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Living in Bideford

The city had 5 schools in 2026. Owner occupation accounted for 64.4% of homes in March 2021. The employment rate was 55% in March 2021. The population of Bideford, in the United Kingdom, was 19,490 in March 2021. Gigabit broadband availability was 94.1%.

Lower unemployment than 96% of United Kingdom cities that publish it and cleaner air than 89% of United Kingdom cities that publish it.

Which United Kingdom-wide rules apply when you move to Bideford?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in United KingdomNational rates and thresholds that apply in Bideford.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent or cost figure is published for Bideford yet. United Kingdom has country-level context; it is not substituted for this city.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Dwellings8,725 count21 Mar 2021ONS Census 2021 BUA row and ONS/OS BUA 2022 geometry for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley5Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Bideford?

The unemployment rate is 2.1 % (January 2023). Source: www.ons.gov.uk16

Unemployment across cities in United KingdomUnemployment in Bideford is 2.1%. Of 1,007 cities with data, 657 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in United Kingdom per band24 cities: 0% to under 2%240–2657 cities: 2% to under 4%6572–4Bideford 2.1%265 cities: 4% to under 6%2654–649 cities: 6% to under 8%496–87 cities: 8% to under 10%78–104 cities: 10% to under 12%410–121 city: 16% to under 18%116–18

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Gigabit broadband availability94.13 %Not statedwww.ofcom.org.uk17Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Employment rate55.02 %21 Mar 2021ONS Census 2021 towns and cities dataset Figure 9 individual BUA employment row for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley11Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Superfast broadband availability99.3 %Not statedwww.ofcom.org.uk17Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Median gross salary (regional)3,456 EUR/month31 Dec 2024www.ons.gov.uk15Official
Unemployment rate2.1 %country median 3.4%31 Dec 2023www.ons.gov.uk16Official

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Bideford. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Jobcentre Plus — Public employment service

Department for Work and Pensions

Job SearchUnemployment Claim
Open official service
Open the United Kingdom service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Bideford. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Schools5 count7 Jul 2026DfE Get Information About Schools all establishments extract3Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Primary School Count13 count3 Aug 2026Department for Education (GIAS)2Official
School Count16 count3 Aug 2026Department for Education (GIAS)2Official

Safety

Recorded crime across major citiesBideford highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Bideford highlighted14,267Manchester13,099Bristol12,409Liverpool11,700Bradford11,462Leeds11,416Birmingham11,001Leicester9,693Sheffield9,379Cardiff8,836Coventry757Glasgow549Edinburghrecorded incidents per 100k residents
MetricValuePeriodSource
Violent crime per 100,000 residents2,350 per 100,000Apr 2026data.police.uk all-crime polygon replay, filtered to Burglary1Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Burglary per 100,000 residents112.9 per 100,000Apr 2026data.police.uk all-crime polygon replay, filtered to Burglary1Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport19 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights12Official
Nearest airportEXT3 Aug 2026OurAirports13Official
Distance to nearest airport64 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports13Official

Climate and air quality

Annual PM2.5 was 5.44 µg/m³ in 2025. Annual NO₂ was 3.63 µg/m³ in 2025. Annual PM10 was 9.9 µg/m³ in 2025.

Is the air quality good in Bideford?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 5.4 µg/m³ (2025) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 5.44 µg/m³ · official estimated total annual mean background concentration10
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Bideford average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C0°10°20°30°JFMAMJJASOND21°4°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Bideford average monthly precipitation, mm0306090120907060555465747770107106107JFMAMJJASONDmm
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Bideford annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5255.4PM2.515409.9PM1010403.6NO₂µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in United KingdomAnnual PM2.5 in Bideford is 5.4 µg/m³. Of 864 cities with data, 448 have annual PM2.5 of 6 to under 7 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in United Kingdom per band1 city: 3 µg/m³ to under 4 µg/m³13–428 cities: 4 µg/m³ to under 5 µg/m³284–5203 cities: 5 µg/m³ to under 6 µg/m³2035–6Bideford 5.4448 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³4486–7174 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³1747–88 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³88–91 city: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³19–101 city: 13 µg/m³ to under 14 µg/m³113–14

