Arborfield Cross’s story
12 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Arborfield Cross’ built-up area.
15% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Arborfield CrossBerkshire
It is a village of 761 residents in Berkshire, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Colin Bates · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
761
Census 2021 · Wokingham council
Median home
£445K
29 sales in 3 years
Median age
41.9
18% are 65+ · Berkshire 15%
Degree level
36%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Arborfield Cross a good place to live?
With fewer than 1,000 residents, Arborfield Cross is too small for fair grades, though the figures on this page are real. Nearly one in ten commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. It has 12 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I. Homes sell for a median £445,000.
What makes Arborfield Cross stand out
The 3 things Arborfield Cross does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 6.5 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.6 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Arborfield Cross.
Work & commute
The car carries 90% of commuters in Arborfield Cross, more than in both Berkshire’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 44% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Household income averages £74K a year before tax. 9% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train at the census, below both Berkshire’s towns (24%) and England’s towns (27%); what’s more, for 28% of commuters, work was under 5 km away. Work in town: 3% of resident commuters.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving90%
On foot7%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
28%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
44%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£74K
mean household income, before tax
2.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Schools
The schools around Arborfield Cross
63% of pupils at the 4 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Its only school is listed below. Attainment 8 at the one secondary school within 3 km averages 58.4, and 72% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Coombes Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 338 | B− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Housing
Most households in Arborfield Cross own their home: 75%, more than in both Berkshire’s towns and England’s towns
12% rent privately, below Berkshire’s towns (22%) and England’s towns (21%) alike. Social renters account for 13% of households. Private rents average £1,466 a month across the Wokingham council area.
£445Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Arborfield Cross£445K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £535,000 | 7 |
| Semi-detached | £432,500 | 18 |
75%
of households own their home · England 61%
12%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,466
average private rent a month, Wokingham council area
£2,506
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Safety
Arborfield Cross records less burglary and damage per resident than Berkshire’s towns or England’s towns, at 6.1 per 1,000 a year
There were 1.8 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), lower than both Berkshire’s towns (6.4) and England’s towns (7.8). In the 12 months to August 2026, police logged 28 crimes and 1 reports of anti-social behaviour inside Arborfield Cross’s built-up area. Violence and sexual offences were 61% of the crimes.
18.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual17
Other theft4
Shoplifting2
Drugs2
Vehicle crime2
Weapons1
Damage & arson0
Public order0
Anti-social1
Not gradedAnti-social behaviour, shoplifting and other theft are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence and crimes against homes and vehicles per resident.
18.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.1
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
28
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.
Health
In Arborfield Cross, 85% say their health is good or very good
There is no GP practice in Arborfield Cross: the nearest is 1.8 miles off. 15% of residents in Arborfield Cross live with a disability. The nearest A&E to Arborfield Cross is Royal Berkshire Hospital, 4.4 miles away.
85%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Arborfield Cross | Berkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 87% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.7% | 3.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 13% | 17% |
80.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.8
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · The census answers take no account of age, so a young town looks healthier; the Health Grade relies on age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
History
Much of Arborfield Cross is a conservation area: 100% of its land, more than in both Berkshire’s towns and England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
For its size, Arborfield Cross has 158 listed buildings per 10,000 residents, above Berkshire’s towns (34) and England’s towns (39) alike. 15% of its homes were built before 1919.
12listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II12
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
15%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
158
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
A typical mix of ages for England
36% of adults hold a degree, between Berkshire’s towns (40%) and England’s towns (34%). Typical age in Arborfield Cross: 41.9, the median. One measure of family life: 19% of residents are under 15.
41.9median age
Arborfield CrossBerkshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
18%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications15%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level36%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 93 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Arborfield Cross | Berkshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 19% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 22% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 18% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 15% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 4.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 36% | 40% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Berkshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Cole Museum of Zoology and 3 more in and around Arborfield Cross
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Arborfield Cross. Best known first.
MuseumCole Museum of Zoology4.8 km outside town, to the northwestHistoric houseHistoric houseReddam House Berkshire2.3 km outside town, to the northeastAttractionAttractionCalifornia Country Park2.6 km outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumBritish Museum Archaeological Research Collection2.4 km outside town, to the northwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Cole Museum of Zoology: Chris_huh (Uploads), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Arborfield Cross
13pages on Arborfield Cross
The big questions
Safety18.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £445K · rent £1,466 a monthHousing9 sold in 12 months · busiest street Melrose GardensSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 80.9 (men), 83.8 (women)Work & commute60% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Arborfield Cross’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Arborfield GarrisonShinfieldWinnershWokinghamSpencers Wood and Three Mile CrossWoodleyReadingArborfield Cross
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arborfield Cross | 761 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Arborfield Garrison | 4,311 | 1 | A− | B+ | C− | B+ |
| Shinfield | 5,417 | 2 | A | B+ | B− | B+ |
| Winnersh | 8,904 | 2.6 | A+ | B+ | B | B+ |
| Wokingham | 50,320 | 2.7 | A+ | B+ | B | A+ |
| Spencers Wood and Three Mile Cross | 7,612 | 2.8 | A | A− | B | A+ |
| Woodley | 28,019 | 3.8 | A+ | A− | B+ | B+ |
| Reading | 203,789 | 4.7 | B− | C | C− | C+ |
People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Arborfield Cross
How many listed buildings are there in Arborfield Cross?
That is 6.5 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Arborfield Cross expensive to live in?
By type: semi-detached houses £432,500 and detached houses £535,000.
How much is council tax in Arborfield Cross?
Band D council tax in Arborfield Cross is £2,506 for 2026–27, more than in 66% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Arborfield Cross
Village in Berkshire, England
Arborfield Cross is a built-up area of 761 people, in the Wokingham council area. TownRatings uses ONS’s 2022 built-up areas as towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a council district, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from ONS geography and Census 2021
- Population
- 761 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Wokingham
- County
- Berkshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005178
Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · HM Land Registry Price Paid (standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026) · ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026, by council) · MHCLG and Welsh Government council tax, Band D 2026–27 (with parish precepts in England) · data.police.uk street-level crime, 36 months to August 2026, points inside the built-up-area boundary · ONS small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, 2019 to 2023 (England and Wales), OHID Fingertips small-area indicators (England) and Census 2021 health, adjusted for age · ONS small-area income estimates (financial year ending 2023) · DWP claimant count via Nomis (January to August 2026) · Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.