Bedford population, 2001–2024
Bedford has an estimated population of 194,976 (mid-2024), up 31.6% since 2001. Official ONS mid-year estimates for the Bedford local authority area.
194,976
population, mid-2024
+31.6%
since 2001
+16.9%
last 10 years
2024
peak year (194,976)
Year by year
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 194,976 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 191,575 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 187,624 | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 185,796 | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 182,346 | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 180,651 | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 178,288 | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 175,537 | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 173,703 | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 170,149 | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 166,856 | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 163,672 | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 160,344 | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 157,840 | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 156,535 | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 154,808 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 154,164 | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 153,107 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 152,346 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 151,747 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 151,308 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 150,684 | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 149,589 | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 148,113 | — |
Food businesses
Bedford has 137 takeaways, 313 restaurants and cafés and 129 pubs and bars on the FSA's statutory register (as of July 2026) — 0.44 takeaways per restaurant against an English average of 0.49, and 7.0 takeaways per 10,000 residents. How that compares across England.
Figures are ONS mid-year population estimates for the Bedford local authority area (code E06000055), which can differ from the population of a town of the same name. Sources & method.