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean3.63 µg/m³country median 7.12025official estimated total annual mean background concentration8Official
PM10 — annual mean9.93 µg/m³country median 11.32025official estimated total annual mean background concentration9Official
PM2.5 — annual mean5.44 µg/m³country median 6.52025official estimated total annual mean background concentration10Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 9.1 · Feb 9.4 · Mar 11.2 · Apr 13.7 · May 16.5 · Jun 19 · Jul 20.5 · Aug 20.5 · Sep 18.8 · Oct 15.4 · Nov 12.1 · Dec 9.7 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Chivenor_03707.csv14Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 3.6 · Feb 3.5 · Mar 4.4 · Apr 5.9 · May 8.6 · Jun 11.4 · Jul 13.3 · Aug 13.4 · Sep 11.5 · Oct 9.2 · Nov 6.2 · Dec 4.1 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Chivenor_03707.csv14Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 6.4 · Feb 6.4 · Mar 7.8 · Apr 9.8 · May 12.6 · Jun 15.2 · Jul 16.9 · Aug 17 · Sep 15.2 · Oct 12.3 · Nov 9.2 · Dec 6.9 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Chivenor_03707.csv14Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 90.1 · Feb 69.7 · Mar 59.5 · Apr 55.3 · May 54 · Jun 64.8 · Jul 73.7 · Aug 77.1 · Sep 69.9 · Oct 107 · Nov 106.4 · Dec 107 mm1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Chivenor_03707.csv14Official · nearest-station reading
Annual PM2.5 over time6 published observations, 2014–2025
Annual PM2.5 in Bideford by year, µg/m³5.07.19.311.420142016201920255.4µg/m³

Annual PM2.5 fell 39.6% between 2014 and 2025, from 9.0 to 5.4.

Cities of a similar size in United Kingdom

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All United Kingdom cities
Devizes19,490 residentsSelby19,475 residentsMansfield Woodhouse19,520 residentsStanley19,415 residentsLeek19,385 residentsMirfield19,610 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 5 km² in December 2022. Population density was 3,879.1 people per km² in 2021.

How many people live in Bideford?

The published population was 19,490 people in March 2021. Source: Census 2021 usual resident population count for the exact Built Up Area (BUA), England excluding London or Wales.5

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Bideford residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport95.8%Foreign residents 4.2%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Area5.02 km²Dec 2022ONS Census 2021 BUA row and ONS/OS BUA 2022 geometry for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley5Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
City area5.02 km²Dec 2022Exact 2022 Built Up Area polygon area for BUA22CD in EPSG:27700, converted from square metres to km2.4Official
Foreign residents810 people21 Mar 2021Exact BUA non-UK-born population derived as the sum of the published Europe: EU countries and Non-EU countries (including British Overseas) counts.5Official
GP practices per 10,000 residents1.03 per 10,000 people7 Jul 2026NHS ODS GP Practices report + ONSPD Live postcode coordinates6Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Schools per 10,000 residents2.57 per 10,000 people7 Jul 2026DfE Get Information About Schools all establishments extract3Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Population density3,879 people/km²21 Mar 2021www.ons.gov.uk5Official · built-up-area figure
Population19,490 people21 Mar 2021Census 2021 usual resident population count for the exact Built Up Area (BUA), England excluding London or Wales.5Official

Is Bideford a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker60%strong on work, weak on safety · range 49–71%
Skilled employee64%strong on work, weak on safety · range 54–74%
Student61%strong on education, weak on safety · range 51–71%
Family62%strong on family, weak on safety · range 51–73%
Retirement59%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 46–72%
Foreign residents810 people21 Mar 2021Official source · Exact BUA non-UK-born population derived as the sum of the published Europe: EU countries and Non-EU countries (including British Overseas) counts.
Population19,490 people21 Mar 2021Official source · Census 2021 usual resident population count for the exact Built Up Area (BUA), England excluding London or Wales.
Dwellings8,725 count21 Mar 2021Official source · ONS Census 2021 BUA row and ONS/OS BUA 2022 geometry for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley
Gigabit broadband availability94.13 %Not statedIndependent source · www.ofcom.org.uk
Employment rate55.02 %21 Mar 2021Official source · ONS Census 2021 towns and cities dataset Figure 9 individual BUA employment row for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley
Superfast broadband availability99.3 %Not statedIndependent source · www.ofcom.org.uk
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-27

