ookla measures real performance. Average download at MK42 9YU: 60 Mbps. Upload: 29 Mbps. Latency: 20ms. Below the UK average of 70 Mbps. One or two devices at a time. Not ideal for families. HD streaming works. 4K will struggle.

Limited house price data for MK42 9YU. Few residential sales on record here. Could be a commercial area, new development, or rental-heavy. Land Registry only records completed sales. Rentals and new-builds under shared ownership may not appear. Check Rightmove or Zoopla for current asking prices. Talk to local estate agents for a ground-level view.

Crime figures for this area: 92 in one month. Around average for a populated area. Most common type: violent crime (25). Second: anti social behaviour (20). Third: shoplifting (13). Crime data is at LSOA level, not postcode. Nearby postcodes share these figures. The area covers roughly 1,500 residents. Check the full trend on Police.uk before deciding.

Five schools near MK42 9YU. Nearest: Willow Grove Primary School. Distance: 0.91 miles. Type: Primary. Second nearest: Springfield Primary School (0.94 mi). Also: Wixams Tree Primary Academy (0.96 mi). Reasonable school options. Check individual school catchment areas for your address.

Flood risk: Medium. Zone: Zone 2/3. Moderate flood risk. Get a flood risk assessment before buying. Insurance premiums may be higher. Air quality: Fair. PM2.5: 1.7 µg/m³. Well within WHO guidelines.

Local population: 1,240. Median age: 42. Rural area. 232 people per km². Expect quiet roads and more space between homes. Fewer local amenities. Car likely a must. Deprivation index: decile 6 out of 10. That's less deprived than average.

Nearest train station: Stockport. Distance: 114.9 miles. You'll need a car to get there. Also: Ashton-under-Lyne (117.9 mi). And Manchester Piccadilly (120.6 mi). Five public EV chargers nearby. Closest: 1.39 miles away. Good EV charging options in the area.

Council tax: mostly Band C. Check your exact band at gov.uk/council-tax-bands. Band affects your annual bill by hundreds of pounds.

Nearest GP: CCSB HEALTH VISITORS. Distance: 0.9 miles. Five practices in the wider area. Check directly about new patient availability. GP lists fill up. Register early if you're moving. Close enough for a quick trip. Register with a GP before you need one. Waiting lists vary between practices.

4G outdoor coverage: 100%. 5G outdoor: 98.9%. Strong mobile signal across the area. 5G is widely available here. Data is at local authority level from Ofcom. Street-level signal can vary. Buildings and terrain affect actual reception. Try your handset on-site before switching provider.

Remote working score: 15/100. May struggle with demanding remote work. Family score: 55/100. Mixed for families. Depends on priorities. Scores factor in broadband, schools, crime, and GPs. They weight each category by its relevance. A low score doesn't mean the area is bad. It means specific factors may not suit that use case. Compare scores with nearby postcodes to spot patterns.

A note on broadband providers. Ofcom data shows what's available. Not which provider to pick. Actual speeds depend on your line, your router, and your provider. Check BT, Sky, Virgin Media, and local FTTP operators. Compare deals at broadbandcompareuk.com or uSwitch. Contract lengths vary. 18 months is standard. Some offer 12. Ask about setup fees. They range from free to £50+. Run a speed test after installation. If speeds don't match what you're paying for, complain.

Elstow is a rural area. Open fields and quiet lanes. A car is a must. Public transport is limited. Nearest supermarket may be a drive away.

All data on this page comes from official public sources. Ofcom publishes broadband stats yearly. Police.uk updates monthly. The Land Registry records every sale. We pull it together so you can see the full picture in one place.

A data profile is a starting point. Visit MK42 9YU before making decisions. Drive the commute at peak time. Walk to the local shops. Check mobile signal inside a property, not just outside. Look at the street on Google Maps and in person. They often tell different stories.

Those are the facts for MK42 9YU. Compare with other postcodes you're considering. Each section above links to its official source. The data is objective. Your priorities decide which trade-offs matter. What works for a young professional differs from a family with children. Check back for updated figures as new data comes in.

