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MK42 postcode

Broadband in MK42 8AY

Kempston, 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 17 March 2026

Flood Risk

Medium

Fibre (FTTP)

No

Best speed

Basic only

Reviewed by Sage MitchellData last verified: 17 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 8AY yet.

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Speed Test

Check your current download speed and see how it compares to what is available at MK42 8AY.

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 8AY

MK42 8AY is in Kempston, 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 8AY 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.

Advertised speeds and actual speeds are different things. Average download at MK42 8AY: 167 Mbps. Upload: 32 Mbps. Latency: 13ms. Around the UK average. Fine for most households. HD streaming and video calls should work well. Multiple devices can share this comfortably. Data from 50 speed tests in this area.

Homes here average £22,847,500. That's well above the UK average of £290,000. About 7778% higher than the national figure. Based on one Land Registry transaction. Most recent sale: £22,847,500. A property in December 2022. Few sales on record. Prices may not reflect current market values. Check Rightmove for current asking prices nearby. Higher price bracket. Budget for stamp duty carefully. Stamp duty at this level adds thousands to the cost.

183 crimes recorded in the latest month. Around average for a populated area. Most common type: violent crime (68). Second: public order (21). Third: anti social behaviour (20). Crime data is at LSOA level, not postcode. Nearby postcodes share these figures. The area covers roughly 1,500 residents. Monthly figures move around. The pattern matters more.

Five schools near MK42 8AY. Nearest: Bedford Road Primary Academy. Distance: 0.11 miles. Type: Primary. Second nearest: Greys Education Centre (0.21 mi). Also: Rivertree Free School (0.25 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: 1,549. Median age: 32. Urban area. 5969 people per km². Busy area. More noise and traffic. More shops and services within walking distance. Deprivation index: decile 4 out of 10. That's mid-range. Education deprivation is a concern.

Nearest train station: Stockport. Distance: 113.5 miles. You'll need a car to get there. Also: Ashton-under-Lyne (116.4 mi). And Manchester Piccadilly (119.2 mi). Five public EV chargers nearby. Closest: 0.19 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: KING STREET SURGERY. Distance: 0.1 miles. Five practices in the wider area. Check directly about new patient availability. GP lists fill up. Register early if you're moving. Walking distance to your GP. Handy. 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+. The area gets good real-world speeds. Most providers should deliver on their promises here.

Kempston is a busy, built-up area. Expect shops, takeaways, and services on your doorstep. Parking can be tight. Noise levels higher than average. Public transport links tend to be better in denser areas.

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 8AY 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.

MK42 8AY has its strengths and weak spots like anywhere. Use the data above as your starting point. Check providers and schools directly. Visit the area on a weekday and a weekend. Numbers only tell part of the story. The feel of a place matters too. We update these figures regularly as new data is released.

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 8AY

Based on 50 Ookla Speedtest results (Q4 2025)

Download

167

Mbps

Upload

32

Mbps

Latency

13

ms

Tests

50

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 8AY

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 8AY

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

35

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

Map

House prices

Average price

£22,847,500

Sales (5 yrs)

Trend

unknown

Most recent sale

£22,847,500 on

DatePriceStreet
£22,847,500BEDFORD ROAD

Crime summary

Based on Police.uk data for 2025-12

Total crimes last month: 183

violent crime37%68
public order11%21
anti social behaviour11%20
shoplifting9%17
criminal damage arson8%15
other theft7%12
drugs5%9
vehicle crime5%9
burglary3%5
other crime2%3
robbery1%1
bicycle theft1%1
possession of weapons1%1
theft from the person1%1

Schools nearby

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

SchoolTypeOfstedRatingDistance
Bedford Road Primary AcademyPrimaryNot available★★★☆☆0.1 mi
Greys Education CentreOtherNot available★★★☆☆0.2 mi
Rivertree Free SchoolSpecialNot available★★★☆☆0.3 mi
Grange AcademySpecialNot available★★★☆☆0.4 mi
Camestone SchoolPrimaryNot available★★★☆☆0.5 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