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Owner-occupied homes64.41 %21 Mar 2021ONS Census 2021 BUA row and ONS/OS BUA 2022 geometry for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley5Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
GP practices2 count7 Jul 2026NHS ODS GP Practices report + ONSPD Live postcode coordinates6Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Residents born abroad4.2 %21 Mar 2021ONS Census 2021 BUA row and ONS/OS BUA 2022 geometry for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley5Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Median age44 years21 Mar 2021ONS Census 2021 BUA row and ONS/OS BUA 2022 geometry for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley5Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Universities0 count3 Aug 2026Office for Students7Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Bideford under the national coverage rules.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Bideford?

The published population was 19,490 people in March 2021. Source: Census 2021 usual resident population count for the exact Built Up Area (BUA), England excluding London or Wales..

Is the air quality good in Bideford?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 5.4 µg/m³ (2025) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: official estimated total annual mean background concentration.

What is the unemployment rate in Bideford?

The unemployment rate is 2.1 % (January 2023). Source: www.ons.gov.uk.

What is the typical salary around Bideford?

The median gross salary is 3,456 EUR/month. Source: www.ons.gov.uk.

How many foreign residents live in Bideford?

810 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Exact BUA non-UK-born population derived as the sum of the published Europe: EU countries and Non-EU countries (including British Overseas) counts..

Is Bideford a good place to live?

Bideford may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 14). Bideford, United Kingdom: salary, jobs, safety, air quality [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-8975a8c3d87026ab; version approved-static-8975a8c3d87026ab]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/uk/bideford/ Retrieved 2026-09-14. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_bideford-united-kingdom-salary-jobs-safety-air-quality_36600c166022,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Bideford, United Kingdom: salary, jobs, safety, air quality},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-14},
  version = {approved-static-8975a8c3d87026ab},
  snapshot = {approved-static-8975a8c3d87026ab},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/uk/bideford/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-14. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Bideford, United Kingdom: salary, jobs, safety, air quality](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/uk/bideford/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-8975a8c3d87026ab; version approved-static-8975a8c3d87026ab; retrieved 2026-09-14; built 2026-09-14.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. data.police.uk all-crime polygon replay, filtered to Burglary data.police.uk · checked 2026-07-07
  2. Department for Education (GIAS) get-information-schools.service.gov.uk · checked 2026-08-03
  3. DfE Get Information About Schools all establishments extract get-information-schools.service.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-07
  4. Exact 2022 Built Up Area polygon area for BUA22CD in EPSG:27700, converted from square metres to km2. services1.arcgis.com · checked 2026-07-15
  5. Exact BUA non-UK-born population derived as the sum of the published Europe: EU countries and Non-EU countries (including British Overseas) counts. ons.gov.uk · checked 2021-03-21
  6. NHS ODS GP Practices report + ONSPD Live postcode coordinates digital.nhs.uk · checked 2026-07-07
  7. Office for Students officeforstudents.org.uk · checked 2026-08-03
  8. official estimated total annual mean background concentration uk-air.defra.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-15
  9. official estimated total annual mean background concentration uk-air.defra.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-15
  10. official estimated total annual mean background concentration uk-air.defra.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-15
Show 7 more sources
  1. ONS Census 2021 towns and cities dataset Figure 9 individual BUA employment row for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-05
  2. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  3. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  4. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Chivenor_03707.csv WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  5. www.ons.gov.uk ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-08-27
  6. www.ons.gov.uk ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-08-26
  7. www.ofcom.org.uk ofcom.org.uk · checked 2026-07-15

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