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Rental yields›Bedford

Rental yield in Bedford

Bedford sits in the lower half for rental yield in England and Wales, a little below the 4.4% typical figure across all 316 areas.

Over the past year, average prices in Bedford rose 4.4% and average rents rose 3.4%.

Gross yield

4.3%

Average price

£329,830

↑ +4.4% / yr

Average rent

£1,170/mo

↑ +3.4% / yr

National rank

#175 of 316

Who rents here

Census 2021, 74,949 households

19.1% of homes in Bedford are private rentals.

Private rented 19.1%Social rented 16.3%Owner occupied 62.7%

Average rent by size

1 bedroom

£798/mo

↑ +3.6% / yr

2 bedrooms

£1,027/mo

↑ +3.5% / yr

3 bedrooms

£1,256/mo

↑ +3.6% / yr

4+ bedrooms

£1,801/mo

↑ +2.8% / yr

1 bed£798
2 beds£1,027
3 beds£1,256
4+ beds£1,801

Average advertised rent by number of bedrooms. ONS Price Index of Private Rents (2026-07).

Council tax bands (2026-27)

Band A

£1,648

Band B

£1,923

Band C

£2,197

Band D

£2,472

Band E

£3,021

Band F

£3,571

Band G

£4,120

Band H

£4,944

Average annual bill for the area, including police and other precepts (MHCLG and Welsh Government, 2026-27). Community precepts vary, and the band is set by the property, so check the exact band on gov.uk.

Work out the yield on a specific property

Pre-filled with the Bedford average. Change them for a real property.

Gross yield4.3%

That is right on the Bedford average of 4.3%. Add costs for a net estimate.

How it compares

Bedford4.3%
Highest (Newcastle upon Tyne)6.9%
Typical (median)4.4%
Lowest (Derbyshire Dales)2.8%

Areas with a similar yield

Bridgend 4.4%North Lincolnshire 4.3%Cornwall 4.3%Somerset 4.3%Lewes 4.3%Basingstoke and Deane 4.3%
See it on the yield mapWork out a specific dealCheck this area

Common questions

Is Bedford a good place to buy to let?

It is around the middle for rental income, at a 4.3% average gross yield. Whether it works depends on the specific property, so always run the actual numbers.

Are rents rising in Bedford?

Over the past year, average rents in Bedford rose 3.4% and average prices rose 4.4% (HM Land Registry and ONS, to 2026-07).

Is there rental demand in Bedford?

Rent movement is the best free proxy for tenant demand, and average rents in Bedford rose 3.4% over the past year (ONS), which points to tenants competing for available stock. Still ask local letting agents about typical void periods before committing to a buy-to-let there. For the size of the market: at the 2021 census, 19.1% of Bedford's 74,949 households rented privately (16.3% social rented, 62.7% owner occupied).

What is the average rent for a 1, 2 or 3 bedroom property in Bedford?

As of 2026-07, average monthly rents in Bedford by property size are £798 for a 1 bedroom property, £1,027 for a 2 bedroom property, £1,256 for a 3 bedroom property, £1,801 for a 4 or more bedroom property (ONS). The all-size average is £1,170 a month.

How much is council tax in Bedford?

In 2026-27, the average Band D council tax in Bedford is £2,472 a year including police and other precepts. Bills scale with the property's band: from £1,648 for Band A up to £4,944 for Band H. Community precepts vary within the area, so treat these as area averages and check the exact band and bill with the council.

What is a good rental yield in the UK?

As a rough guide, under 4% is low, 5 to 6% is typical, and above 6.5% is high. Bedford is at 4.3%.

Weighing up Bedford? Ask people who invest there in the free Housetrix Discord, or browse every area ranked by yield.

Gross yield = annual rent divided by average price. Average price: HM Land Registry UK HPI (01/06/2026). Average rent: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (2026-07). Local-authority averages across all property types, indicative only. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Not investment advice.

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