Upper Bucklebury’s story
2 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Upper Bucklebury’s built-up area.
22% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Upper BuckleburyBerkshire
1,036 people live in this village in Berkshire, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Pam Brophy · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,036
Census 2021 · West Berkshire council
Median home
£736K
28 sales in 3 years
Median age
47.5
24% are 65+ · Berkshire 15%
Degree level
42%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Upper Bucklebury a good place to live?
Health is a strength: men here can expect to live to 83, women to 88. Jobs & income is another plus (A−): mean household income £74,527; 2.2% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Its weakest subject is walkability (D) — 8% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. Housing is expensive: the median home sold for £736,250, 10.9 years of area income.
Figures: life expectancy and income, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years. Upper Bucklebury is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
What makes Upper Bucklebury stand out
The 3 things Upper Bucklebury does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
8% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2.7 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Life expectancy, against UK towns
Health
88 and 83 years
OHID Fingertips, 2019–23.
How Upper Bucklebury grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Upper Bucklebury is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Upper Bucklebury is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
HealthNear the top of the towns comparedAOpen →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carDOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the strongest comparedA−Open →Cost of livingBelow the middle of the towns comparedCOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 11% of towns in England; secondary results beat 62% of towns in EnglandCOpen →SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History2 listed buildings; 22% of homes built before 1919COpen →Outdoors0% live within 400 m of a park; 48% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeCOpen →Civic life4.8 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Upper Bucklebury.
Health
Upper Bucklebury’s life expectancy beats 94% of UK towns
At the census, 87% of people in Upper Bucklebury called their health good or very good, near Berkshire’s towns (87%) and higher than England’s towns (82%). There is no GP practice in the town: the nearest is 1.6 miles off. 3.1% of residents report bad or very bad health. The nearest A&E to Upper Bucklebury is Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, 10.5 miles away.
87%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Upper Bucklebury | Berkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 87% | 87% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.1% | 3.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 14% | 13% | 17% |
83
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
88
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · No age adjustment applies to these census answers, which flatter younger towns; the Health Grade’s measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them, do allow for age.
SchoolsC
Upper Bucklebury’s schools fall behind 66% of towns in England on results
Secondary results at the one secondary school within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 48, with 48% at grade 5 or above in English and maths. Below is its only school. At the 7 primary schools within 3 km, 52% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
CSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucklebury C.E. Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 99 | C− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Only 18% of Upper Bucklebury’s commuters work within 5 km, fewer than in Berkshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 49% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
87% of commuters drove to work at the census. Working mainly from home: 49% of workers, above both Berkshire’s towns (41%) and England’s towns (31%). Of the commuters living in Upper Bucklebury, 2% work in the town itself. There are 0.4 jobs in Upper Bucklebury for each resident in work.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
On foot3%
Train2%
Bicycle2%
18%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
49%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£75K
mean household income, before tax
2.2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 12% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Upper Bucklebury keeps more of its old housing than Berkshire’s towns or England’s towns: 22% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Every one of Upper Bucklebury’s 2 listed buildings sits at Grade II, the most common listing. For its size, Upper Bucklebury has 19 listed buildings per 10,000 residents, below Berkshire’s towns (34) and England’s towns (39) alike.
2listed buildingsCHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II2
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
22%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
19
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
HousingCost of living grade C
Private renting is less common in Upper Bucklebury than in Berkshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 6%
Owners make up 77% of households, above both Berkshire’s towns (63%) and England’s towns (61%). 28 standard sales inside Upper Bucklebury’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 put the median at £736,250. Private rents average £1,338 a month across the West Berkshire council area.
£736Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Upper Bucklebury£736K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £790,000 | 17 |
| Semi-detached | £578,750 | 8 |
77%
of households own their home · England 61%
6%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,338
average private rent a month, West Berkshire council area
£2,449
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Who lives here
An older town: 24% of people in Upper Bucklebury are 65 or over, more than in Berkshire’s towns and across England’s towns
Young adults of 15 to 24 account for a tenth of the town. Typical age in Upper Bucklebury: 47.5, the median. Degrees are held by 42% of adults, near Berkshire’s towns (40%) and higher than England’s towns (34%).
47.5median age
Upper BuckleburyBerkshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
24%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications11%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level42%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 91 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Upper Bucklebury | Berkshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 19% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 18% | 29% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 24% | 15% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 11% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.6% | 4.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 42% | 40% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Berkshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Safety
Burglary and damage hit Upper Bucklebury harder than Berkshire’s towns or England’s towns: 12.6 per 1,000 residents a year
Reported offences in Upper Bucklebury came to 35 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 10. Of all the crimes, 34% were violence and sexual offences. Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Upper Bucklebury has more crime per resident than 70% of them.
20violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 30% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual12
Damage & arson8
Burglary4
Public order3
Other theft3
Drugs3
Other crime2
Shoplifting0
Anti-social10
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.
20
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
12.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
35
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.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Bucklebury Farm Park and 2 more in and around Upper Bucklebury
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Upper Bucklebury. Best known first.
ZooBucklebury Farm Park1.1 km outside town, to the northeast
Abbey or prioryDouai Abbey3.1 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumThatcham Nature Discovery Centre3.3 km outside town, to the southwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Bucklebury Farm Park: Pam Brophy, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Douai Abbey: Pjposullivan, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Upper Bucklebury
14pages on Upper Bucklebury
The big questions
SafetyB−20 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £736K · rent £1,338 a monthHousing10 sold in 12 months · busiest street Broad LaneSchoolsC1 state schoolHealthALife expectancy 83 (men), 88 (women)Work & commuteA−63% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Upper Bucklebury’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ThatchamCold AshHermitageNewburyTadleyUpper BasildonKingsclereUpper Bucklebury
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Bucklebury | 1,036 | — | — | C | B− | A |
| Thatcham | 25,537 | 1.8 | B | B+ | C+ | B− |
| Cold Ash | 2,267 | 2.2 | — | C | A+ | A+ |
| Hermitage | 2,224 | 3.3 | — | C | A | A+ |
| Newbury | 42,262 | 4.5 | B | B | C− | B− |
| Tadley | 14,767 | 5.5 | A | A− | B | B |
| Upper Basildon | 1,074 | 6 | — | C | A | A+ |
| Kingsclere | 2,889 | 6.2 | A− | B+ | B | A− |
Cold Ash, Hermitage 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 Upper Bucklebury
Is Upper Bucklebury expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £736,250, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £578,750 and detached houses £790,000.
Are schools in Upper Bucklebury good?
GCSE results beat 62% of towns in England, and primary results trail 89% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by West Berkshire council.
Does Upper Bucklebury flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Upper Bucklebury
Village in Berkshire, England
Upper Bucklebury is a built-up area of 1,036 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
- 1,036 (Census 2021)
- Council
- West Berkshire
- County
- Berkshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005134
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.