TechnologyAvailableCoverageTypical Speed
Standard (ADSL)0%
0%
10-20 Mbps
Superfast (30+ Mbps)0%
0%
30-80 Mbps
Ultrafast (100+ Mbps)0%
0%
100-300 Mbps
Full Fibre (FTTP)N/A
N/A
300-900 Mbps
Gigabit0%
0%
900-1,000 Mbps

Real-World Speeds at MK42 9YU

Based on 7 Ookla Speedtest results (Q4 2025)

Download

60

Mbps

Upload

29

Mbps

Latency

20

ms

Tests

7

results

Source: Ookla Speedtest Open Data (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Mobile coverage

4G & 5G coverage · Ofcom Connected Nations 2025

4G Outdoor

100%

4G Indoor

99.7%

5G Outdoor

98.9%

Networks with 4G

EEO2ThreeVodafone
Ofcom Connected Nations 2025 (Jul 2025) · Data at local authority area level

Cell Tower Coverage near MK42 9YU

No cell towers found within 2 km. Mobile signal may be weak in this area.

Source: OpenStreetMap Contributors

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Area suitability scores

MK42 9YU

Remote Worker

15

Based on superfast broadband coverage, FTTP %, and 4G mobile outdoor coverage.

Family

55

Based on Ofsted school ratings, crime rate, flood risk, and GP surgery proximity.

Value for Money

50

Based on broadband quality relative to average house price in the area.

Map

Crime summary

Based on Police.uk data for 2025-12

Total crimes last month: 92

violent crime27%25
anti social behaviour22%20
shoplifting14%13
vehicle crime10%9
public order8%7
other theft7%6
criminal damage arson4%4
drugs3%3
burglary3%3
bicycle theft1%1
possession of weapons1%1

Schools nearby

Nearest schools within 5 miles · Ofsted ratings as at Jan 2026

SchoolTypeOfstedRatingDistance
Willow Grove Primary SchoolPrimaryNot available★★★☆☆0.9 mi
Springfield Primary SchoolPrimaryNot available★★★☆☆0.9 mi
Wixams Tree Primary AcademyPrimaryNot available★★★☆☆1.0 mi
Wixams AcademySecondaryNot available★★★☆☆1.0 mi
Daubeney AcademySecondaryNot available★★★☆☆1.0 mi

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Flood risk

Zone 2/3

🟠

Flood risk: Medium

This postcode is in Zone 2/3 — medium risk of flooding from rivers and sea.

Flood Zone

Zone 2/3

Risk Level

Medium

Environment Agency flood risk data

Council tax bands

Band distribution for Bedford

C

Most common: Band C

1,841/yr · Bedford

A
7%£1,381
B
18%£1,611
C
28%£1,841
D
24%£2,071
E
13%£2,531
F
6%£2,991
G
3%£3,452
H
1%£4,142

Annual council tax estimates for Bedford, 2024/25

Valuation Office Agency (VOA) · Check exact band at gov.uk

Transport links

Nearest train stations and towns

Nearest train stations

🚂

Stockport

114.9 mi

by road

🚂

Ashton-under-Lyne

117.9 mi

by road

🚂

Manchester Piccadilly

120.6 mi

by road

NaPTAN · Straight-line distances

GP surgeries nearby

Nearest NHS GP practices

1

CCSB HEALTH VISITORS

MK42 7PN·0.9 miles away
Not accepting

new patients

2

CCSB PAED COMM NURSING

MK42 7PN·0.9 miles away
Not accepting

new patients

3

CCSB SAFEGUARDING

MK42 7PN·0.9 miles away
Not accepting

new patients

4

CCSB SCHOOL NURSING

MK42 7PN·0.9 miles away
Not accepting

new patients

5

CIRCLE INTEGRATED CARE

MK42 7NY·1.0 miles away
Not accepting

new patients

NHS website (NHS.uk find a GP) · Nearest 3 GP practicesFind a GP →

Air quality

Particulate matter & nitrogen dioxide levels

Fair air quality

Air quality data not available.

