Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02003618

Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh

Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh is a Census neighbourhood of about 8,758 residents in Bedford. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Bedford
8,758

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,622

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

200.4

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

76.6%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

10.5%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

35.3%

Adults with a degree or above

ONS Census 2021 · qualifications

Neighbourhoods most like this one

Closest matches elsewhere in England and Wales, across 14 Census themes. Similarity is statistical, not a recommendation, and says nothing about how anywhere feels to live in.

Kesgrave East & Martlesham, East Suffolk13,090 residents · 77.1% owned · 8.5% no carAlmondsbury, Pilning & Severn Beach, South Gloucestershire8,899 residents · 78.5% owned · 6.9% no carPaddock Wood & Five Oak Green, Tunbridge Wells10,512 residents · 70.8% owned · 12.0% no carHeadcorn & Sutton Valence, Maidstone7,505 residents · 73.0% owned · 9.8% no carAlvechurch, Hopwood & Holt End, Bromsgrove6,932 residents · 80.3% owned · 9.5% no carWroughton, Wichelstowe & Chiseldon, Swindon12,793 residents · 75.2% owned · 11.6% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh

People, households and homes at the stated Census geography. These describe the 2021 population, not the occupants of a particular home.

Tenure

Owned76.6%
2,776 households
Private rented12.7%
459 households
Social rented9.7%
353 households
Shared ownership0.9%
34 households
Lives rent free0%
0 households
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Semi-detached41.4%
1,500 households
Detached32.2%
1,168 households
Terraced15.8%
573 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement4.9%
179 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure4.2%
154 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.7%
24 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.4%
13 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.4%
13 households
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household39.2%
1,420 households
2 cars or vans in household34.4%
1,247 households
3 or more cars or vans in household15.9%
574 households
No cars or vans in household10.5%
379 households
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms44.1%
1,597 households
4 or more bedrooms29.3%
1,063 households
2 bedrooms20.9%
758 households
1 bedroom5.6%
204 households
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household68.3%
2,475 households
One-person household27.4%
992 households
Other household types4.3%
156 households
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household35%
1,268 households
1 person in household27.4%
994 households
3 people in household15.8%
572 households
4 people in household15.8%
571 households
5 people in household4.3%
156 households
6 people in household1.2%
43 households
7 people in household0.4%
16 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
4 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1517.8%
1,562 residents
15–2915.3%
1,340 residents
30–4416.5%
1,446 residents
45–6428.9%
2,530 residents
65 and over21.4%
1,876 residents
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White89.7%
7,856 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups3.9%
340 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh3.8%
331 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African2.1%
183 residents
Other ethnic group0.5%
47 residents
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above35.3%
2,496 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications16.8%
1,185 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications15%
1,056 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications14.4%
1,018 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications9.3%
656 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship6.4%
453 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.8%
199 residents aged 16 and over
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)60.4%
4,260 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive37.4%
2,643 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student2.2%
155 residents aged 16 and over
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations24.1%
1,705 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations15.4%
1,090 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations14%
987 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers11.6%
821 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations9.8%
695 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations8.5%
602 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students6.2%
441 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations5.5%
385 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed4.8%
336 residents aged 16 and over
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health50.8%
4,453 residents
Good health34.6%
3,030 residents
Fair health10.5%
923 residents
Bad health3.2%
281 residents
Very bad health0.8%
71 residents
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act84.8%
7,430 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act15.2%
1,328 residents
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension55.5%
2,009 households
Household is deprived in one dimension33.7%
1,219 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions9.5%
344 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions1.3%
47 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.1%
3 households
Clapham, Oakley & Thurleigh · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Each percentage uses its Census table’s own total. Rounding and source categories can affect totals. ONS Census data · OGL v3.0.

How the similarity is worked out

Alike on the Census, which is not the same as alike to live in.

Every neighbourhood is described by its shares across the Census themes above — tenure, housing, cars, household make-up, age, ethnic group, qualifications, work, health and deprivation — each theme weighted equally, which is the approach ONS takes in its own Output Area Classification. The neighbourhoods listed are the closest on those numbers, published in full rather than folded into a score. Nothing here measures schools, crime, prices or what a place is like to be in, and a close match is a statistical fact rather than a suggestion to move.

Browse every neighbourhood in Bedford

Evidence ledger

Source and date are part of the record.

Shared catalogue checked 2026-08-28: 88 candidate data layers listed. Catalogue presence is not publication approval; only separately approved public projections may be shown.