Luton (/ ˈluːtən / ⓘ) [7] is a town and borough in Bedfordshire, England. The borough had a population of 225,262 at the 2021 census. [5][8] Luton is on the River Lea, 32 miles (50 km) north-west of London, [9] 18 miles (29 km) north-west of Hertford, 20 miles (32 km) south of Bedford [9] and 23 miles (37 km) south-east of Milton Keynes.