Cold Ash’s story
9 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Cold Ash’s built-up area.
13% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Cold AshBerkshire
A village of 2,267 in Berkshire, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Bill Nicholls · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,267
Census 2021 · West Berkshire council
Median home
£736K
44 sales in 3 years
Median age
39.2
18% are 65+ · Berkshire 15%
Degree level
46%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Cold Ash a good place to live?
Cold Ash has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is health (A+): life expectancy 86.5 for men, 87.3 for women. Its weakest is cost of living (C): median sale £735,500, 10.9 years of area income; rent £1,338 a month.
What makes Cold Ash stand out
The 3 things Cold Ash does most differently from other towns.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2.7 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
97%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
Less crime than 97%
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
13% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
How Cold Ash grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Cold Ash is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
HealthA+Open →SafetyA+Open →Jobs & income1.4% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 12% of towns in England; secondary results beat 62% of towns in EnglandCOpen →WalkabilityB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryCOpen →Outdoors7% live within 400 m of a park; 60% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeC+Open →Civic life4.4 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Cold Ash.
Health
Cold Ash’s life expectancy beats 98% of UK towns
90% of Cold Ash’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, higher than both Berkshire’s towns (87%) and England’s towns (82%). Seeing a GP means leaving Cold Ash: the nearest practice is 1.9 miles away. At the census, 1.5% of people here described their health as bad or very bad. The nearest A&E to Cold Ash is Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, 12.4 miles away.
90%good or very good healthA+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 90%Fair 9%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2021 | Cold Ash | Berkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 90% | 87% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.5% | 3.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 12% | 13% | 17% |
86.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.3
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · A young population flatters these answers, which are not age-adjusted; the Health Grade instead uses measures that allow for age, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
SchoolsC
Exam results at Cold Ash’s schools trail 66% of towns in England
Below is its only school. 52% of pupils at the 12 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). GCSE results at the one secondary school within 3 km: 48% of pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 48.
CSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 195 | B |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Cold Ash records less violent crime per resident than Berkshire’s towns or England’s towns, at 5.7 per 1,000 a year
Homes saw 4.3 burglaries and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year, below Berkshire’s towns (9.3) and England’s towns (9.4) alike. Police figures for Cold Ash’s built-up area: 44 crimes and 7 anti-social behaviour reports in the 12 months to August 2026. Violence and sexual offences made up 36% of the total.
5.7violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 97% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual16
Damage & arson6
Other theft5
Other crime5
Burglary4
Public order3
Drugs2
Shoplifting1
Anti-social7
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.
5.7
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
44
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.
HousingCost of living grade C
Most households in Cold Ash own their home: 85%, more than in Berkshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The private rented sector houses 13% of households. 2% live in social housing, lower than both Berkshire’s towns (14%) and England’s towns (18%). From September 2023 to August 2026, 44 homes sold inside Cold Ash’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £735,500.
£736Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Cold Ash£736K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £890,000 | 35 |
| Semi-detached | £420,500 | 6 |
85%
of households own their home · England 61%
13%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,338
average private rent a month, West Berkshire council area
£2,453
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
History
Cold Ash’s listed buildings: 9, all Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
9listed buildingsCHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II9
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
13%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
40
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Only 13% of commuters in Cold Ash go to work without a car, fewer than in Berkshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 54% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Before tax, the average household brings in £80K a year. 85% of commuters drove, higher than both Berkshire’s towns (73%) and England’s towns (70%). For 36% of commuters, work was under 5 km away. Work in town: 4% of resident commuters.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving85%
On foot7%
Bicycle4%
Train1%
36%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
54%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£80K
mean household income, before tax
1.4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 48% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Children make up 25% of Cold Ash, above Berkshire’s towns and England’s towns
46% of adults hold a degree, above both Berkshire’s towns (40%) and England’s towns (34%). The 15-to-24 age group makes up 16% of residents. The median resident of Cold Ash is 39.2 years old. People 65 and over make up 18% of the town.
39.2median age
Cold AshBerkshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
16%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications10%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar15%
Degree level46%
Women and men · all residents
61% women, 39% men
About 63 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. A large institution, such as a prison, barracks, boarding school, university or care home, can tilt a town’s split: the census counts the people living there as residents.
| Cold Ash | Berkshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 25% | 19% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 16% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 15% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 18% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 9.8% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.1% | 4.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 46% | 40% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Berkshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Donnington Castle and 6 more in and around Cold Ash
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Cold Ash. Best known first.
CastleCastle · English HeritageDonnington Castle4.3 km outside town, to the west
ZooBucklebury Farm Park3.1 km outside town, to the east
Historic houseShaw House3.5 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumWest Berkshire Museum4.4 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumThatcham Nature Discovery Centre2 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumGreenham Control Tower4.1 km outside town, to the south
ZooBucklebury Farm Park3.1 km outside town, to the eastHistoric houseShaw House3.5 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumWest Berkshire Museum4.4 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumThatcham Nature Discovery Centre2 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumGreenham Control Tower4.1 km outside town, to the southPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Bucklebury Farm Park: Pam Brophy, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Shaw House: Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- West Berkshire Museum: Tom Bastin from Reading, UK, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cold Ash
15pages on Cold Ash
The big questions
SafetyA+5.7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £736K · rent £1,338 a monthHousing8 sold in 12 months · busiest street Bucklebury AlleySchoolsC1 state schoolHealthA+Life expectancy 86.5 (men), 87.3 (women)Work & commuteA63% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Cold Ash’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HermitageThatchamUpper BuckleburyNewburyComptonUpper BasildonWoolton Hill and HighclereCold Ash
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Ash | 2,267 | — | — | C | A+ | A+ |
| Hermitage | 2,224 | 1.7 | — | C | A | A+ |
| Thatcham | 25,537 | 2 | B | B+ | C+ | B− |
| Upper Bucklebury | 1,036 | 2.2 | — | C | B− | A |
| Newbury | 42,262 | 3.3 | B | B | C− | B− |
| Compton | 1,789 | 5.9 | — | C+ | B+ | A+ |
| Upper Basildon | 1,074 | 6.6 | — | C | A | A+ |
| Woolton Hill and Highclere | 2,755 | 7.1 | A+ | C+ | A | A+ |
Hermitage, Upper Bucklebury, Compton and Upper Basildon have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Cold Ash
Is Cold Ash expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £735,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £420,500 and detached houses £890,000.
Are schools in Cold Ash good?
GCSE results beat 62% of towns in England, and primary results trail 88% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by West Berkshire council.
About Cold Ash
Village in Berkshire, England
Cold Ash is a built-up area of 2,267 people, in the West Berkshire 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
- 2,267 (Census 2021)
- Council
- West Berkshire
- County
- Berkshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi (1.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005101
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.