PM2.5 (fine particles)1.7 μg/m³

WHO guideline: 15 μg/m³

PM10 (coarse particles) μg/m³

WHO guideline: 45 μg/m³

NO₂ (nitrogen dioxide) μg/m³

WHO guideline: 25 μg/m³

Open-Meteo Air Quality API · Guidelines: WHO 2021

EV charging nearby

Public EV charging points within 5 miles

🔋

EV Charger

Type 2

1.4 mi

away

🔋

EV Charger

Type 2

1.5 mi

away

🔋

BP Pulse

Type 22 points

2.2 mi

away

🔋

EV Charger

Type 2

2.3 mi

away

🔋

EV Charger

Type 22 points

2.4 mi

away

OpenStreetMap Overpass API (replaces decommissioned DFT National Chargepoint Registry, which closed Nov 2024) · Within 5 miles

Deprivation index (IMD)

English Indices of Deprivation 2019 · LSOA: E01034432

Overall IMD Decile

6 / 10

Average

Ranked

18,082

of 32,844 areas

Decile 10 = least deprived 10% of England. Decile 1 = most deprived 10%. Based on Bedford 019E (2019 boundaries).

DomainDecileRankAssessment
Income617,862Average
Employment617,336Average
Education612Average
Health7N/AAbove average
Crime5N/AAverage
English Indices of Deprivation 2019 (MHCLG)

Area demographics

Data for LSOA: Bedford 022B

Population

1,240

Census 2021

Density

232

per km² · Suburban

Median Age

42

years (est.)

Estimated from area type (density-based); exact value requires Census TS007 age breakdown

Census 2021 (ONS via Nomis NM_2028_1, NM_2026_1)

Area info

Parish

Elstow

District

Bedford

Region

Constituency

LSOA

E01034432

Frequently asked questions about MK42 9YU

What are the broadband speeds available at MK42 9YU?

Superfast broadband (30Mbps+) is available to 0% of premises at MK42 9YU. Maximum download speeds reach Basic only. Ultrafast coverage is at 0%.

What is the average house price near MK42 9YU?

No recent house price data for MK42 9YU. Few residential sales on record, or mainly commercial properties.

What is the flood risk for properties at MK42 9YU?

MK42 9YU has a Medium flood risk rating, classified as Zone 2/3 by the Environment Agency. Check the Environment Agency flood map for detailed risk information.

What schools are nearby in the MK42 9YU area?

The nearest school to MK42 9YU is Willow Grove Primary School (Primary), 0.91 miles away. There are 5 schools within a few miles of this postcode.

How does crime rate in MK42 9YU compare to other areas?

In the latest month of data, 92 crimes were reported in this area (LSOA level). This is around average. The most common category was violent crime.

How suitable is MK42 9YU for remote working?

MK42 9YU scores 15/100 for remote working suitability, making it challenging for home workers. This score factors in superfast broadband coverage, full fibre availability, and mobile signal strength.

What is the mobile signal like at MK42 9YU?

4G outdoor coverage at MK42 9YU is 100%, with 5G outdoor at 98.9%. Networks available include EE, O2, Three, Vodafone. Data is at local authority level from Ofcom Connected Nations.

What is the most common energy efficiency rating for homes near MK42 9YU?

EPC data is not yet available for MK42 9YU. Energy Performance Certificates are recorded when properties are sold or rented. Check the EPC register at epc.opendatacommunities.org for individual property ratings.

What is the council tax band distribution at MK42 9YU?

The most common council tax band in Bedford is Band C. Band D council tax is approximately £1988 per year. Check your exact band at gov.uk.

How accessible are GP surgeries near MK42 9YU?

The nearest GP surgery to MK42 9YU is CCSB HEALTH VISITORS, 0.9 miles away. There are 5 GP practices within reach.

What transport links are available near MK42 9YU?

The nearest train station to MK42 9YU is Stockport, 114.9 miles away. Other nearby stations include Ashton-under-Lyne (117.9 mi) and Manchester Piccadilly (120.6 mi).

Is MK42 9YU a suitable area for families?

MK42 9YU scores 55/100 for family suitability, rated reasonably suitable. This score considers Ofsted school ratings, crime rates, flood risk, and proximity to GP surgeries.

What is the air quality like at MK42 9YU?

Air quality at MK42 9YU is rated Fair with PM2.5 levels at 1.7 µg/m³. This is close to WHO guideline levels.

How far is the nearest EV charging point from MK42 9YU?

The nearest public EV charging point to MK42 9YU is 1.39 miles away (EV Charger, Type 2). There are 5 charging points within 5 miles.

Can I get full fibre broadband at MK42 9YU?

Ultrafast broadband is not currently available at MK42 9YU. Standard and superfast options may still be available. Check with providers for the latest rollout plans.

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