EPC energy ratings

Energy Performance Certificate distribution for this area

A

Most common: Band A

EPC score 92–100

A
0%
B
0%
C
0%
D
0%
E
0%
F
0%
G
0%
EPC Open Data Communities API

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

113.5 mi

by road

🚂

Ashton-under-Lyne

116.4 mi

by road

🚂

Manchester Piccadilly

119.2 mi

by road

NaPTAN · Straight-line distances

GP surgeries nearby

Nearest NHS GP practices

1

KING STREET SURGERY

MK42 8QD·0.1 miles away
Not accepting

new patients

2

CCSB HEALTH VISITORS

MK42 7PN·0.8 miles away
Not accepting

new patients

3

CCSB PAED COMM NURSING

MK42 7PN·0.8 miles away
Not accepting

new patients

4

CCSB SAFEGUARDING

MK42 7PN·0.8 miles away
Not accepting

new patients

5

CCSB SCHOOL NURSING

MK42 7PN·0.8 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

0.2 mi

away

🔋

EV Charger

Type 2

0.3 mi

away

🔋

BP Pulse

Type 22 points

1.5 mi

away

🔋

EV Charger

Type 22 points

1.6 mi

away

🔋

EV Charger

Type 2

1.6 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: E01017505

Overall IMD Decile

4 / 10

Below average

Ranked

12,713

of 32,844 areas

Decile 10 = least deprived 10% of England. Decile 1 = most deprived 10%. Based on Bedford 017A (2019 boundaries).

DomainDecileRankAssessment
Income515,609Average
Employment410,258Below average
Education329Below average
Health5N/AAverage
Crime3N/ABelow average
English Indices of Deprivation 2019 (MHCLG)

Area demographics

Data for LSOA: Bedford 017A

Population

1,549

Census 2021

Density

5969

per km² · Dense urban

Median Age

32

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

Kempston

District

Bedford

Region

Constituency

LSOA

E01017505

Frequently asked questions about MK42 8AY

What are the broadband speeds available at MK42 8AY?

Superfast broadband (30Mbps+) is available to 0% of premises at MK42 8AY. Maximum download speeds reach Basic only. Ultrafast coverage is at 0%.

What is the average house price near MK42 8AY?

Average property price near MK42 8AY: £22,847,500. Based on 1 Land Registry sale. The most recent sale was a other for £22,847,500 in 2022.

What is the flood risk for properties at MK42 8AY?

MK42 8AY 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 8AY area?

The nearest school to MK42 8AY is Bedford Road Primary Academy (Primary), 0.11 miles away. There are 5 schools within a few miles of this postcode.

How does crime rate in MK42 8AY compare to other areas?

In the latest month of data, 183 crimes were reported in this area (LSOA level). This is around average. The most common category was violent crime.

How suitable is MK42 8AY for remote working?

MK42 8AY 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 8AY?

4G outdoor coverage at MK42 8AY 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 8AY?

EPC data is not yet available for MK42 8AY. 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 8AY?

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 8AY?

The nearest GP surgery to MK42 8AY is KING STREET SURGERY, 0.1 miles away. There are 5 GP practices within reach.

What transport links are available near MK42 8AY?

The nearest train station to MK42 8AY is Stockport, 113.5 miles away. Other nearby stations include Ashton-under-Lyne (116.4 mi) and Manchester Piccadilly (119.2 mi).

Is MK42 8AY a suitable area for families?

MK42 8AY 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 8AY?

Air quality at MK42 8AY 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 8AY?

The nearest public EV charging point to MK42 8AY is 0.19 miles away (EV Charger, Type 2). There are 5 charging points within 5 miles.

Can I get full fibre broadband at MK42 8AY?

Ultrafast broadband is not currently available at MK42 8AY. Standard and superfast options may still be available. Check with providers for the latest rollout plans.

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